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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Emmet County: 13 seats on 7 elected bodies.

Board of Commissioners

Emmet County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Charles E. Laughbaum Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Brett Gooding Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3Don Mapes Republican source
County Commissioner, District 4Rich Ginop Republican source
County Commissioner, District 5Brian A. Gutowski Republican source
County Commissioner, District 6David M. White Republican source
County Commissioner, District 7Matt Koontz Democratic source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkSuzanne R. Kanine Republican source
Drain CommissionerArden J. Bawkey Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyMichael H. Schuitema Republican source
Register of DeedsKaren Cosens Republican source
SheriffMatt Leirstein Republican source
County TreasurerMary Mitchell Republican source

How many local governments Emmet County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 33 local governments in Emmet 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 (4 municipal, 16 township)200
School districts (school boards)50
Special districts (elected boards)70

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 Emmet County

34,125people
47median ageU.S.: 38.9
$78,112 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%
41.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$315,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.4%U.S.: 8.4%
44.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
24.3%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.1% · White 89.1% · Black 0.4% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 7.9% (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 Emmet County

3.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.1%. Michigan: 4.8%.
631people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
15,939people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
16,570in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Emmet County 0.0%2.7%5.3%8.0%10.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.8%63115,93916,570
August 20264.1%72516,91217,637
July 20264.1%73517,26017,995
June 20264.2%73016,57017,300
May 20265.1%85815,94816,806
April 20266.9%1,13115,21616,347
March 20267.0%1,18415,77316,957
February 20266.9%1,17916,01117,190
January 20267.2%1,24716,09217,339
December 20256.1%1,04616,20517,251
November 20255.2%89716,24117,138
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.1%73517,37918,114
August 20254.5%86018,22519,085
July 20255.1%1,00618,62319,629
June 20255.3%1,01318,21419,227
May 20255.7%1,04217,30718,349
April 20258.0%1,39816,18517,583
March 20258.1%1,43916,37617,815
February 20258.5%1,53016,38617,916
January 20257.8%1,41016,55717,967
December 20246.9%1,22116,50317,724
November 20245.3%93816,66817,606
October 20244.2%75517,16917,924
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)6.2%1,12517,06318,188
20245.7%1,03517,23818,273
20235.3%95816,96117,919
20225.1%91917,19318,112
20215.7%1,00816,76917,777
202010.1%1,85916,54518,404
20195.4%97217,05418,026
20185.8%1,04716,88117,928
20176.4%1,13316,68617,819
20166.4%1,14416,66417,808

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 Emmet County

114.5 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 416.2.
258.5 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 1,258.5.
0murders2025, 39 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202539114.588258.5
20243497.8102293.5
202348139.178226.1
202269199.4112323.7
202160176.5107314.7
202037109.7109323.2
201952154.6113335.9
201859175.2168498.9
20172780.2206611.8
201638113.2245729.9
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Emmet County Sheriff's Office2025285426,190
Petoskey Police Department20259295,796
Harbor Springs Police Department2025251,260

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

1.65 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 33,246 people.
55sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
23civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Emmet County Sheriff's Office282226,190
Petoskey Police Department2005,796
Harbor Springs Police Department711,260
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025551.65233
2024511.50253
2023501.48263
2022521.54263
2021521.57253
2020501.52263
2019551.68223
2018511.55253
2017491.49243
2016491.50243

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 Emmet County County Clerk?
Suzanne R. Kanine (Republican) is the County Clerk of Emmet County, Michigan.
Who is the Emmet County Drain Commissioner?
Arden J. Bawkey (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Emmet County, Michigan.
Who is the Emmet County Prosecuting Attorney?
Michael H. Schuitema (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Emmet County, Michigan.
Who is the Emmet County Register of Deeds?
Karen Cosens (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Emmet County, Michigan.
Who is the Emmet County Sheriff?
Matt Leirstein (Republican) is the Sheriff of Emmet County, Michigan.
Who is the Emmet County County Treasurer?
Mary Mitchell (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Emmet County, Michigan.
Who are the Emmet County commissioners?
Charles E. Laughbaum (District 1); Brett Gooding (District 2); Don Mapes (District 3); Rich Ginop (District 4); Brian A. Gutowski (District 5); David M. White (District 6); Matt Koontz (District 7).
What is the population of Emmet County?
About 34,125 people, with a median age of 47; the median household income is $78,112 and 8.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Emmet County?
3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 631 people unemployed in a labor force of 16,570, against 4.1% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Emmet County?
33 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 16 township, 5 school district and 7 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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