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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Wilkinson County: 15 seats on 7 elected bodies. 7 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of Commissioners

Wilkinson County Board of Commissioners

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Commission ChairAnthony Bentley Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 1Flint Shepherd Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2James Hagins Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Robert Dame Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4Anderson Ford, Jr. Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Clerk of Superior CourtKimberleigh Bentley Republican source
CoronerJames “Dusty” Thomas Republican source
Probate JudgeS. Amanda Holder Republican source
SheriffRichard Chatman Democratic source
Tax CommissionerAmanda M. Panther Republican source

School Board

Wilkinson County Board of Education

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Board of Education ChairDavid Hadarits Republican source
Board of Education Member, District 1Leigh Scott Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member, District 2Kimberly S. Watkins Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member, District 3Johanna Rogers Republican source
Board of Education Member, District 4Charles Pitts Democratic source

How many local governments Wilkinson County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 9 local governments in Wilkinson 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 townships70
School districts (school boards)11
Special districts (elected boards)00

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 Wilkinson County

8,747people
42.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$45,465 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
21.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
12.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$86,300median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
4.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
10%U.S.: 8.4%
40.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
28%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.3% · White 55.6% · Black 37.7% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 2.8% (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 Wilkinson County

4.3%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.5%. Georgia: 3.5%.
142people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
3,137people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
3,279in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Wilkinson County 0.0%1.8%3.7%5.5%7.4% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.3%1423,1373,279
August 20264.2%1383,1163,254
July 20264.1%1323,0743,206
June 20264.6%1483,0593,207
May 20264.3%1373,0793,216
April 20263.3%1063,0843,190
March 20264.0%1293,0723,201
February 20264.5%1423,0283,170
January 20264.3%1352,9993,134
December 20254.0%1252,9953,120
November 20254.3%1393,0583,197
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.5%1433,0463,189
August 20254.6%1463,0133,159
July 20254.4%1383,0233,161
June 20254.3%1343,0133,147
May 20253.8%1203,0403,160
April 20253.4%1073,0473,154
March 20254.1%1293,0043,133
February 20254.4%1372,9873,124
January 20254.1%1272,9773,104
December 20243.5%1103,0213,131
November 20243.9%1213,0163,137
October 20244.3%1373,0393,176
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.2%1313,0183,149
20244.4%1382,9963,134
20234.2%1312,9773,108
20224.1%1323,0773,209
20214.6%1533,1803,333
20206.0%2043,2213,425
20194.3%1583,4773,635
20184.9%1723,3063,478
20176.3%2203,2673,487
20167.0%2333,0873,320

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 Wilkinson County

203.0 per 100,0002018. Georgia: 338.9.
1,003.9 per 100,0002018. Georgia: 2,642.9.
0murders2018, 18 violent crimes in all.

2018 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

By police agency (6)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Wilkinson County Sheriff's Office20234234,454
Gordon Police Department202312241,720
Ivey Police Department2018011912
McIntyre Police Department202204568
Irwinton Police Department201601557
Toomsboro Police Department201812426

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.

Quick answers

Who is the Wilkinson County Clerk of Superior Court?
Kimberleigh Bentley (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of Wilkinson County, Georgia.
Who is the Wilkinson County Coroner?
James “Dusty” Thomas (Republican) is the Coroner of Wilkinson County, Georgia.
Who is the Wilkinson County Probate Judge?
S. Amanda Holder (Republican) is the Probate Judge of Wilkinson County, Georgia.
Who is the Wilkinson County Sheriff?
Richard Chatman (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Wilkinson County, Georgia.
Who is the Wilkinson County Tax Commissioner?
Amanda M. Panther (Republican) is the Tax Commissioner of Wilkinson County, Georgia.
Who are the Wilkinson County commissioners?
Anthony Bentley (Commission Chair); Flint Shepherd (District 1); James Hagins (District 2); Robert Dame (District 3); Anderson Ford, Jr. (District 4).
Who is on the Wilkinson County School Board?
David Hadarits (Board of Education Chair); Leigh Scott (Board of Education Member, District 1); Kimberly S. Watkins (Board of Education Member, District 2); Johanna Rogers (Board of Education Member, District 3); Charles Pitts (Board of Education Member, District 4).
What is the population of Wilkinson County?
About 8,747 people, with a median age of 42.5; the median household income is $45,465 and 21.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Wilkinson County?
4.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 142 people unemployed in a labor force of 3,279, against 4.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Wilkinson County?
9 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 7 municipal and 1 school 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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