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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Chippewa County: 12 seats on 8 elected bodies.

Board of Commissioners

Chippewa County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Justin Knepper Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Jim Martin Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 3Damon Lieurance Republican source
County Commissioner, District 4James Traynor Republican source
County Commissioner, District 5Scott Shackleton Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkSteven J. Woodgate Republican source
Drain CommissionerAnthony Stackpoole Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyRobert Stratton Republican source
Register of DeedsGigi Ferro Republican source
SheriffMichael D. Bitnar Republican source
County SurveyorRobert Laitinen Republican source
County TreasurerCarmen M. Fazzari Republican source

How many local governments Chippewa County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 27 local governments in Chippewa 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 (2 municipal, 16 township)180
School districts (school boards)60
Special districts (elected boards)20

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 Chippewa County

36,295people
41.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$62,217 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
14%below the U.S.: 12.5%
23.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$161,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.7%U.S.: 8.4%
47.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
17.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.3% · White 67.3% · Black 5.6% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 24.1% (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 Chippewa County

4.3%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.7%. Michigan: 4.8%.
707people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
15,702people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
16,409in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Chippewa County 0.0%2.3%4.7%7.0%9.3% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.3%70715,70216,409
August 20265.3%89916,01616,915
July 20265.5%93816,16817,106
June 20265.7%95715,92616,883
May 20266.2%1,06516,04917,114
April 20267.3%1,22915,61816,847
March 20268.1%1,39115,81617,207
February 20267.8%1,35415,95217,306
January 20268.1%1,41015,98617,396
December 20256.9%1,19116,07917,270
November 20255.3%92016,42217,342
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.7%82716,85717,684
August 20256.2%1,11716,83517,952
July 20256.5%1,17216,84118,013
June 20256.7%1,18816,61617,804
May 20256.6%1,17016,51117,681
April 20258.2%1,43816,00817,446
March 20258.9%1,58616,21817,804
February 20259.3%1,64616,02517,671
January 20258.7%1,54616,22917,775
December 20247.9%1,37916,12417,503
November 20245.6%98016,45717,437
October 20244.8%83716,65117,488
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)7.1%1,25516,42217,677
20246.4%1,12616,55617,682
20235.6%98216,40117,383
20225.9%1,00415,90216,906
20216.1%99015,33316,323
20208.9%1,50415,46616,970
20196.1%1,02415,74116,765
20186.4%1,08515,80616,891
20177.3%1,23415,71416,948
20167.4%1,25515,80717,062

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 Chippewa County

181.9 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 416.2.
352.8 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 1,258.5.
1murders2025, 66 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202566181.9128352.8
202470190.4162440.6
202366181.4161442.4
202244118.4149401.1
202152139.1162433.4
202070187.2215574.9
201954143.6201534.4
201847123.8272716.2
201769181.6296779.1
201661159.6381996.7
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Chippewa County Sheriff's Office202514816,218
Sault Ste. Marie Police Department20255210613,272
Kinross Township Police Department2024146,490

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 residents2024, 3 agencies serving 36,505 people.
44sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
38civilian staff2024, full-time.

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

Agencies counted (3), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Sault Ste. Marie Police Department231913,310
Chippewa County Sheriff's Office191916,705
Kinross Township Police Department206,490
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2024441.21383
2023491.36463
2022421.14253
2021401.08293
2020411.11263
2019421.13223
2018370.98273
2017381.01203
2016401.06193

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 Chippewa County County Clerk?
Steven J. Woodgate (Republican) is the County Clerk of Chippewa County, Michigan.
Who is the Chippewa County Drain Commissioner?
Anthony Stackpoole (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Chippewa County, Michigan.
Who is the Chippewa County Prosecuting Attorney?
Robert Stratton (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Chippewa County, Michigan.
Who is the Chippewa County Register of Deeds?
Gigi Ferro (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Chippewa County, Michigan.
Who is the Chippewa County Sheriff?
Michael D. Bitnar (Republican) is the Sheriff of Chippewa County, Michigan.
Who is the Chippewa County County Surveyor?
Robert Laitinen (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Chippewa County, Michigan.
Who is the Chippewa County County Treasurer?
Carmen M. Fazzari (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Chippewa County, Michigan.
Who are the Chippewa County commissioners?
Justin Knepper (District 1); Jim Martin (District 2); Damon Lieurance (District 3); James Traynor (District 4); Scott Shackleton (District 5).
What is the population of Chippewa County?
About 36,295 people, with a median age of 41.6; the median household income is $62,217 and 14% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Chippewa County?
4.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 707 people unemployed in a labor force of 16,409, against 4.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Chippewa County?
27 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal, 16 township, 6 school district and 2 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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