Stephenson 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 Stephenson 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 ClerkShanelle Bardell source
County Clerk & RecorderJazmin Wingert sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

School Board

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

How many local governments Stephenson County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 62 local governments in Stephenson 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 townships (11 municipal, 18 township)290
School districts (school boards)60
Special districts (elected boards)260

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 Stephenson County

43,768people
45.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$64,043 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
13.9%below the U.S.: 12.5%
20.7%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$134,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.5%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.2%U.S.: 8.4%
43.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
22.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 5.6% · White 78.9% · Black 8.5% · Asian 0.8% · Other or more than one race 6.2% (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 Stephenson County

3.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.4%. Illinois: 4.2%.
799people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
20,159people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
20,958in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Stephenson County 0.0%1.9%3.8%5.7%7.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.8%79920,15920,958
August 20263.9%81920,31221,131
July 20263.3%70320,54221,245
June 20263.9%83520,66021,495
May 20264.0%82919,98420,813
April 20264.0%82919,77720,606
March 20265.2%1,09719,85120,948
February 20265.5%1,12519,39720,522
January 20265.4%1,11119,42020,531
December 20255.2%1,05419,33420,388
November 20254.8%98519,54120,526
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.4%91419,82420,738
August 20254.5%94219,93520,877
July 20254.5%94620,27421,220
June 20254.0%85120,52821,379
May 20253.9%80219,94820,750
April 20254.0%82420,00720,831
March 20254.7%98520,08721,072
February 20255.0%1,04219,82620,868
January 20255.1%1,07819,94221,020
December 20244.1%86119,91820,779
November 20244.0%83420,13320,967
October 20244.1%87120,37021,241
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.5%94819,93120,879
20244.8%1,02120,21421,235
20235.0%1,05320,13621,189
20224.6%96419,89820,862
20215.6%1,16719,81920,986
20207.2%1,51719,62421,141
20194.3%93321,01121,944
20184.7%1,05421,25322,307
20174.7%1,01420,76121,775
20165.8%1,24820,25521,503

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 Stephenson County Circuit Clerk?
Shanelle Bardell is the Circuit Clerk of Stephenson County, Illinois.
Who is the Stephenson County County Clerk & Recorder?
Jazmin Wingert is the County Clerk & Recorder of Stephenson County, Illinois. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is on the Stephenson County School Board?
Christopher Shockey (Regional Superintendent of Schools).
What is the population of Stephenson County?
About 43,768 people, with a median age of 45.3; the median household income is $64,043 and 13.9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Stephenson County?
3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 799 people unemployed in a labor force of 20,958, against 4.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Stephenson County?
62 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 11 municipal, 18 township, 6 school district and 26 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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