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

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

Mahnomen County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Darvin Schoenborn source
County Commissioner, District 2David Geray sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Larry Olson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4Karen Ahmann sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 5John Darco source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyJason Hastings sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorJames Lee sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffJosh Guenther sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerBrenda Lundon sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Mahnomen County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 25 local governments in Mahnomen 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 (3 municipal, 16 township)190
School districts (school boards)20
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 Mahnomen County

5,358people
35.4median ageU.S.: 38.9
$59,441 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
18.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
16.2%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$161,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
9.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
11.9%U.S.: 8.4%
34.7%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
26.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.1% · White 44.4% · Black 0.1% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 51% (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 Mahnomen County

4.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.0%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
114people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
2,279people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
2,393in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Mahnomen County 0.0%3.6%7.2%10.9%14.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.8%1142,2792,393
August 20266.6%1562,2182,374
July 20266.9%1652,2172,382
June 20266.9%1652,2402,405
May 20265.6%1342,2402,374
April 20266.9%1652,2312,396
March 20267.7%1822,1762,358
February 20268.1%1912,1762,367
January 20268.3%1952,1632,358
December 20256.4%1502,1812,331
November 20255.5%1292,2062,335
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.0%972,3102,407
August 20256.0%1432,2432,386
July 20256.5%1542,2132,367
June 20256.3%1512,2542,405
May 20254.9%1162,2312,347
April 20255.9%1392,2002,339
March 20256.8%1602,1962,356
February 20256.8%1592,1822,341
January 20256.6%1542,1852,339
December 20244.7%1082,1922,300
November 20243.7%852,2282,313
October 20242.8%672,3642,431
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)6.0%1412,2182,359
20244.7%1102,2282,338
20235.0%1102,0892,199
20224.8%1012,0252,126
20216.8%1441,9612,105
202013.8%3041,8972,201
20195.0%1132,1482,261
20184.9%1122,1602,272
20175.2%1212,1952,316
20166.0%1422,2092,351

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 Mahnomen County

718.6 per 100,0002024. Minnesota: 259.5.
643.0 per 100,0002024. Minnesota: 1,614.9.
0murders2024, 38 violent crimes in all.

2024 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202438718.634643.0
202349920.933620.2
202226475.9561,025.1
202121382.547856.1
201910181.242761.1
201812213.8671,193.4
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Mahnomen County Sheriff's Office202438345,288

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

2.65 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 5,287 people.
14sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
8civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Mahnomen County Sheriff's Office1485,287
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025142.6581
2024132.4691
2023132.4471
2022152.7561
2021142.5561
2020122.1871
2019132.3661
2018122.1471
2017122.1871
2016132.3871

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 Mahnomen County County Attorney?
Jason Hastings is the County Attorney of Mahnomen County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mahnomen County County Auditor?
James Lee is the County Auditor of Mahnomen County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mahnomen County Sheriff?
Josh Guenther is the Sheriff of Mahnomen County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mahnomen County County Treasurer?
Brenda Lundon is the County Treasurer of Mahnomen County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Mahnomen County commissioners?
Darvin Schoenborn (District 1); David Geray (District 2); Larry Olson (District 3); Karen Ahmann (District 4); John Darco (District 5).
What is the population of Mahnomen County?
About 5,358 people, with a median age of 35.4; the median household income is $59,441 and 18.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Mahnomen County?
4.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 114 people unemployed in a labor force of 2,393, against 4.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Mahnomen County?
25 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 16 township, 2 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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