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

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

Cook County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Debra White sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Garry Gamble source
County Commissioner, District 3Dave Mills sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4Ann Sullivan source
County Commissioner, District 5Ginny Storlie sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyJeanne Peterson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorBraidy Powers sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderHolly Schroeder sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffPat Eliasen sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Cook County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 9 local governments in Cook 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 (1 municipal, 3 township)40
School districts (school boards)10
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 Cook County

5,635people
53median ageU.S.: 38.9
$72,638 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
10.2%below the U.S.: 12.5%
46.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$336,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
3.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.2%U.S.: 8.4%
41%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
30.3%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.1% · White 83.6% · Black 1.3% · Asian 0.6% · Other or more than one race 11.3% (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 Cook County

3.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.3%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
111people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
2,814people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
2,925in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Cook County 0.0%2.2%4.4%6.6%8.8% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.8%1112,8142,925
August 20263.9%1182,8712,989
July 20263.8%1132,8973,010
June 20264.1%1242,8752,999
May 20264.6%1292,6712,800
April 20267.3%1982,5052,703
March 20267.0%1872,4952,682
February 20267.7%2082,5082,716
January 20267.6%2072,5242,731
December 20257.1%1972,5812,778
November 20256.4%1792,6092,788
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.3%992,9103,009
August 20253.3%1012,9793,080
July 20253.2%1003,0043,104
June 20253.8%1182,9873,105
May 20254.1%1182,7652,883
April 20256.2%1682,5442,712
March 20255.7%1542,5352,689
February 20256.0%1612,5342,695
January 20255.7%1542,5512,705
December 20244.7%1292,6042,733
November 20244.1%1112,6192,730
October 20242.4%702,8282,898
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.9%1412,7272,868
20244.1%1162,7352,851
20233.6%1042,7692,873
20223.3%912,6712,762
20214.9%1382,6932,831
20208.4%2442,6442,888
20194.4%1352,9153,050
20183.6%1062,8632,969
20173.8%1172,9223,039
20164.6%1392,8823,021

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 Cook County

145.4 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 223.5.
421.6 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 1,411.5.
1murders2025, 10 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202510145.429421.6
2024457.035499.0
202311154.151714.7
202215214.761872.9
202115220.741603.2
202018263.368994.6
201910148.147696.1
201711165.0841,260.3
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Cook County Sheriff's Office202510295,580

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

1.97 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 5,580 people.
11sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
8civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Cook County Sheriff's Office1185,580
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025111.9781
2024111.9391
2023111.9081
2022122.1281
2021112.0281
2020132.3781
2019122.2281
2018142.5881
2017122.2581
2016122.3181

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 Cook County County Attorney?
Jeanne Peterson is the County Attorney of Cook County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cook County County Auditor?
Braidy Powers is the County Auditor of Cook County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cook County County Recorder?
Holly Schroeder is the County Recorder of Cook County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Cook County Sheriff?
Pat Eliasen is the Sheriff of Cook County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Cook County commissioners?
Debra White (District 1); Garry Gamble (District 2); Dave Mills (District 3); Ann Sullivan (District 4); Ginny Storlie (District 5).
What is the population of Cook County?
About 5,635 people, with a median age of 53; the median household income is $72,638 and 10.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Cook County?
3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 111 people unemployed in a labor force of 2,925, against 3.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Cook County?
9 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 1 municipal, 3 township, 1 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.

Cook County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Minnesota county · Minnesota's members of Congress

See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Cook County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem · Corrections