Cherokee County, IA elected officials: county supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Cherokee County: 10 seats on 6 elected bodies. 5 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of Supervisors

Cherokee County Board of Supervisors

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Supervisor, District 1Ray E Mullins II Republican source
County Supervisor, District 2Bryan Petersen Republican source
County Supervisor, District 3David L. Skou Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Supervisor, District 4Cheryl Ellis Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Supervisor, District 5Shane Bellefy Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyRyan R. Kolpin Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorKris Glienke Republican source
County RecorderSamantha Boothby Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffDerek Scott Republican source
County TreasurerJodi B. Mongan Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Cherokee County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 15 local governments in Cherokee 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 townships80
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)40

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 Cherokee County

11,600people
44median ageU.S.: 38.9
$71,269 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
12.1%below the U.S.: 12.5%
23.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$158,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
3.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.1%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.8%U.S.: 8.4%
48.4%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
9.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 5.4% · White 88.6% · Black 1% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 4.7% (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 Cherokee County

2.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.9%. Iowa: 3.2%.
145people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
6,345people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
6,490in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Cherokee County 0.0%0.9%1.8%2.8%3.7% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.2%1456,3456,490
August 20262.6%1666,2906,456
July 20262.4%1566,3916,547
June 20262.1%1436,5116,654
May 20261.9%1276,4206,547
April 20261.9%1246,4556,579
March 20262.6%1746,3996,573
February 20262.8%1806,3166,496
January 20262.9%1916,3146,505
December 20252.5%1636,4276,590
November 20252.2%1446,4166,560
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20251.9%1236,4446,567
August 20252.4%1566,4276,583
July 20252.8%1896,5846,773
June 20252.4%1656,5906,755
May 20252.4%1596,4826,641
April 20252.3%1556,5786,733
March 20253.0%2016,4176,618
February 20253.3%2136,2716,484
January 20253.4%2246,4066,630
December 20242.5%1646,3446,508
November 20242.7%1756,2246,399
October 20242.7%1786,3786,556
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.6%1726,4586,630
20242.3%1506,3176,467
20232.4%1536,2946,447
20222.3%1476,2566,403
20213.0%1916,2486,439
20203.5%2286,2696,497
20192.3%1536,4016,554
20182.1%1336,2106,343
20172.4%1536,2286,381
20163.4%2296,4236,652

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. Iowa's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.2% 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 Cherokee County

47.4 per 100,0002025. Iowa: 233.9.
157.9 per 100,0002025. Iowa: 1,171.7.
1murders2025, 6 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025647.420157.9
20241294.122172.6
20231080.331248.8
2022324.145361.9
202125204.845368.6
202020164.357468.2
201914114.533270.0
201835286.252425.1
201719152.651409.6
201624191.891727.3
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Cherokee County Sheriff's Office2025196,415
Cherokee Police Department20255115,184

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 Iowa · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.47 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 11,599 people.
17sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
14civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Cherokee County Sheriff's Office8136,415
Cherokee Police Department915,184
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025171.47142
2024151.28132
2023181.58152
2022141.23122
2020141.26122
2019161.43142
2018151.34132
2017151.32122
2016151.31142

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 Cherokee County County Attorney?
Ryan R. Kolpin (Republican) is the County Attorney of Cherokee County, Iowa. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cherokee County County Auditor?
Kris Glienke (Republican) is the County Auditor of Cherokee County, Iowa.
Who is the Cherokee County County Recorder?
Samantha Boothby (Republican) is the County Recorder of Cherokee County, Iowa. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cherokee County Sheriff?
Derek Scott (Republican) is the Sheriff of Cherokee County, Iowa.
Who is the Cherokee County County Treasurer?
Jodi B. Mongan (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Cherokee County, Iowa. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Cherokee County commissioners?
Ray E Mullins II (County Supervisor, District 1); Bryan Petersen (County Supervisor, District 2); David L. Skou (County Supervisor, District 3); Cheryl Ellis (County Supervisor, District 4); Shane Bellefy (County Supervisor, District 5).
What is the population of Cherokee County?
About 11,600 people, with a median age of 44; the median household income is $71,269 and 12.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Cherokee County?
2.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 145 people unemployed in a labor force of 6,490, against 1.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Cherokee County?
15 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 8 municipal, 2 school district and 4 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from county election offices' elected-officials pages where they publish one, and elsewhere from the Iowa Secretary of State's certified 2022 and 2024 general election results (each seat's last election); 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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