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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Manistee County: 14 seats on 8 elected bodies.

Board of Commissioners

Manistee County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Janice McCraner Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Richard A. Schmidt Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3Nikki Koons Republican source
County Commissioner, District 4Eric D. Gustad Republican source
County Commissioner, District 5Jeffrey Dontz Republican source
County Commissioner, District 6Karen Wrzesinski-Goodman Democratic source
County Commissioner, District 7Shayne Machen Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County ClerkShelli Johnson Republican source
Drain CommissionerGary R. Schwaiger Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyJonathon Hauswirth Republican source
Register of DeedsKevin S. Mallison Republican source
SheriffBrian Gutowski Republican source
County SurveyorPatrick Bentley Republican source
County TreasurerRachel Nelson Republican source

How many local governments Manistee County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 28 local governments in Manistee 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 (6 municipal, 14 township)200
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 Manistee County

25,350people
50.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$63,516 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
12.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
24.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$182,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
6.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.8%U.S.: 8.4%
51.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
24.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.6% · White 87.4% · Black 3.2% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 5.4% (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 Manistee County

4.6%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 5.2%. Michigan: 4.8%.
485people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
10,005people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
10,490in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Manistee County 0.0%2.9%5.9%8.8%11.8% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.6%48510,00510,490
August 20265.0%54710,35010,897
July 20265.2%57010,42010,990
June 20265.3%56510,11310,678
May 20265.8%61710,09610,713
April 20265.7%5979,86510,462
March 20266.6%6949,82110,515
February 20266.6%6919,78210,473
January 20266.9%7349,83310,567
December 20256.3%6649,86310,527
November 20255.5%58710,16410,751
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20255.2%58210,69711,279
August 20255.6%65110,92611,577
July 20256.1%71310,99111,704
June 20256.3%72110,69911,420
May 20256.5%73310,51811,251
April 20257.1%77110,12610,897
March 20257.9%8359,71410,549
February 20258.5%8919,64210,533
January 20257.8%8259,75110,576
December 20247.2%7589,77710,535
November 20245.7%61510,08710,702
October 20245.2%56210,21510,777
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)6.6%72510,28111,006
20246.2%67410,20710,881
20235.5%5799,90010,479
20225.7%5739,4229,995
20217.0%6899,1349,823
202011.2%1,1539,16510,318
20195.5%58410,11510,699
20185.7%60510,02510,630
20176.3%6699,99510,664
20166.4%69010,09710,787

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 Manistee County

184.1 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 416.2.
646.2 per 100,0002025. Michigan: 1,258.5.
1murders2025, 49 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202549184.1172646.2
202446169.8147542.6
202333124.5227856.1
202242157.22941,100.3
202136139.0210810.7
202050196.6216849.5
201963247.9218857.8
201865255.92631,035.4
201743169.83221,271.3
201657224.74011,581.0
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Manistee County Sheriff's Office2025258719,326
Manistee Police Department202524856,231

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

1.02 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 25,557 people.
26sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
21civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Manistee County Sheriff's Office152019,326
Manistee Police Department1116,231
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025261.02212
2024271.04222
2023240.94132
2022301.17212
2021271.08142
2020291.19222
2018291.19202
2017301.23202
2016281.15222

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 Manistee County County Clerk?
Shelli Johnson (Republican) is the County Clerk of Manistee County, Michigan.
Who is the Manistee County Drain Commissioner?
Gary R. Schwaiger (Republican) is the Drain Commissioner of Manistee County, Michigan.
Who is the Manistee County Prosecuting Attorney?
Jonathon Hauswirth (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Manistee County, Michigan.
Who is the Manistee County Register of Deeds?
Kevin S. Mallison (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Manistee County, Michigan.
Who is the Manistee County Sheriff?
Brian Gutowski (Republican) is the Sheriff of Manistee County, Michigan.
Who is the Manistee County County Surveyor?
Patrick Bentley (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Manistee County, Michigan.
Who is the Manistee County County Treasurer?
Rachel Nelson (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Manistee County, Michigan.
Who are the Manistee County commissioners?
Janice McCraner (District 1); Richard A. Schmidt (District 2); Nikki Koons (District 3); Eric D. Gustad (District 4); Jeffrey Dontz (District 5); Karen Wrzesinski-Goodman (District 6); Shayne Machen (District 7).
What is the population of Manistee County?
About 25,350 people, with a median age of 50.3; the median household income is $63,516 and 12.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Manistee County?
4.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 485 people unemployed in a labor force of 10,490, against 5.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Manistee County?
28 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 6 municipal, 14 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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