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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Grand Traverse County: 15 seats on 7 elected bodies.

Board of Commissioners

Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Brian McAllister Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Lauren Flynn Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 3Ashlea Walter Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 4Fern Spence Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 5Robert D. Hentschel Republican source
County Commissioner, District 6Darryl V. Nelson Republican source
County Commissioner, District 7T.J. Andrews Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 8Scott Sieffert Republican source
County Commissioner, District 9Penny Morris Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkBonnie Scheele Republican source
Drain CommissionerAndy Smits Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyNoelle Moeggenberg Republican source
Register of DeedsScott Rokos Republican source
SheriffMichael D. Shea Republican source
County TreasurerJamie Callahan Republican source

How many local governments Grand Traverse County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 29 local governments in Grand Traverse 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 (3 municipal, 13 township)160
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 Grand Traverse County

96,166people
43.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$81,647 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
40.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$339,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.3%U.S.: 8.4%
50.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
24.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.4% · White 90.5% · Black 0.8% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 4.6% (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 Grand Traverse County

3.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.4%. Michigan: 4.8%.
1,628people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
48,993people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
50,621in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Grand Traverse County 0.0%2.2%4.5%6.7%8.9% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.2%1,62848,99350,621
August 20263.5%1,82350,78452,607
July 20263.5%1,89451,55853,452
June 20263.5%1,82949,79151,620
May 20263.9%2,01349,34051,353
April 20263.4%1,73348,52150,254
March 20264.0%2,02749,24151,268
February 20264.1%2,09949,37051,469
January 20264.3%2,20249,59151,793
December 20253.7%1,93649,98351,919
November 20253.6%1,90751,12653,033
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.4%1,82552,38954,214
August 20253.6%2,04054,03056,070
July 20254.0%2,32855,21557,543
June 20254.1%2,32053,87356,193
May 20254.1%2,25652,40854,664
April 20254.2%2,20650,11852,324
March 20254.8%2,48949,20251,691
February 20255.0%2,59748,98551,582
January 20254.6%2,38749,64652,033
December 20244.3%2,25149,67051,921
November 20243.7%1,98050,90552,885
October 20243.7%1,95951,39853,357
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.1%2,20851,54353,751
20243.9%2,05751,33853,395
20233.4%1,79550,63152,426
20223.7%1,87249,19451,066
20214.8%2,35846,99749,355
20208.5%4,29246,07750,369
20193.5%1,77849,03050,808
20183.7%1,85748,90650,763
20174.1%2,06748,38050,447
20164.3%2,12047,73449,854

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 Grand Traverse County

273.2 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 416.2.
382.5 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 1,258.5.
2murders2025, 265 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025265273.2371382.5
2024151153.8406413.4
2023174178.4541554.6
2022224231.5621641.8
2021256269.0595625.2
2020219233.8662706.8
2019212227.3746800.0
2018208223.9749806.3
2017230246.3894957.4
2016196211.3919990.8
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office202517325481,180
Traverse City Police Department20259211715,809

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

1.08 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 96,989 people.
105sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
52civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office724881,180
Traverse City Police Department33415,809
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20251051.08522
2023960.98592
2022971.00602
2021981.03592
2020991.06602
2019981.05572
2018951.02592
2017880.94542
2016931.00592

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 Grand Traverse County County Clerk?
Bonnie Scheele (Republican) is the County Clerk of Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Who is the Grand Traverse County Drain Commissioner?
Andy Smits (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Who is the Grand Traverse County Prosecuting Attorney?
Noelle Moeggenberg (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Who is the Grand Traverse County Register of Deeds?
Scott Rokos (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Who is the Grand Traverse County Sheriff?
Michael D. Shea (Republican) is the Sheriff of Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Who is the Grand Traverse County County Treasurer?
Jamie Callahan (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Who are the Grand Traverse County commissioners?
Brian McAllister (District 1); Lauren Flynn (District 2); Ashlea Walter (District 3); Fern Spence (District 4); Robert D. Hentschel (District 5); Darryl V. Nelson (District 6); T.J. Andrews (District 7); Scott Sieffert (District 8); Penny Morris (District 9).
What is the population of Grand Traverse County?
About 96,166 people, with a median age of 43.5; the median household income is $81,647 and 9.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Grand Traverse County?
3.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,628 people unemployed in a labor force of 50,621, against 3.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Grand Traverse County?
29 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 13 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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