Starke County, IN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Starke County: 53 seats on 30 elected bodies. 41 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Board of Commissioners
Starke County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Michael VanDeMark Republican source | |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Don Binkley Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Charles R Chesak Republican source |
Starke County Council
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Council Member, District 1 | Norman Bruce Bennett Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 2 | Howard A Bailey Jr Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 3 | David Dave Pearman Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, District 4 | Cassandra Hine Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Council Member, At-large | Bill R Crase Jr. Republican source | |
| County Council Member, At-large | Kay Gudeman Republican source | |
| County Council Member, At-large | E. Todd Leinbach Republican source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Assessor | Michelle (Houston) Schouten Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Auditor | Rachel Milner Oesterreich Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Clerk of the Circuit Court | Bernadette Welter - Manuel Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Coroner | April C Cooke Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Prosecuting Attorney | Leslie A. Baker Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Recorder | Mandy M Thomason Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Sheriff | Jack E Rosa Jr. Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Surveyor | Gwen Rentz Republican source | |
| County Treasurer | Kelly Graham Republican source |
Cities and towns
How many local governments Starke County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 24 local governments in Starke 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 (3 municipal, 9 township) | 12 | 10 |
| School districts (school boards) | 3 | 0 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 8 | 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 Starke County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.3% · White 91% · Black 0.5% · Asian 0.3% · Other or more than one race 3.8% (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 Starke County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 4.5% | 441 | 9,274 | 9,715 |
| August 2026 | 4.1% | 394 | 9,250 | 9,644 |
| July 2026 | 4.3% | 416 | 9,224 | 9,640 |
| June 2026 | 4.1% | 407 | 9,480 | 9,887 |
| May 2026 | 3.8% | 368 | 9,234 | 9,602 |
| April 2026 | 3.9% | 368 | 9,120 | 9,488 |
| March 2026 | 4.8% | 453 | 9,019 | 9,472 |
| February 2026 | 5.3% | 496 | 8,934 | 9,430 |
| January 2026 | 4.8% | 454 | 9,026 | 9,480 |
| December 2025 | 3.7% | 344 | 9,077 | 9,421 |
| November 2025 | 3.7% | 354 | 9,109 | 9,463 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 4.2% | 405 | 9,151 | 9,556 |
| August 2025 | 4.5% | 435 | 9,188 | 9,623 |
| July 2025 | 5.0% | 486 | 9,147 | 9,633 |
| June 2025 | 4.7% | 459 | 9,347 | 9,806 |
| May 2025 | 4.4% | 423 | 9,120 | 9,543 |
| April 2025 | 4.4% | 420 | 9,126 | 9,546 |
| March 2025 | 5.2% | 497 | 9,005 | 9,502 |
| February 2025 | 6.2% | 591 | 8,918 | 9,509 |
| January 2025 | 6.3% | 604 | 8,980 | 9,584 |
| December 2024 | 4.9% | 461 | 8,999 | 9,460 |
| November 2024 | 4.8% | 458 | 9,017 | 9,475 |
| October 2024 | 4.8% | 452 | 9,004 | 9,456 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 4.8% | 456 | 9,106 | 9,562 |
| 2024 | 5.1% | 483 | 8,968 | 9,451 |
| 2023 | 4.5% | 414 | 8,856 | 9,270 |
| 2022 | 4.1% | 371 | 8,717 | 9,088 |
| 2021 | 5.0% | 452 | 8,663 | 9,115 |
| 2020 | 8.7% | 807 | 8,450 | 9,257 |
| 2019 | 4.6% | 434 | 8,969 | 9,403 |
| 2018 | 4.6% | 456 | 9,351 | 9,807 |
| 2017 | 4.7% | 461 | 9,388 | 9,849 |
| 2016 | 5.7% | 583 | 9,640 | 10,223 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Starke County County Assessor?
- Michelle (Houston) Schouten (Democratic) is the County Assessor of Starke County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Starke County County Auditor?
- Rachel Milner Oesterreich (Democratic) is the County Auditor of Starke County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Starke County Clerk of the Circuit Court?
- Bernadette Welter - Manuel (Republican) is the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Starke County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Starke County County Coroner?
- April C Cooke (Republican) is the County Coroner of Starke County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Starke County Prosecuting Attorney?
- Leslie A. Baker (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Starke County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Starke County County Recorder?
- Mandy M Thomason (Republican) is the County Recorder of Starke County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Starke County Sheriff?
- Jack E Rosa Jr. (Republican) is the Sheriff of Starke County, Indiana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Starke County County Surveyor?
- Gwen Rentz (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Starke County, Indiana.
- Who is the Starke County County Treasurer?
- Kelly Graham (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Starke County, Indiana.
- Who are the Starke County commissioners?
- Michael VanDeMark (District 1); Don Binkley (District 2); Charles R Chesak (District 3); Norman Bruce Bennett (County Council Member, District 1); Howard A Bailey Jr (County Council Member, District 2); David Dave Pearman (County Council Member, District 3); Cassandra Hine (County Council Member, District 4); Bill R Crase Jr. (County Council Member, At-large); Kay Gudeman (County Council Member, At-large); E. Todd Leinbach (County Council Member, At-large).
- What is the population of Starke County?
- About 23,365 people, with a median age of 42.1; the median household income is $63,960 and 13.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Starke County?
- 4.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 441 people unemployed in a labor force of 9,715, against 4.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Starke County?
- 24 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 9 township, 3 school district and 8 special district governments.
- What cities and towns are in Starke County?
- 19: California Township, California Township, Center Township, Center Township, Davis Township, Davis Township, Jackson Township, Jackson Township, Knox, Knox, North Bend Township, North Bend Township, Oregon Township, Oregon Township, Railroad Township, Railroad Township, Washington Township, Wayne Township, Wayne Township. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
Starke County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Indiana county · Indiana's members of Congress
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