Franklin County, MA elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Franklin County: 7 seats on 6 elected bodies. 3 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts | Benjamin Simanski Democratic source | |
| Register of Probate | John F. Merrigan Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Sheriff | Christopher J. Donelan Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Register of Deeds, Franklin District | Scott A. Cote Democratic source | |
| District Attorney, Northwestern District | David E. Sullivan Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
Special districts
Franklin Regional Council of Governments Executive Committee
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Executive Committee Member (elected, term from 2023) | Jane M. Peirce source |
| Executive Committee Member (elected, term from 2025) | Jay D. Dipucchio source |
How many local governments Franklin County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 63 local governments in Franklin County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| Cities, towns, villages and townships (1 municipal, 25 township) | 26 | 0 |
| School districts (school boards) | 8 | 0 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 29 | 1 |
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 (10 in Franklin County), 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 Franklin County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 5.4% · White 87.5% · Black 1.3% · Asian 2% · 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 Franklin County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 3.8% | 1,384 | 34,703 | 36,087 |
| August 2026 | 4.1% | 1,480 | 34,285 | 35,765 |
| July 2026 | 4.6% | 1,607 | 33,626 | 35,233 |
| June 2026 | 3.9% | 1,375 | 33,960 | 35,335 |
| May 2026 | 3.9% | 1,339 | 33,257 | 34,596 |
| April 2026 | 4.0% | 1,358 | 32,956 | 34,314 |
| March 2026 | 4.6% | 1,612 | 33,314 | 34,926 |
| February 2026 | 5.2% | 1,825 | 33,522 | 35,347 |
| January 2026 | 5.2% | 1,831 | 33,512 | 35,343 |
| December 2025 | 4.4% | 1,601 | 34,910 | 36,511 |
| November 2025 | 4.2% | 1,537 | 35,159 | 36,696 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 3.7% | 1,331 | 34,832 | 36,163 |
| August 2025 | 4.1% | 1,527 | 35,438 | 36,965 |
| July 2025 | 4.3% | 1,575 | 35,145 | 36,720 |
| June 2025 | 4.1% | 1,499 | 35,371 | 36,870 |
| May 2025 | 4.0% | 1,482 | 35,261 | 36,743 |
| April 2025 | 3.6% | 1,333 | 35,349 | 36,682 |
| March 2025 | 4.2% | 1,562 | 35,253 | 36,815 |
| February 2025 | 4.5% | 1,644 | 35,009 | 36,653 |
| January 2025 | 4.3% | 1,585 | 35,177 | 36,762 |
| December 2024 | 3.6% | 1,319 | 35,465 | 36,784 |
| November 2024 | 3.3% | 1,213 | 35,487 | 36,700 |
| October 2024 | 3.3% | 1,200 | 35,718 | 36,918 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 4.1% | 1,516 | 35,173 | 36,689 |
| 2024 | 3.6% | 1,312 | 35,446 | 36,758 |
| 2023 | 3.2% | 1,179 | 35,296 | 36,475 |
| 2022 | 3.6% | 1,333 | 35,395 | 36,728 |
| 2021 | 5.2% | 1,909 | 34,770 | 36,679 |
| 2020 | 8.6% | 3,126 | 33,246 | 36,372 |
| 2019 | 3.0% | 1,152 | 36,743 | 37,895 |
| 2018 | 3.3% | 1,275 | 36,860 | 38,135 |
| 2017 | 3.7% | 1,375 | 36,186 | 37,561 |
| 2016 | 3.9% | 1,437 | 35,545 | 36,982 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Franklin County Clerk of Courts?
- Benjamin Simanski (Democratic) is the Clerk of Courts of Franklin County, Massachusetts.
- Who is the Franklin County Register of Probate?
- John F. Merrigan (Democratic) is the Register of Probate of Franklin County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Franklin County Sheriff?
- Christopher J. Donelan (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Franklin County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Franklin County Register of Deeds, Franklin District?
- Scott A. Cote (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds, Franklin District of Franklin County, Massachusetts.
- Who is the Franklin County District Attorney, Northwestern District?
- David E. Sullivan (Democratic) is the District Attorney, Northwestern District of Franklin County, Massachusetts. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- What is the population of Franklin County?
- About 70,944 people, with a median age of 47.2; the median household income is $74,907 and 12.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Franklin County?
- 3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,384 people unemployed in a labor force of 36,087, against 3.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Franklin County?
- 63 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 municipal, 25 township, 8 school district and 29 special district governments.
Franklin County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Massachusetts county · Massachusetts's members of Congress
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