Clay County, IN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Clay County: 69 seats on 35 elected bodies. 53 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Board of Commissioners
Clay County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Bryan Allender Republican source | |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Marty A Heffner Republican source | |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Paul R Sinders Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
Clay County Council
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Council Member, District 1 | Jacqueline (Jackie) Mitchell Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 2 | Jason D Britton Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 3 | Jason C Thomas Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 4 | Larry J Moss Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, At-large | Jeff Fritz Republican source | |
| County Council Member, At-large | Michael Heaton Republican source | |
| County Council Member, At-large | Rick J James Republican source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Assessor | Barbara (Barb) Scott Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Auditor | Patricia (Patti) A Foxx Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Clerk of the Circuit Court | Nichole Keller Republican source | |
| County Coroner | Lexi Gass Republican source | |
| Prosecuting Attorney | Emily Clarke Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Recorder | Susan Maesch Republican source | |
| Sheriff | Brison T Swearingen Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Surveyor | Vernon W Maesch Republican source | |
| County Treasurer | Jennifer M Flater Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
Cities and towns
How many local governments Clay County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 25 local governments in Clay County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| County government | 1 | 1 |
| Cities, towns, villages and townships (7 municipal, 11 township) | 18 | 12 |
| School districts (school boards) | 1 | 0 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 5 | 0 |
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 Clay County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2% · White 94% · Black 0.5% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
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 Clay County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 3.6% | 449 | 12,016 | 12,465 |
| August 2026 | 3.3% | 413 | 11,982 | 12,395 |
| July 2026 | 3.4% | 422 | 11,995 | 12,417 |
| June 2026 | 3.5% | 441 | 12,122 | 12,563 |
| May 2026 | 3.2% | 399 | 12,240 | 12,639 |
| April 2026 | 2.5% | 311 | 12,106 | 12,417 |
| March 2026 | 3.4% | 425 | 11,964 | 12,389 |
| February 2026 | 3.8% | 470 | 11,877 | 12,347 |
| January 2026 | 3.1% | 382 | 12,003 | 12,385 |
| December 2025 | 2.5% | 313 | 12,028 | 12,341 |
| November 2025 | 3.1% | 387 | 12,024 | 12,411 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 3.5% | 443 | 12,040 | 12,483 |
| August 2025 | 3.7% | 456 | 11,913 | 12,369 |
| July 2025 | 4.1% | 505 | 11,895 | 12,400 |
| June 2025 | 3.9% | 479 | 11,893 | 12,372 |
| May 2025 | 3.6% | 449 | 11,989 | 12,438 |
| April 2025 | 3.1% | 387 | 12,056 | 12,443 |
| March 2025 | 3.6% | 440 | 11,929 | 12,369 |
| February 2025 | 4.2% | 523 | 11,827 | 12,350 |
| January 2025 | 4.2% | 516 | 11,821 | 12,337 |
| December 2024 | 3.5% | 436 | 11,897 | 12,333 |
| November 2024 | 3.9% | 484 | 11,850 | 12,334 |
| October 2024 | 3.8% | 476 | 11,932 | 12,408 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 3.6% | 445 | 11,947 | 12,392 |
| 2024 | 3.9% | 478 | 11,773 | 12,251 |
| 2023 | 3.3% | 403 | 11,706 | 12,109 |
| 2022 | 3.3% | 396 | 11,705 | 12,101 |
| 2021 | 3.7% | 449 | 11,569 | 12,018 |
| 2020 | 6.5% | 780 | 11,308 | 12,088 |
| 2019 | 3.5% | 434 | 12,078 | 12,512 |
| 2018 | 3.8% | 481 | 12,134 | 12,615 |
| 2017 | 3.7% | 457 | 12,060 | 12,517 |
| 2016 | 4.5% | 572 | 12,060 | 12,632 |
Crime reported in Clay County
By police agency (3)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County Sheriff's Office | 2025 | 22 | 52 | 17,526 |
| Brazil Police Department | 2025 | 32 | 127 | 8,259 |
| Knightsville Police Department | 2023 | 0 | 0 | 698 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Clay County County Assessor?
- Barbara (Barb) Scott (Republican) is the County Assessor of Clay County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Clay County County Auditor?
- Patricia (Patti) A Foxx (Republican) is the County Auditor of Clay County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Clay County Clerk of the Circuit Court?
- Nichole Keller (Republican) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Clay County, Indiana.
- Who is the Clay County County Coroner?
- Lexi Gass (Republican) is the County Coroner of Clay County, Indiana.
- Who is the Clay County Prosecuting Attorney?
- Emily Clarke (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Clay County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Clay County County Recorder?
- Susan Maesch (Republican) is the County Recorder of Clay County, Indiana.
- Who is the Clay County Sheriff?
- Brison T Swearingen (Republican) is the Sheriff of Clay County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Clay County County Surveyor?
- Vernon W Maesch (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Clay County, Indiana.
- Who is the Clay County County Treasurer?
- Jennifer M Flater (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Clay County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Clay County commissioners?
- Bryan Allender (District 1); Marty A Heffner (District 2); Paul R Sinders (District 3); Jacqueline (Jackie) Mitchell (County Council Member, District 1); Jason D Britton (County Council Member, District 2); Jason C Thomas (County Council Member, District 3); Larry J Moss (County Council Member, District 4); Jeff Fritz (County Council Member, At-large); Michael Heaton (County Council Member, At-large); Rick J James (County Council Member, At-large).
- What is the population of Clay County?
- About 26,409 people, with a median age of 41.4; the median household income is $70,010 and 11.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Clay County?
- 3.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 449 people unemployed in a labor force of 12,465, against 3.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Clay County?
- 25 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 7 municipal, 11 township, 1 school district and 5 special district governments.
- What cities and towns are in Clay County?
- 24: Brazil, Brazil, Brazil Township, Brazil Township, Cass Township, Cass Township, Dick Johnson Township, Dick Johnson Township, Harrison Township, Harrison Township, Jackson Township, Jackson Township, Lewis Township, Lewis Township, Perry Township, Perry Township, Posey Township, Posey Township, Sugar Ridge Township, Sugar Ridge Township, Van Buren Township, Van Buren Township, Washington Township, Washington Township. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
Clay County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Indiana county · Indiana's members of Congress
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