Edwards County, IL elected officials: county board members, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Edwards County: 3 seats on 3 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Circuit ClerkAmanda Willett source
County ClerkMelanie Knight sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

School Board

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Regional Superintendent of SchoolsElizabeth A Rister sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Edwards County has

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

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government10
Cities, towns, villages and townships40
School districts (school boards)10
Special districts (elected boards)130

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 Edwards County

6,075people
44.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$60,519 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
16.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%
13.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$100,000median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.6%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.8%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6%U.S.: 8.4%
45.1%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
17.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.5% · White 94.7% · Black 0.1% · Asian 0.2% · Other or more than one race 3.5% (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 Edwards County

6.3%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.4%. Illinois: 4.2%.
128people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
1,906people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
2,034in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Edwards County 0.0%2.2%4.3%6.5%8.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)6.3%1281,9062,034
August 20267.0%1461,9472,093
July 20267.2%1491,9292,078
June 20268.6%1851,9592,144
May 20269.6%2031,9142,117
April 202611.0%2311,8682,099
March 202614.9%3211,8352,156
February 202611.5%2591,9882,247
January 20265.6%1302,1912,321
December 20255.3%1242,2362,360
November 20254.9%1142,2302,344
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.4%1032,2332,336
August 20254.6%1112,3002,411
July 20254.4%1072,3392,446
June 20253.9%972,3762,473
May 20253.7%902,3302,420
April 20253.2%792,3572,436
March 20254.2%1012,3252,426
February 20254.1%1012,3522,453
January 20254.1%1022,4112,513
December 20243.5%882,4342,522
November 20243.5%902,4972,587
October 20243.6%942,5112,605
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.3%1032,3172,420
20244.1%1102,5412,651
20234.2%1172,6412,758
20224.0%1062,5662,672
20215.0%1352,5822,717
20208.2%2302,5922,822
20193.9%1132,7902,903
20184.4%1302,8162,946
20174.5%1332,8542,987
20165.5%1702,9273,097

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. Illinois's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.6% 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.

Quick answers

Who is the Edwards County Circuit Clerk?
Amanda Willett is the Circuit Clerk of Edwards County, Illinois.
Who is the Edwards County County Clerk?
Melanie Knight is the County Clerk of Edwards County, Illinois. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is on the Edwards County School Board?
Elizabeth A Rister (Regional Superintendent of Schools).
What is the population of Edwards County?
About 6,075 people, with a median age of 44.7; the median household income is $60,519 and 16.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Edwards County?
6.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 128 people unemployed in a labor force of 2,034, against 4.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Edwards County?
19 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 1 school district and 13 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the State Board of Elections' list of election authorities (county clerks), the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts' directory of circuit clerks, the State Board of Education's directory of regional offices of education, the Cook County Clerk's 2025 Directory of Elected Officials, and the large counties' own websites; officials appointed since those lists were updated 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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