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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Douglas County: 10 seats on 6 elected bodies. 3 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Patrick Kelly Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Shannon Reid Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 3Karen Willey Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 4Gene Dorsey Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 5Erica Anderson Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkJameson (Jamie) Shew source
District AttorneyDakota Loomis Democratic source
Register of DeedsKent Brown Democratic source
SheriffJay Armbrister Democratic source
County TreasurerAdam Rains Democratic source

How many local governments Douglas County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 39 local governments in Douglas 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 (4 municipal, 9 township)130
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)220

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 Douglas County

120,302people
31.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$69,746 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
14.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
53.2%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$309,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
8.2%U.S.: 8.4%
51.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
20.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7.2% · White 76% · Black 4.2% · Asian 4.3% · Other or more than one race 8.3% (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 Douglas County

3.6%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.3%. Kansas: 3.8%.
2,522people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
68,036people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
70,558in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Douglas County 0.0%1.5%2.9%4.4%5.9% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.6%2,52268,03670,558
August 20264.4%2,96365,05368,016
July 20264.2%2,91866,27669,194
June 20264.1%2,84966,01968,868
May 20263.6%2,53268,34770,879
April 20263.0%2,19770,11072,307
March 20263.4%2,47069,73572,205
February 20263.9%2,84769,47272,319
January 20263.8%2,74568,92671,671
December 20253.1%2,19469,58571,779
November 20253.1%2,24771,32273,569
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.3%2,45670,98573,441
August 20253.9%2,76268,45171,213
July 20254.3%3,02467,99471,018
June 20254.0%2,79367,01969,812
May 20253.3%2,34369,66172,004
April 20253.2%2,35170,98473,335
March 20253.5%2,52370,24372,766
February 20253.7%2,69170,02172,712
January 20253.5%2,44367,75770,200
December 20242.9%2,05869,88971,947
November 20242.9%2,13070,26172,391
October 20243.3%2,37470,37772,751
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.5%2,53069,45771,987
20243.2%2,30168,91271,213
20232.6%1,85368,44970,302
20222.6%1,76466,94868,712
20213.1%2,13065,50867,638
20205.6%3,78163,15166,932
20192.8%1,90266,84568,747
20182.9%1,95666,47568,431
20173.0%2,06366,39568,458
20163.4%2,30866,21568,523

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 Douglas County

383.0 per 100,0002025. Kansas: 457.2.
1,591.3 per 100,0002025. Kansas: 1,796.5.
6murders2025, 470 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025470383.01,9531,591.3
2024487398.12,2501,839.1
2022505420.62,2401,865.6
2021528424.72,5112,019.6
By police agency (4)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Lawrence Police Department20254291,84097,863
Douglas County Sheriff's Office2025235913,235
Eudora Police Department20257236,602
Baldwin City Police Department202511315,028

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

2.07 per 1,000 residents2024, 4 agencies serving 122,345 people.
253sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
121civilian staff2024, full-time.

2024 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (4), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Lawrence Police Department1493496,636
Douglas County Sheriff's Office808514,258
Eudora Police Department1406,485
Baldwin City Police Department1024,966
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20242532.071214
20232391.981144
20222462.051044
20202522.041094
20192431.981094
20182592.13994
20172462.041444
20162472.081074

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 Douglas County County Clerk?
Jameson (Jamie) Shew is the County Clerk of Douglas County, Kansas.
Who is the Douglas County District Attorney?
Dakota Loomis (Democratic) is the District Attorney of Douglas County, Kansas.
Who is the Douglas County Register of Deeds?
Kent Brown (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds of Douglas County, Kansas.
Who is the Douglas County Sheriff?
Jay Armbrister (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Douglas County, Kansas.
Who is the Douglas County County Treasurer?
Adam Rains (Democratic) is the County Treasurer of Douglas County, Kansas.
Who are the Douglas County commissioners?
Patrick Kelly (District 1); Shannon Reid (District 2); Karen Willey (District 3); Gene Dorsey (District 4); Erica Anderson (District 5).
What is the population of Douglas County?
About 120,302 people, with a median age of 31.6; the median household income is $69,746 and 14.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Douglas County?
3.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 2,522 people unemployed in a labor force of 70,558, against 3.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Douglas County?
39 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 9 township, 3 school district and 22 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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