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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Otter Tail County: 9 seats on 5 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Board of Commissioners

Otter Tail County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Dan Bucholz source
County Commissioner, District 2Wayne D. Johnson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Kurt A. Mortenson source
County Commissioner, District 4Robert “Bob” Lahman sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 5Sean Sullivan source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyMichelle Eldien sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorWayne Stein sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderLynn Larson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffBarry Fitzgibbons sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Otter Tail County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 102 local governments in Otter Tail 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 (20 municipal, 62 township)820
School districts (school boards)80
Special districts (elected boards)110

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 Otter Tail County

60,475people
46.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$72,255 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
28.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$273,000median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.6%U.S.: 8.4%
42.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
24.2%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4% · White 90.5% · Black 1.1% · Asian 0.6% · Other or more than one race 3.9% (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 Otter Tail County

4.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.3%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
1,276people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
29,004people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
30,280in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Otter Tail County 0.0%1.5%2.9%4.4%5.9% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.2%1,27629,00430,280
August 20264.8%1,46629,28730,753
July 20264.5%1,41729,77031,187
June 20264.7%1,48129,83631,317
May 20264.0%1,21229,34330,555
April 20264.8%1,46428,90830,372
March 20266.9%2,06227,95130,013
February 20267.2%2,14827,83029,978
January 20267.4%2,21327,77629,989
December 20255.9%1,79728,84830,645
November 20254.5%1,38229,16630,548
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.3%1,02830,09431,122
August 20253.8%1,20630,42831,634
July 20253.8%1,22430,60931,833
June 20254.0%1,27530,60131,876
May 20253.5%1,09530,01531,110
April 20254.6%1,43029,48830,918
March 20255.8%1,76028,82530,585
February 20255.9%1,80128,60030,401
January 20255.8%1,76028,64430,404
December 20244.2%1,29129,57930,870
November 20243.0%93530,01130,946
October 20242.5%78230,32131,103
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.6%1,43329,57431,007
20243.6%1,12229,90931,031
20233.4%1,03129,54430,575
20222.9%86029,28930,149
20213.8%1,13229,01330,145
20205.6%1,73529,05830,793
20194.4%1,33629,29230,628
20183.8%1,16029,29430,454
20174.1%1,24929,45630,705
20164.5%1,36029,06630,426

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 Otter Tail County

120.6 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 223.5.
703.6 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 1,411.5.
0murders2025, 79 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202579120.6461703.6
20246193.1583890.1
202085135.58051,283.3
201998155.89381,490.9
201881129.78571,372.3
20175892.89341,494.2
20164976.28851,375.9
By police agency (9)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office2025389136,163
Fergus Falls Police Department20252230514,294
Wadena Police Department202514524,378
Perham Police Department20240153,718
Pelican Rapids Police Department2024242,599
New York Mills Police Department2025141,516
Parkers Prairie Police Department2025031,032
Battle Lake Police Department202512929
Henning Police Department202501858

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

1.47 per 1,000 residents2025, 9 agencies serving 65,522 people.
96sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
52civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (9), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office404536,163
Fergus Falls Police Department25514,294
Wadena Police Department914,378
Perham Police Department813,758
Pelican Rapids Police Department502,594
Battle Lake Police Department30929
New York Mills Police Department301,516
Parkers Prairie Police Department201,032
Henning Police Department10858
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025961.47529
2024961.47469
2023921.41489
2022931.44539
2021931.47559
2020911.45529
2019921.46529
2018901.44549
2016661.07533

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 Otter Tail County County Attorney?
Michelle Eldien is the County Attorney of Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Otter Tail County County Auditor?
Wayne Stein is the County Auditor of Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Otter Tail County County Recorder?
Lynn Larson is the County Recorder of Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Otter Tail County Sheriff?
Barry Fitzgibbons is the Sheriff of Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Otter Tail County commissioners?
Dan Bucholz (District 1); Wayne D. Johnson (District 2); Kurt A. Mortenson (District 3); Robert “Bob” Lahman (District 4); Sean Sullivan (District 5).
What is the population of Otter Tail County?
About 60,475 people, with a median age of 46.2; the median household income is $72,255 and 8.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Otter Tail County?
4.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,276 people unemployed in a labor force of 30,280, against 3.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Otter Tail County?
102 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 20 municipal, 62 township, 8 school district and 11 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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