Aitkin County, MN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Aitkin County: 9 seats on 5 elected bodies. 7 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Board of Commissioners

Aitkin County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Mark Wedel sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Laurie Westerlund source
County Commissioner, District 3Travis Leiviska sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4Bret Sample source
County Commissioner, District 5Michael Kearney sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyJames Ratz sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderTara Snyder sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffDaniel Guida sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerLori Grams sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Aitkin County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 53 local governments in Aitkin 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, 40 township)460
School districts (school boards)30
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 Aitkin County

16,056people
56.9median ageU.S.: 38.9
$60,833 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
13.1%below the U.S.: 12.5%
20.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$255,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
10%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.2%U.S.: 8.4%
47.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
33.6%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.5% · White 92.5% · Black 0.6% · Asian 0.2% · Other or more than one race 5.1% (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 Aitkin County

5.7%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.7%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
402people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
6,679people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
7,081in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Aitkin County 0.0%2.3%4.6%6.9%9.2% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)5.7%4026,6797,081
August 20266.2%4386,6497,087
July 20265.9%4216,6927,113
June 20266.3%4556,8027,257
May 20265.7%4096,7627,171
April 20267.6%5446,6277,171
March 20269.7%7006,5037,203
February 20269.6%6926,5087,200
January 202610.2%7416,4947,235
December 20259.2%6696,6367,305
November 20257.4%5446,7627,306
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.7%3416,8537,194
August 20255.5%4026,8767,278
July 20255.3%3846,8717,255
June 20255.3%3886,9817,369
May 20254.9%3576,9277,284
April 20257.1%5136,7207,233
March 20258.3%5956,6107,205
February 20258.1%5876,6567,243
January 20258.0%5746,6377,211
December 20246.5%4686,6927,160
November 20245.0%3606,8897,249
October 20243.5%2506,8847,134
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)6.7%4876,7757,262
20245.4%3876,7467,133
20235.1%3606,6707,030
20224.5%3076,5756,882
20215.5%3766,5066,882
20208.8%6196,4317,050
20196.6%4556,3886,843
20186.1%4136,3226,735
20176.6%4466,2956,741
20167.5%4976,1256,622

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. Minnesota's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.5% 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 Aitkin County

96.7 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 223.5.
906.9 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 1,411.5.
0murders2025, 16 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
20251696.7150906.9
20241485.62141,308.1
20231485.5146891.3
202223142.82461,527.2
202117107.32291,444.9
202028177.33151,994.6
20191594.72301,452.7
20181276.12361,497.6
20171490.13442,214.1
20161596.33442,207.7
By police agency (4)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Aitkin County Sheriff's Office20251211813,370
Aitkin Police Department20253282,175
Hill City Police Department202514616
McGregor Police Department202500378

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 Minnesota · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.71 per 1,000 residents2024, 4 agencies serving 16,359 people.
28sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
28civilian staff2024, full-time.

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

Agencies counted (4), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Aitkin County Sheriff's Office192713,223
Aitkin Police Department712,149
Hill City Police Department20608
McGregor Police Department00379
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2024281.71284
2019251.58334
2018241.52314
2016251.60323

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 Aitkin County County Attorney?
James Ratz is the County Attorney of Aitkin County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Aitkin County County Recorder?
Tara Snyder is the County Recorder of Aitkin County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Aitkin County Sheriff?
Daniel Guida is the Sheriff of Aitkin County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Aitkin County County Treasurer?
Lori Grams is the County Treasurer of Aitkin County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Aitkin County commissioners?
Mark Wedel (District 1); Laurie Westerlund (District 2); Travis Leiviska (District 3); Bret Sample (District 4); Michael Kearney (District 5).
What is the population of Aitkin County?
About 16,056 people, with a median age of 56.9; the median household income is $60,833 and 13.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Aitkin County?
5.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 402 people unemployed in a labor force of 7,081, against 4.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Aitkin County?
53 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 6 municipal, 40 township, 3 school district and 3 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 21, 2025, from the Minnesota Legislative Manual (Blue Book) published by the Secretary of State; 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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