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

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

Board of Commissioners

Jackson County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Tony Bair Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Margie J. Walz Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3Corey Kennedy Republican source
County Commissioner, District 4Philip Duckham III Republican source
County Commissioner, District 5James E. Shotwell, Jr. Republican source
County Commissioner, District 6Earl J. Poleski Republican source
County Commissioner, District 7John Willis Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 8Darius Williams Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 9Ray Snell Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County Clerk/Register of DeedsCierra L. Sowle Republican source
Drain CommissionerGeoffrey W. Snyder Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyKelsey Guernsey Republican source
SheriffGary R. Schuette Republican source
County SurveyorDean R. Gutekunst Republican source
County TreasurerKaren A. Coffman Republican source

How many local governments Jackson County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 43 local governments in Jackson 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 (7 municipal, 19 township)260
School districts (school boards)130
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 Jackson County

160,060people
41.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$66,073 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
23.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$193,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.9%U.S.: 8.4%
45.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
22.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.1% · White 82% · Black 7.4% · Asian 0.8% · Other or more than one race 5.8% (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 Jackson County

4.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.6%. Michigan: 4.8%.
3,021people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
64,731people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
67,752in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Jackson County 0.0%2.5%4.9%7.4%9.9% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.5%3,02164,73167,752
August 20265.0%3,44865,46568,913
July 20265.2%3,60765,89569,502
June 20264.9%3,44966,43469,883
May 20265.1%3,64567,13370,778
April 20264.4%3,06967,16170,230
March 20265.0%3,59668,16171,757
February 20265.1%3,69768,37472,071
January 20265.7%4,10768,36472,471
December 20254.9%3,51568,40771,922
November 20254.7%3,39669,47872,874
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.6%3,42270,70874,130
August 20255.4%3,94569,56373,508
July 20255.9%4,41169,83474,245
June 20255.6%4,24871,12575,373
May 20255.3%4,03771,61375,650
April 20255.0%3,77971,33175,110
March 20255.7%4,25270,99575,247
February 20256.0%4,49670,29374,789
January 20255.8%4,35970,99475,353
December 20245.2%3,91071,25875,168
November 20244.6%3,53072,48576,015
October 20244.7%3,52971,65975,188
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)5.4%3,98770,39574,382
20244.8%3,62071,70475,324
20234.1%3,10671,98775,093
20224.5%3,28670,07073,356
20215.7%4,05267,13271,184
20209.4%6,98566,94973,934
20193.9%2,86270,78573,647
20184.1%2,97870,43373,411
20174.7%3,40969,65473,063
20164.9%3,63070,09973,729

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 Jackson County

261.4 per 100,0002023. Michigan: 460.8.
1,229.3 per 100,0002023. Michigan: 1,559.4.
9murders2023, 578 violent crimes in all.

2023 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
2023578261.42,7181,229.3
2022615278.12,8861,305.2
2021703322.92,4671,133.1
2020758347.22,5171,153.0
2019713325.83,0381,388.2
2018671306.13,3041,507.2
By police agency (8)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Jackson County Sheriff's Office202512023961,876
Blackman Township Police Department202513098339,280
Jackson Police Department202527096830,824
Spring Arbor Township Police Department202411308,501
Columbia Township Police Department20254467,533
Napoleon Township Police Department20255246,748
Norvell Township Police Department2023002,806
Springport Township Police Department20251142,138

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

0.95 per 1,000 residents2023, 7 agencies serving 160,308 people.
153sworn officers2023, full-time, as of October 31.
73civilian staff2023, full-time.

2023 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (7), 2023
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Jackson County Sheriff's Office455865,052
Jackson Police Department431330,896
Blackman Township Police Department40139,582
Napoleon Township Police Department1316,713
Columbia Township Police Department807,456
Spring Arbor Township Police Department208,479
Springport Township Police Department202,130
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20231530.95737
20211440.91667
20201480.94667
20191510.95937
20181450.91987

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 Jackson County County Clerk/Register of Deeds?
Cierra L. Sowle (Republican) is the County Clerk/Register of Deeds of Jackson County, Michigan.
Who is the Jackson County Drain Commissioner?
Geoffrey W. Snyder (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Jackson County, Michigan.
Who is the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney?
Kelsey Guernsey (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Jackson County, Michigan.
Who is the Jackson County Sheriff?
Gary R. Schuette (Republican) is the Sheriff of Jackson County, Michigan.
Who is the Jackson County County Surveyor?
Dean R. Gutekunst (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Jackson County, Michigan.
Who is the Jackson County County Treasurer?
Karen A. Coffman (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Jackson County, Michigan.
Who are the Jackson County commissioners?
Tony Bair (District 1); Margie J. Walz (District 2); Corey Kennedy (District 3); Philip Duckham III (District 4); James E. Shotwell, Jr. (District 5); Earl J. Poleski (District 6); John Willis (District 7); Darius Williams (District 8); Ray Snell (District 9).
What is the population of Jackson County?
About 160,060 people, with a median age of 41.5; the median household income is $66,073 and 11.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Jackson County?
4.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 3,021 people unemployed in a labor force of 67,752, against 4.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Jackson County?
43 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 7 municipal, 19 township, 13 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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