Anderson County, KS elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Anderson County: 8 seats on 6 elected bodies. 1 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Anderson County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Les McGhee sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Anthony "Spike" Mersman source
County Commissioner, District 3Michael Blaufuss source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County AttorneySteven R. Wilson source
County ClerkJulie Wettstein source
Register of DeedsSandra J Baugher source
SheriffWesley E. McClain source
County TreasurerIda McClelland source

How many local governments Anderson County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 34 local governments in Anderson County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government11
Cities, towns, villages and townships (6 municipal, 14 township)200
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)110

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 Anderson County

7,834people
40median ageU.S.: 38.9
$70,614 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11%below the U.S.: 12.5%
14%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$171,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.1%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.4%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
9.4%U.S.: 8.4%
50.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
31.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.8% · White 90.9% · Black 1.1% · Asian 0% · 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 Anderson County

3.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.6%. Kansas: 3.8%.
149people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
3,764people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
3,913in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Anderson County 0.0%1.4%2.7%4.1%5.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.8%1493,7643,913
August 20264.6%1793,7073,886
July 20264.3%1723,7983,970
June 20264.4%1733,7983,971
May 20264.0%1543,7023,856
April 20263.5%1343,7103,844
March 20264.1%1563,6143,770
February 20264.6%1743,6473,821
January 20264.4%1643,5993,763
December 20253.3%1303,8173,947
November 20253.5%1343,7493,883
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.6%1403,7303,870
August 20253.9%1483,6663,814
July 20254.1%1603,7043,864
June 20253.9%1503,7463,896
May 20253.2%1233,7123,835
April 20253.3%1253,7143,839
March 20254.0%1513,6013,752
February 20254.4%1673,6313,798
January 20253.8%1453,6803,825
December 20242.9%1113,7393,850
November 20242.9%1103,7003,810
October 20243.6%1393,7453,884
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.7%1433,7053,848
20243.4%1273,6553,782
20232.8%1013,5363,637
20222.9%1033,4743,577
20213.2%1233,6863,809
20204.9%1733,3693,542
20194.0%1373,3313,468
20184.1%1413,2653,406
20174.7%1633,2713,434
20165.2%1803,2713,451

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. Kansas's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.8% 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.

Crime reported in Anderson County

132.4 per 100,0002025. Kansas: 457.2.
469.5 per 100,0002025. Kansas: 1,796.5.
0murders2025, 11 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202511132.439469.5
202413156.759711.1
202026316.1911,106.4
201916194.01061,285.2
201817207.81041,271.1
201715183.31211,478.3
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Anderson County Sheriff's Office2025474,333
Garnett Police Department20257323,203
Colony Police Department202500384

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Kansas · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.06 per 1,000 residents2023, 3 agencies serving 7,752 people.
16sworn officers2023, full-time, as of October 31.
22civilian staff2023, full-time.

2023 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (3), 2023
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Anderson County Sheriff's Office7224,220
Garnett Police Department803,160
Colony Police Department10372

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Anderson County County Attorney?
Steven R. Wilson is the County Attorney of Anderson County, Kansas.
Who is the Anderson County County Clerk?
Julie Wettstein is the County Clerk of Anderson County, Kansas.
Who is the Anderson County Register of Deeds?
Sandra J Baugher is the Register of Deeds of Anderson County, Kansas.
Who is the Anderson County Sheriff?
Wesley E. McClain is the Sheriff of Anderson County, Kansas.
Who is the Anderson County County Treasurer?
Ida McClelland is the County Treasurer of Anderson County, Kansas.
Who are the Anderson County commissioners?
Les McGhee (District 1); Anthony "Spike" Mersman (District 2); Michael Blaufuss (District 3).
What is the population of Anderson County?
About 7,834 people, with a median age of 40; the median household income is $70,614 and 11% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Anderson County?
3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 149 people unemployed in a labor force of 3,913, against 3.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Anderson County?
34 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 6 municipal, 14 township, 2 school district and 11 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from each county's own website, the Secretary of State's list of county election officers (the county clerks) and its 2024 official vote totals (district attorneys); officials appointed since a page was 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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