Hart County, KY elected officials: the fiscal court, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Hart County: 17 seats on 8 elected bodies. 17 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Fiscal Court

Hart County Fiscal Court

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Judge/ExecutiveJoe Choate Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Magistrate, 1st DistrictKatherine D. Kenny Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Magistrate, 2nd DistrictRicky Alvey Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Magistrate, 3rd DistrictRonald R. Riordan Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Magistrate, 4th DistrictDoug Wells Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Magistrate, 5th DistrictLee Miles Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyJustin Baird Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County ClerkFelicia Shelton Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerAnthony Roberts Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
JailerIsrael "Brown" Bergenson Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Property Valuation AdministratorCindy L. Atwell Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffJeff Wilson Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Special districts

Boards elected by the voters who live in each district.

Hart County Constables · 5 seats
OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Constable, 1st DistrictJames "Billy Buck" Minton sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Constable, 2nd DistrictWalter Bush sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Constable, 3rd DistrictWilliam E. Tweedy sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Constable, 4th DistrictDennis Amos sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Constable, 5th DistrictJoseph Thompson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Hart County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 10 local governments in Hart 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 townships30
School districts (school boards)10
Special districts (elected boards)51

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 Hart County

19,603people
40.4median ageU.S.: 38.9
$52,285 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
19.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
12.2%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$146,000median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
11.7%U.S.: 8.4%
35.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
28.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.1% · White 90.2% · Black 2.9% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 4.2% (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 Hart County

4.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.4%. Kentucky: 4.5%.
367people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
8,012people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
8,379in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Hart County 0.0%1.7%3.4%5.0%6.7% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.4%3678,0128,379
August 20264.2%3477,9348,281
July 20265.1%4227,9098,331
June 20265.6%4657,8268,291
May 20264.9%4017,8658,266
April 20264.3%3507,8618,211
March 20264.7%3937,9358,328
February 20264.5%3677,7998,166
January 20264.2%3377,7818,118
December 20253.4%2807,9898,269
November 20253.8%3177,9578,274
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.4%3627,8278,189
August 20254.4%3587,7868,144
July 20255.2%4327,8778,309
June 20254.9%4077,9758,382
May 20254.4%3667,9078,273
April 20254.2%3527,9828,334
March 20255.3%4528,0038,455
February 20255.6%4647,8428,306
January 20255.4%4507,8188,268
December 20244.6%3777,7618,138
November 20244.8%3887,6578,045
October 20244.7%3797,6548,033
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.6%3857,9068,291
20245.0%4047,6398,043
20234.5%3467,3587,704
20224.1%3167,3927,708
20214.3%3257,2927,617
20206.4%4857,1227,607
20194.5%3617,5957,956
20183.9%3137,7658,078
20174.3%3527,7678,119
20164.7%3727,5437,915

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. Kentucky's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.7% 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 Hart County

24.9 per 100,0002025. Kentucky: 212.1.
239.1 per 100,0002025. Kentucky: 1,261.7.
0murders2025, 5 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025524.948239.1
2024419.954268.5
20231260.680403.9
20221261.155280.1
20211367.863328.6
2020841.968355.8
2019631.7116612.9
2018315.962329.3
2017737.477411.6
2016632.556302.9
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Hart County Sheriff's Office202534316,059
Horse Cave Police Department20224192,237
Munfordville Police Department20231131,710

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 Kentucky · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.44 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 20,072 people.
29sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
3civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Hart County Sheriff's Office15316,059
Horse Cave Police Department802,283
Munfordville Police Department601,730
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025291.4433
2023291.4623
2021190.9923

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 Hart County County Attorney?
Justin Baird (Democratic) is the County Attorney of Hart County, Kentucky. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hart County County Clerk?
Felicia Shelton (Democratic) is the County Clerk of Hart County, Kentucky. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hart County Coroner?
Anthony Roberts (Republican) is the Coroner of Hart County, Kentucky. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hart County Jailer?
Israel "Brown" Bergenson (Democratic) is the Jailer of Hart County, Kentucky. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hart County Property Valuation Administrator?
Cindy L. Atwell (Democratic) is the Property Valuation Administrator of Hart County, Kentucky. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hart County Sheriff?
Jeff Wilson (Republican) is the Sheriff of Hart County, Kentucky. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Hart County commissioners?
Joe Choate (County Judge/Executive); Katherine D. Kenny (Magistrate, 1st District); Ricky Alvey (Magistrate, 2nd District); Ronald R. Riordan (Magistrate, 3rd District); Doug Wells (Magistrate, 4th District); Lee Miles (Magistrate, 5th District).
What is the population of Hart County?
About 19,603 people, with a median age of 40.4; the median household income is $52,285 and 19.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Hart County?
4.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 367 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,379, against 4.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Hart County?
10 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 1 school district and 5 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Kentucky State Board of Elections' official precinct recaps of each seat's last election (2022, and 2024 for some Louisville and Lexington council seats); officials appointed since then 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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