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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Lake 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

Lake County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Andrew Lee Unaffiliated sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Matt Bullock Unaffiliated source
County Commissioner, District 3Elsa Tharp Democratic source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorMark Wadsworth Unaffiliated sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk and RecorderTracey Lauritzen Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerAlexander Krieg Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffHeath Speckman Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
TreasurerPadraic Smith Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Lake County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 16 local governments in Lake 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 townships10
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)120

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 Lake County

7,380people
37.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$96,575 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
7.9%below the U.S.: 12.5%
49.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$466,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
12.4%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
13.7%U.S.: 8.4%
61.8%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
14.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 32.8% · White 58.3% · Black 0.1% · Asian 0.1% · Other or more than one race 8.7% (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 Lake County

3.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.5%. Colorado: 4.4%.
165people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
4,123people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
4,288in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Lake County 0.0%2.2%4.4%6.5%8.7% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.8%1654,1234,288
August 20264.0%1774,2304,407
July 20263.5%1544,2504,404
June 20264.0%1704,1254,295
May 20264.3%1814,0194,200
April 20263.4%1534,4064,559
March 20263.2%1494,5284,677
February 20263.6%1674,5314,698
January 20263.7%1794,6174,796
December 20253.0%1454,6194,764
November 20253.9%1754,3284,503
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.5%1544,3084,462
August 20253.2%1474,4164,563
July 20253.3%1494,4034,552
June 20253.8%1724,3264,498
May 20254.0%1744,1534,327
April 20253.1%1484,5714,719
March 20253.3%1624,6824,844
February 20253.6%1754,6904,865
January 20253.4%1684,7674,935
December 20243.2%1544,6894,843
November 20243.8%1754,3784,553
October 20243.4%1544,3714,525
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.5%1614,4784,639
20243.4%1574,4424,599
20232.8%1224,2904,412
20222.8%1194,1704,289
20215.2%2183,9904,208
20208.3%3603,9934,353
20192.4%1084,3714,479
20182.6%1134,2354,348
20172.1%904,1674,257
20162.9%1224,0534,175

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.

Crime reported in Lake County

176.4 per 100,0002025. Colorado: 421.7.
434.1 per 100,0002025. Colorado: 2,143.6.
2murders2025, 13 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202513176.432434.1
202415202.441553.3
202327369.968931.5
202219256.650675.3
202116201.158729.1
201913165.334432.4
201815190.967852.6
201712156.9831,085.0
201612159.4851,129.4
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Lake County Sheriff's Office202511214,746
Leadville Police Department20241232,630

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Colorado · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.58 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 7,371 people.
19sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
23civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Lake County Sheriff's Office13194,746
Leadville Police Department642,625
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025192.58232
2024162.16242
2023141.92202
202181.01222
2020151.83202
2019141.78162
2018162.04122
2017202.61142
2016212.79162

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 Lake County Assessor?
Mark Wadsworth (Unaffiliated) is the Assessor of Lake County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Lake County Clerk and Recorder?
Tracey Lauritzen (Democratic) is the Clerk and Recorder of Lake County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Lake County Coroner?
Alexander Krieg (Democratic) is the Coroner of Lake County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Lake County Sheriff?
Heath Speckman (Republican) is the Sheriff of Lake County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Lake County Treasurer?
Padraic Smith (Democratic) is the Treasurer of Lake County, Colorado. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Lake County commissioners?
Andrew Lee (District 1); Matt Bullock (District 2); Elsa Tharp (District 3).
What is the population of Lake County?
About 7,380 people, with a median age of 37.3; the median household income is $96,575 and 7.9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Lake County?
3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 165 people unemployed in a labor force of 4,288, against 3.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Lake County?
16 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 1 municipal, 2 school district and 12 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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