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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Brown 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

Brown County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Dave Borchert source
County Commissioner, District 2Anton (Tony) Berg sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Scott A. Windschitl source
County Commissioner, District 4Brian Braun sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 5Jeffrey Veerkamp sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyCharles Hanson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorKelly Hotovec sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderMary Schreiner sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffJason Seidl sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Brown County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 32 local governments in Brown 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, 16 township)230
School districts (school boards)40
Special districts (elected boards)40

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 Brown County

25,800people
42median ageU.S.: 38.9
$69,378 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%
24.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$191,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.9%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.6%U.S.: 8.4%
47.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
18.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 5.1% · White 91.4% · Black 0.9% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 2% (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 Brown County

3.7%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.9%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
523people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
13,461people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
13,984in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Brown County 0.0%1.4%2.7%4.1%5.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.7%52313,46113,984
August 20264.3%60813,42014,028
July 20264.1%57013,41013,980
June 20264.5%62913,48914,118
May 20263.7%51413,50914,023
April 20263.7%52513,62414,149
March 20265.5%77413,31414,088
February 20266.0%84513,32814,173
January 20265.9%82513,23314,058
December 20254.2%59313,41414,007
November 20253.3%47113,67414,145
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.9%42313,92014,343
August 20253.6%52113,86214,383
July 20253.8%53713,67714,214
June 20253.9%56113,65914,220
May 20253.4%47913,72314,202
April 20253.6%50813,76414,272
March 20254.8%68813,61114,299
February 20255.0%70813,46714,175
January 20254.5%63413,48114,115
December 20243.0%41513,60214,017
November 20242.4%33913,91214,251
October 20242.2%31313,85714,170
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.9%55713,65914,216
20243.3%46113,59314,054
20232.9%40413,47513,879
20222.5%34113,29913,640
20213.4%45613,10313,559
20205.2%74813,52314,271
20193.7%53413,86414,398
20183.5%50413,94514,449
20173.7%53613,84014,376
20164.2%61213,88514,497

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 Brown County

34.5 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 223.5.
532.5 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 1,411.5.
2murders2025, 9 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025934.5139532.5
20241972.8196750.8
20231454.497377.1
20212392.7195785.6
202028112.7205825.2
20191976.0185740.4
20181871.8210837.3
201727106.6209824.8
20162079.4157623.6
By police agency (4)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
New Ulm Police Department2025411313,931
Brown County Sheriff's Office20253206,312
Sleepy Eye Police Department20244193,495
Springfield Police Department2025031,986

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

1.87 per 1,000 residents2025, 4 agencies serving 25,730 people.
48sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
24civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (4), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Brown County Sheriff's Office14236,312
New Ulm Police Department23113,931
Sleepy Eye Police Department703,501
Springfield Police Department401,986
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025481.87244
2024441.71244
2019451.80275
2018471.87224
2017481.89254
2016481.91264

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 Brown County County Attorney?
Charles Hanson is the County Attorney of Brown County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Brown County County Auditor?
Kelly Hotovec is the County Auditor of Brown County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Brown County County Recorder?
Mary Schreiner is the County Recorder of Brown County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Brown County Sheriff?
Jason Seidl is the Sheriff of Brown County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Brown County commissioners?
Dave Borchert (District 1); Anton (Tony) Berg (District 2); Scott A. Windschitl (District 3); Brian Braun (District 4); Jeffrey Veerkamp (District 5).
What is the population of Brown County?
About 25,800 people, with a median age of 42; the median household income is $69,378 and 8.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Brown County?
3.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 523 people unemployed in a labor force of 13,984, against 2.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Brown County?
32 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 7 municipal, 16 township, 4 school district and 4 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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