Barry County, MI elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Barry County: 14 seats on 7 elected bodies.

Board of Commissioners

Barry County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Bob Teunessen Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Catherine Getty Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3David W. Jackson Republican source
County Commissioner, District 4Jon Smelker Republican source
County Commissioner, District 5Mike Callton Republican source
County Commissioner, District 6Marsha Bassett Republican source
County Commissioner, District 7Bruce D. Campbell Republican source
County Commissioner, District 8David Hatfield Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkSarah VanDenburg Republican source
Drain CommissionerJim Dull Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyJulie Nakfoor Pratt Republican source
Register of DeedsEmily Reed Republican source
SheriffDar Leaf Republican source
County TreasurerKelli Shumway Republican source

How many local governments Barry County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 31 local governments in Barry 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 (5 municipal, 16 township)210
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)60

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 Barry County

63,409people
42.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$77,500 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
24.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$264,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.2%U.S.: 8.4%
45.1%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
23.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.7% · White 91.8% · Black 0.3% · Asian 0.6% · Other or more than one race 3.6% (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 Barry County

4.0%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.2%. Michigan: 4.8%.
1,129people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
27,154people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
28,283in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Barry County 0.0%2.2%4.3%6.5%8.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.0%1,12927,15428,283
August 20264.6%1,33127,53628,867
July 20264.8%1,37827,50228,880
June 20264.6%1,32327,50228,825
May 20264.9%1,42327,77829,201
April 20264.1%1,20427,92029,124
March 20264.8%1,41328,27029,683
February 20264.9%1,46228,27429,736
January 20265.4%1,60828,39230,000
December 20254.7%1,41028,59230,002
November 20254.4%1,33229,23030,562
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.2%1,29729,80131,098
August 20254.7%1,47029,55531,025
July 20255.4%1,70429,57331,277
June 20255.3%1,65929,72331,382
May 20255.0%1,57230,07331,645
April 20254.8%1,49129,81531,306
March 20255.3%1,67929,74431,423
February 20255.7%1,77629,51731,293
January 20255.4%1,68329,72631,409
December 20244.9%1,54929,77131,320
November 20244.3%1,37730,29931,676
October 20244.3%1,34530,12631,471
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)5.0%1,55229,57731,129
20244.6%1,43730,03731,474
20233.9%1,21329,99231,205
20224.1%1,22128,61429,835
20214.8%1,39027,48128,871
20208.2%2,42627,01829,444
20193.6%1,06028,49029,550
20183.7%1,09428,26629,360
20174.2%1,21927,72128,940
20164.3%1,23527,43928,674

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. Michigan's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 5.0% 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.

Police in Barry County

Police staffing

0.73 per 1,000 residents2022, 7 agencies serving 63,438 people.
46sworn officers2022, full-time, as of October 31.
31civilian staff2022, full-time.

2022 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (7), 2022
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Barry County Sheriff's Office302544,830
Hastings Police Department967,554
Barry Township Police Department303,469
Nashville Police Department201,598
Prairieville Township Police Department203,411
Freeport Police Department00545
Woodland Township Police Department002,031
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2022460.73317
2018530.87257

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 Barry County County Clerk?
Sarah VanDenburg (Republican) is the County Clerk of Barry County, Michigan.
Who is the Barry County Drain Commissioner?
Jim Dull (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Barry County, Michigan.
Who is the Barry County Prosecuting Attorney?
Julie Nakfoor Pratt (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Barry County, Michigan.
Who is the Barry County Register of Deeds?
Emily Reed (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Barry County, Michigan.
Who is the Barry County Sheriff?
Dar Leaf (Republican) is the Sheriff of Barry County, Michigan.
Who is the Barry County County Treasurer?
Kelli Shumway (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Barry County, Michigan.
Who are the Barry County commissioners?
Bob Teunessen (District 1); Catherine Getty (District 2); David W. Jackson (District 3); Jon Smelker (District 4); Mike Callton (District 5); Marsha Bassett (District 6); Bruce D. Campbell (District 7); David Hatfield (District 8).
What is the population of Barry County?
About 63,409 people, with a median age of 42.3; the median household income is $77,500 and 8.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Barry County?
4.0% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,129 people unemployed in a labor force of 28,283, against 4.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Barry County?
31 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 16 township, 3 school district and 6 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from each county clerk's official results of the November 5, 2024 general election (certified by the county board of canvassers); 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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