Huerfano County, CO elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Huerfano County: 8 seats on 6 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Huerfano County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Mitchell Wardell Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Jim Chamberlain Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3Karl Sporleder Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorElisha Meadows Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk and RecorderErica Vigil Unaffiliated sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerVonnie Maier-Valdez Unaffiliated sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffBruce Newman Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
TreasurerDebra J. Reynolds Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Huerfano County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 19 local governments in Huerfano County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships20
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)140

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Huerfano County

6,972people
55.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$52,526 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
17.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
26.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$247,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700
8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
10.1%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
3.6%U.S.: 8.4%
51.8%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
35.9%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 30.6% · White 62.9% · Black 0% · Asian 0.2% · Other or more than one race 6.3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Huerfano County

7.0%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 5.9%. Colorado: 4.4%.
163people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
2,180people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
2,343in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Huerfano County 0.0%2.4%4.7%7.1%9.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)7.0%1632,1802,343
August 20267.0%1662,1912,357
July 20266.3%1502,2292,379
June 20265.8%1382,2212,359
May 20265.8%1412,2772,418
April 20265.3%1272,2662,393
March 20266.3%1522,2442,396
February 20267.9%1842,1562,340
January 20267.9%1872,1862,373
December 20256.1%1422,1812,323
November 20256.5%1542,2012,355
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20255.9%1442,2842,428
August 20256.3%1552,2982,453
July 20256.6%1652,3242,489
June 20256.5%1642,3462,510
May 20255.7%1422,3492,491
April 20255.9%1462,3442,490
March 20256.9%1702,3022,472
February 20258.2%2002,2252,425
January 20258.3%2022,2342,436
December 20247.4%1792,2562,435
November 20247.2%1752,2582,433
October 20246.6%1622,2982,460
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)6.6%1622,2812,443
20247.0%1722,2922,464
20236.2%1492,2472,396
20226.5%1532,2042,357
20218.9%2212,2522,473
20209.0%2292,3102,539
20195.8%1392,2752,414
20186.3%1572,3212,478
20175.4%1352,3502,485
20166.1%1502,3172,467

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Colorado's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.1% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Police in Huerfano County

Police staffing

1.67 per 1,000 residents2024, 2 agencies serving 7,191 people.
12sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
11civilian staff2024, full-time.

2024 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (2), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Huerfano County Sheriff's Office11116,306
La Veta Police Department10885
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2024121.67112
2023121.66122
2021213.08212
2020182.62202
2019213.05212
2018213.15242
2017233.46212
2016203.10153

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Huerfano County Assessor?
Elisha Meadows (Democratic) is the Assessor of Huerfano County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Huerfano County Clerk and Recorder?
Erica Vigil (Unaffiliated) is the Clerk and Recorder of Huerfano County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Huerfano County Coroner?
Vonnie Maier-Valdez (Unaffiliated) is the Coroner of Huerfano County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Huerfano County Sheriff?
Bruce Newman (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Huerfano County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Huerfano County Treasurer?
Debra J. Reynolds (Democratic) is the Treasurer of Huerfano County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Huerfano County commissioners?
Mitchell Wardell (District 1); Jim Chamberlain (District 2); Karl Sporleder (District 3).
What is the population of Huerfano County?
About 6,972 people, with a median age of 55.3; the median household income is $52,526 and 17.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Huerfano County?
7.0% in September 2026 (preliminary): 163 people unemployed in a labor force of 2,343, against 5.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Huerfano County?
19 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal, 2 school district and 14 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Colorado Secretary of State's 2023-2024 Biennial Abstract directory of county officers, with districts and parties from the Secretary of State's certified 2022 and 2024 general election results; officials appointed since it was published may differ; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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