Cottonwood County, MN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Cottonwood 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
Cottonwood County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Larry Anderson source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Kevin Stevens source | |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Donna Gravley source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 4 | Wayne Maras source | |
| County Commissioner, District 5 | Tom Appel source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Attorney | Deja Weber source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Auditor | Carolyn Rempel source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Recorder | Kathleen Kretsch source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Sheriff | Jason Purrington source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
How many local governments Cottonwood County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 34 local governments in Cottonwood County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| County government | 1 | 1 |
| Cities, towns, villages and townships (6 municipal, 18 township) | 24 | 0 |
| School districts (school boards) | 3 | 0 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 6 | 0 |
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 Cottonwood County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 11.3% · White 80% · Black 1.7% · Asian 3.8% · Other or more than one race 3.2% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
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 Cottonwood County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 7.2% | 422 | 5,479 | 5,901 |
| August 2026 | 5.5% | 312 | 5,383 | 5,695 |
| July 2026 | 6.1% | 348 | 5,353 | 5,701 |
| June 2026 | 5.4% | 314 | 5,521 | 5,835 |
| May 2026 | 3.8% | 217 | 5,489 | 5,706 |
| April 2026 | 3.3% | 187 | 5,558 | 5,745 |
| March 2026 | 4.8% | 272 | 5,389 | 5,661 |
| February 2026 | 5.3% | 297 | 5,349 | 5,646 |
| January 2026 | 5.3% | 297 | 5,310 | 5,607 |
| December 2025 | 4.1% | 237 | 5,480 | 5,717 |
| November 2025 | 3.9% | 227 | 5,646 | 5,873 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 3.3% | 191 | 5,679 | 5,870 |
| August 2025 | 4.5% | 261 | 5,557 | 5,818 |
| July 2025 | 8.3% | 490 | 5,410 | 5,900 |
| June 2025 | 5.6% | 330 | 5,511 | 5,841 |
| May 2025 | 4.0% | 228 | 5,451 | 5,679 |
| April 2025 | 4.1% | 236 | 5,526 | 5,762 |
| March 2025 | 4.5% | 261 | 5,484 | 5,745 |
| February 2025 | 4.4% | 250 | 5,373 | 5,623 |
| January 2025 | 4.5% | 253 | 5,389 | 5,642 |
| December 2024 | 3.2% | 185 | 5,521 | 5,706 |
| November 2024 | 3.1% | 185 | 5,800 | 5,985 |
| October 2024 | 3.1% | 183 | 5,655 | 5,838 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 4.7% | 269 | 5,501 | 5,770 |
| 2024 | 4.0% | 231 | 5,518 | 5,749 |
| 2023 | 4.7% | 290 | 5,919 | 6,209 |
| 2022 | 2.6% | 169 | 6,328 | 6,497 |
| 2021 | 3.7% | 238 | 6,210 | 6,448 |
| 2020 | 4.8% | 308 | 6,052 | 6,360 |
| 2019 | 3.8% | 226 | 5,713 | 5,939 |
| 2018 | 3.7% | 216 | 5,587 | 5,803 |
| 2017 | 5.3% | 301 | 5,427 | 5,728 |
| 2016 | 7.3% | 403 | 5,151 | 5,554 |
Crime reported in Cottonwood County
Earlier years
| Year | Violent | Rate | Property | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | 106.0 | 49 | 432.7 |
| 2024 | 21 | 185.1 | 42 | 370.2 |
| 2023 | 21 | 185.8 | 46 | 407.1 |
| 2022 | 24 | 205.9 | 68 | 583.4 |
| 2021 | 31 | 276.6 | 75 | 669.2 |
| 2020 | 18 | 162.4 | 93 | 839.0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 124.7 | 92 | 819.5 |
| 2017 | 15 | 130.7 | 131 | 1,141.7 |
| 2016 | 10 | 86.9 | 79 | 686.7 |
By police agency (4)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windom Police Department | 2025 | 9 | 35 | 4,794 |
| Cottonwood County Sheriff's Office | 2024 | 2 | 6 | 3,895 |
| Mountain Lake Police Department | 2025 | 2 | 13 | 1,931 |
| Westbrook Police Department | 2025 | 0 | 0 | 728 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (4), 2024
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood County Sheriff's Office | 10 | 12 | 3,895 |
| Windom Police Department | 9 | 1 | 4,793 |
| Mountain Lake Police Department | 5 | 0 | 1,929 |
| Westbrook Police Department | 1 | 0 | 727 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 25 | 2.20 | 13 | 4 |
| 2023 | 24 | 2.12 | 12 | 4 |
| 2022 | 25 | 2.15 | 14 | 4 |
| 2021 | 25 | 2.23 | 13 | 4 |
| 2020 | 24 | 2.17 | 13 | 4 |
| 2019 | 24 | 2.15 | 12 | 4 |
| 2018 | 23 | 2.05 | 13 | 3 |
| 2017 | 23 | 2.00 | 13 | 3 |
| 2016 | 23 | 2.00 | 13 | 3 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Cottonwood County County Attorney?
- Deja Weber is the County Attorney of Cottonwood County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Cottonwood County County Auditor?
- Carolyn Rempel is the County Auditor of Cottonwood County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Cottonwood County County Recorder?
- Kathleen Kretsch is the County Recorder of Cottonwood County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Cottonwood County Sheriff?
- Jason Purrington is the Sheriff of Cottonwood County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Cottonwood County commissioners?
- Larry Anderson (District 1); Kevin Stevens (District 2); Donna Gravley (District 3); Wayne Maras (District 4); Tom Appel (District 5).
- What is the population of Cottonwood County?
- About 11,458 people, with a median age of 40.3; the median household income is $72,941 and 15% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Cottonwood County?
- 7.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 422 people unemployed in a labor force of 5,901, against 3.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Cottonwood County?
- 34 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 6 municipal, 18 township, 3 school district and 6 special district governments.
Cottonwood County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Minnesota county · Minnesota's members of Congress
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