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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Branch County: 11 seats on 7 elected bodies.

Board of Commissioners

Branch County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Randall Hazelbaker Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Jon E. Houtz Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3Tim Stoll Republican source
County Commissioner, District 4Rick Hollister Republican source
County Commissioner, District 5Alan McClellan Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkTerry Ann Kubasiak Republican source
Drain CommissionerMichael W. Hard Republican source
Register of DeedsNyci DeLoach Republican source
SheriffFred Blankenship Republican source
County SurveyorEdward W. Reed Republican source
County TreasurerSteven A. Rutz Republican source

How many local governments Branch County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 29 local governments in Branch 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)40
Special districts (elected boards)30

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 Branch County

45,300people
40.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$63,724 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
16.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
17.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$162,500median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
3.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
9.8%U.S.: 8.4%
43.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
22.2%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 6.8% · White 86.4% · Black 1.7% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 4.7% (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 Branch County

3.6%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.9%. Michigan: 4.8%.
763people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
20,591people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
21,354in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Branch County 0.0%2.1%4.1%6.2%8.3% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.6%76320,59121,354
August 20263.9%83920,83021,669
July 20264.2%91120,82121,732
June 20264.1%88120,79421,675
May 20264.3%94720,89421,841
April 20263.8%82620,94421,770
March 20264.0%87721,28122,158
February 20264.0%87921,22522,104
January 20264.8%1,07721,26022,337
December 20254.0%89021,32622,216
November 20253.9%88421,76922,653
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.9%88222,02422,906
August 20254.4%1,00521,94822,953
July 20255.1%1,17721,80522,982
June 20254.8%1,10321,91723,020
May 20254.6%1,05521,95723,012
April 20254.3%97721,80522,782
March 20254.8%1,08721,74022,827
February 20255.2%1,17221,32522,497
January 20254.9%1,11221,56322,675
December 20244.5%99921,43022,429
November 20244.2%96521,92622,891
October 20244.1%92521,78322,708
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.5%1,03121,74422,775
20244.1%94221,76422,706
20233.8%82321,06421,887
20223.9%82520,53521,360
20214.5%94219,78620,728
20207.9%1,67119,61221,283
20193.9%78919,51320,302
20183.7%74219,47920,221
20174.5%89418,99419,888
20164.8%93618,46719,403

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.

Crime reported in Branch County

165.3 per 100,0002022. Michigan: 463.3.
1,311.8 per 100,0002022. Michigan: 1,549.4.
0murders2022, 78 violent crimes in all.

2022 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202278165.36191,311.8
2021107234.15901,290.9
202068150.1434957.7
201976167.24721,038.7
201871156.55541,221.3
201673160.65421,192.4
By police agency (5)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Branch County Sheriff's Office2025559426,239
Coldwater Police Department20254619314,566
Bronson Police Department20253292,326
Union City Police Department20220241,723
Quincy Police Department20231181,562

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 Michigan · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.21 per 1,000 residents2025, 5 agencies serving 46,433 people.
56sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
29civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (5), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Branch County Sheriff's Office242326,239
Coldwater Police Department21514,566
Union City Police Department601,733
Bronson Police Department212,326
Quincy Police Department301,569
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025561.21295
2023471.06305
2022430.95255
2021451.03205
2020420.97265
2019441.01235
2018420.97245
2016430.99245

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 Branch County County Clerk?
Terry Ann Kubasiak (Republican) is the County Clerk of Branch County, Michigan.
Who is the Branch County Drain Commissioner?
Michael W. Hard (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Branch County, Michigan.
Who is the Branch County Register of Deeds?
Nyci DeLoach (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Branch County, Michigan.
Who is the Branch County Sheriff?
Fred Blankenship (Republican) is the Sheriff of Branch County, Michigan.
Who is the Branch County County Surveyor?
Edward W. Reed (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Branch County, Michigan.
Who is the Branch County County Treasurer?
Steven A. Rutz (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Branch County, Michigan.
Who are the Branch County commissioners?
Randall Hazelbaker (District 1); Jon E. Houtz (District 2); Tim Stoll (District 3); Rick Hollister (District 4); Alan McClellan (District 5).
What is the population of Branch County?
About 45,300 people, with a median age of 40.6; the median household income is $63,724 and 16.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Branch County?
3.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 763 people unemployed in a labor force of 21,354, against 3.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Branch County?
29 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 16 township, 4 school district and 3 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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