White County, GA elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in White County: 15 seats on 8 elected bodies. 3 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of Commissioners

White County Board of Commissioners

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Commission ChairTravis C. Turner Republican source
County Commissioner, District 1Roy "Shan" Ash, III Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Lyn Holcomb Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Edwin Nix Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4Craig Bryant Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Clerk of Superior CourtDena M. Adams Republican source
CoronerRicky Barrett Republican source
County SurveyorEddie Hood Republican source
Probate JudgeDon Ferguson Republican source
SheriffRick Kelley Republican source
Tax CommissionerCindy Cannon Republican source

School Board

White County Board of Education

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Board of Education ChairMissy Jarrard Republican source
Board of Education Member, District 1Jon Estes Republican source
Board of Education Member, District 3Charlie Thomas Republican source
Board of Education Member, District 4Linda M. Erbele Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments White County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 5 local governments in White 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)11
Special districts (elected boards)10

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 White County

28,810people
45.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$70,666 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
12.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
24%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$278,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
11.6%U.S.: 8.4%
43.1%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
22.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.8% · White 88.9% · Black 1.9% · Asian 0.6% · Other or more than one race 4.9% (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 White County

3.0%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.8%. Georgia: 3.5%.
447people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
14,245people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
14,692in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, White County 0.0%1.5%2.9%4.4%5.9% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.0%44714,24514,692
August 20262.9%41814,13314,551
July 20262.7%38213,94314,325
June 20263.1%44314,02114,464
May 20262.6%37214,10214,474
April 20262.3%32113,93114,252
March 20262.9%41213,86614,278
February 20263.2%45013,73314,183
January 20263.0%42213,58914,011
December 20252.6%36613,76014,126
November 20253.0%42213,71014,132
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.8%40413,84514,249
August 20253.2%44813,60314,051
July 20253.0%41913,71414,133
June 20253.1%44013,67214,112
May 20252.9%40713,64714,054
April 20252.6%35713,48513,842
March 20253.0%42213,43813,860
February 20253.2%43913,29413,733
January 20253.2%43413,26113,695
December 20242.6%35313,44813,801
November 20242.8%40213,72814,130
October 20242.8%39113,80514,196
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.0%41413,58413,998
20242.9%41413,66714,081
20232.7%38113,62114,002
20222.8%39313,41913,812
20213.0%40713,04713,454
20205.3%68812,38013,068
20193.2%42812,80913,237
20183.6%46412,47112,935
20174.6%58312,09612,679
20165.6%64310,89611,539

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. Georgia's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.3% 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 White County

93.1 per 100,0002025. Georgia: 296.9.
631.6 per 100,0002025. Georgia: 1,409.3.
0murders2025, 28 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
20252893.1190631.6
20241964.5180610.9
2023930.83241,108.9
202238131.5253875.5
202141130.3307976.0
202039125.1311997.6
201839131.23751,261.3
201758198.64561,561.2
201655192.95862,054.9
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
White County Sheriff's Office20251312425,820
Cleveland Police Department202513553,604
Helen Police Department2023031601

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 Georgia · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.76 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 30,080 people.
83sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
35civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
White County Sheriff's Office543425,820
Cleveland Police Department1613,604
Helen Police Department130656
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025832.76353
2024762.58373
2023752.57343
2022752.60323
2021672.13313
2020762.44313
2018692.32313
2017652.23343

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 White County Clerk of Superior Court?
Dena M. Adams (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of White County, Georgia.
Who is the White County Coroner?
Ricky Barrett (Republican) is the Coroner of White County, Georgia.
Who is the White County County Surveyor?
Eddie Hood (Republican) is the County Surveyor of White County, Georgia.
Who is the White County Probate Judge?
Don Ferguson (Republican) is the Probate Judge of White County, Georgia.
Who is the White County Sheriff?
Rick Kelley (Republican) is the Sheriff of White County, Georgia.
Who is the White County Tax Commissioner?
Cindy Cannon (Republican) is the Tax Commissioner of White County, Georgia.
Who are the White County commissioners?
Travis C. Turner (Commission Chair); Roy "Shan" Ash, III (District 1); Lyn Holcomb (District 2); Edwin Nix (District 3); Craig Bryant (District 4).
Who is on the White County School Board?
Missy Jarrard (Board of Education Chair); Jon Estes (Board of Education Member, District 1); Charlie Thomas (Board of Education Member, District 3); Linda M. Erbele (Board of Education Member, District 4).
What is the population of White County?
About 28,810 people, with a median age of 45.6; the median household income is $70,666 and 12.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in White County?
3.0% in September 2026 (preliminary): 447 people unemployed in a labor force of 14,692, against 2.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in White County?
5 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal, 1 school district and 1 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Georgia Secretary of State's official results of each seat's last election (the November 2024 general, or a special election since), and for seats up in 2026 whose 2022 result the SOS site doesn't carry, the incumbent the SOS marks on that seat's 2026 primary, nonpartisan or November contest; officials appointed since then 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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