Lake County, IN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Lake County: 81 seats on 47 elected bodies. 63 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Board of Commissioners
Lake County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Kyle W Allen Sr. Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Jerry Tippy Republican source | |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Michael C Repay Democratic source |
Lake County Council
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Council Member, District 1 | David Hamm Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 2 | Clorius L Lay Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 3 | Charlie Brown Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 4 | Pete Lindemulder Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 5 | Christine Cid Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 6 | Ted F Bilski Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 7 | Randy Niemeyer Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Assessor | Latonya Spearman Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Auditor | Peggy Holinga Katona Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Clerk of the Circuit Court | Mike Brown Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Coroner | David J Pastrick Democratic source | |
| Prosecuting Attorney | Bernard A. Carter Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Recorder | Regina (Gina) Pimentel Democratic source | |
| Sheriff | Oscar Martinez Jr Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Surveyor | Bill Emerson Jr Democratic source | |
| County Treasurer | John E Petalas Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
Cities and towns
How many local governments Lake County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 66 local governments in Lake 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 (19 municipal, 11 township) | 30 | 16 |
| School districts (school boards) | 16 | 0 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 19 | 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 Lake County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 20.9% · White 51.4% · Black 22.7% · Asian 1.6% · Other or more than one race 3.4% (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 Lake County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 4.7% | 11,411 | 232,337 | 243,748 |
| August 2026 | 4.8% | 11,568 | 229,731 | 241,299 |
| July 2026 | 4.7% | 11,552 | 233,204 | 244,756 |
| June 2026 | 4.7% | 11,618 | 235,473 | 247,091 |
| May 2026 | 4.3% | 10,549 | 232,502 | 243,051 |
| April 2026 | 4.2% | 10,022 | 230,637 | 240,659 |
| March 2026 | 5.1% | 12,285 | 228,677 | 240,962 |
| February 2026 | 5.4% | 12,938 | 227,930 | 240,868 |
| January 2026 | 4.7% | 11,459 | 230,608 | 242,067 |
| December 2025 | 4.0% | 9,603 | 231,003 | 240,606 |
| November 2025 | 4.2% | 10,144 | 232,278 | 242,422 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 4.6% | 11,298 | 232,072 | 243,370 |
| August 2025 | 5.0% | 12,145 | 230,669 | 242,814 |
| July 2025 | 5.4% | 13,158 | 232,431 | 245,589 |
| June 2025 | 5.1% | 12,686 | 234,391 | 247,077 |
| May 2025 | 5.2% | 12,661 | 230,494 | 243,155 |
| April 2025 | 4.7% | 11,444 | 232,173 | 243,617 |
| March 2025 | 5.5% | 13,382 | 229,782 | 243,164 |
| February 2025 | 6.2% | 15,146 | 227,395 | 242,541 |
| January 2025 | 6.0% | 14,721 | 229,250 | 243,971 |
| December 2024 | 5.1% | 12,384 | 228,623 | 241,007 |
| November 2024 | 5.2% | 12,550 | 229,094 | 241,644 |
| October 2024 | 4.9% | 11,986 | 230,647 | 242,633 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 5.1% | 12,399 | 231,085 | 243,484 |
| 2024 | 5.5% | 13,224 | 227,521 | 240,745 |
| 2023 | 5.0% | 11,914 | 225,265 | 237,179 |
| 2022 | 4.6% | 10,767 | 222,972 | 233,739 |
| 2021 | 6.4% | 14,771 | 216,997 | 231,768 |
| 2020 | 10.3% | 23,977 | 208,805 | 232,782 |
| 2019 | 4.8% | 11,450 | 224,762 | 236,212 |
| 2018 | 4.9% | 11,508 | 223,983 | 235,491 |
| 2017 | 5.0% | 11,781 | 221,721 | 233,502 |
| 2016 | 6.2% | 14,630 | 221,668 | 236,298 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Lake County County Assessor?
- Latonya Spearman (Democratic) is the County Assessor of Lake County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Lake County County Auditor?
- Peggy Holinga Katona (Democratic) is the County Auditor of Lake County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court?
- Mike Brown (Democratic) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Lake County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Lake County County Coroner?
- David J Pastrick (Democratic) is the County Coroner of Lake County, Indiana.
- Who is the Lake County Prosecuting Attorney?
- Bernard A. Carter (Democratic) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Lake County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Lake County County Recorder?
- Regina (Gina) Pimentel (Democratic) is the County Recorder of Lake County, Indiana.
- Who is the Lake County Sheriff?
- Oscar Martinez Jr (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Lake County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Lake County County Surveyor?
- Bill Emerson Jr (Democratic) is the County Surveyor of Lake County, Indiana.
- Who is the Lake County County Treasurer?
- John E Petalas (Democratic) is the County Treasurer of Lake County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Lake County commissioners?
- Kyle W Allen Sr. (District 1); Jerry Tippy (District 2); Michael C Repay (District 3); David Hamm (County Council Member, District 1); Clorius L Lay (County Council Member, District 2); Charlie Brown (County Council Member, District 3); Pete Lindemulder (County Council Member, District 4); Christine Cid (County Council Member, District 5); Ted F Bilski (County Council Member, District 6); Randy Niemeyer (County Council Member, District 7).
- What is the population of Lake County?
- About 500,379 people, with a median age of 39.7; the median household income is $71,493 and 14.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Lake County?
- 4.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 11,411 people unemployed in a labor force of 243,748, against 4.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Lake County?
- 66 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 19 municipal, 11 township, 16 school district and 19 special district governments.
- What cities and towns are in Lake County?
- 36: Calumet Township, Calumet Township, Calumet Township, Cedar Creek Township, Cedar Creek Township, Center Township, Center Township, Center Township, Crown Point, Crown Point, Eagle Creek Township, Eagle Creek Township, Gary, Gary, Hammond, Hanover Township, Hanover Township, Hobart, Hobart, Hobart Township, Hobart Township, Hobart Township, Lake Station, Lake Station, North Township, North Township, Ross Township, Ross Township, Ross Township, St. John Township, St. John Township, St. John Township, West Creek Township, West Creek Township, Winfield Township, Winfield Township. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
Lake County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Indiana county · Indiana's members of Congress
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