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

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

Renville County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Craig Carlson source
County Commissioner, District 2John Robinson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Greg Mertens source
County Commissioner, District 4Greg Snow sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 5David Hamre source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyKelsie Kingstrom sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorMarc Iverson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderLaurie Abrahamson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffScott Hable sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Renville County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 43 local governments in Renville 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 (10 municipal, 27 township)370
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)20

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 Renville County

14,558people
42.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$70,625 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11%below the U.S.: 12.5%
18.1%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$163,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
3.3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.7%U.S.: 8.4%
46.4%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
24.9%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 10.2% · White 84.9% · Black 0.9% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 3.3% (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 Renville County

4.6%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.0%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
370people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
7,637people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
8,007in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Renville County 0.0%1.7%3.3%5.0%6.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.6%3707,6378,007
August 20265.4%4247,4827,906
July 20266.1%4767,3227,798
June 20266.4%4977,2767,773
May 20265.2%4027,2767,678
April 20265.8%4527,3887,840
March 20267.7%5897,0967,685
February 20267.8%6097,1557,764
January 20267.9%6097,0897,698
December 20256.0%4737,3527,825
November 20254.7%3767,6348,010
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.0%3257,8748,199
August 20254.8%3917,7558,146
July 20255.6%4367,3537,789
June 20256.0%4607,2097,669
May 20254.8%3627,1997,561
April 20256.1%4677,2527,719
March 20257.0%5397,2007,739
February 20256.4%4977,2137,710
January 20256.2%4787,2267,704
December 20244.1%3187,5007,818
November 20243.4%2737,6727,945
October 20242.7%2217,9578,178
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)5.6%4377,3887,825
20244.4%3357,2907,625
20234.0%2947,0877,381
20223.6%2627,0617,323
20214.6%3437,1857,528
20206.3%4907,3267,816
20195.0%3977,5357,932
20184.4%3537,6217,974
20174.8%3917,7568,147
20165.7%4397,2647,703

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 Renville County

56.6 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 223.5.
295.8 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 1,411.5.
0murders2025, 9 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025956.647295.8
201922142.71861,206.2
20181384.11851,196.9
201716103.12371,527.5
201620135.92421,644.0
By police agency (6)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Renville County Sheriff's Office20256327,593
Olivia Police Department2025272,295
Renville Police Department2025061,709
Fairfax Police Department2025121,210
Hector Police Department202357993
Buffalo Lake Police Department202302641

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

2.29 per 1,000 residents2025, 6 agencies serving 14,434 people.
33sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
25civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (6), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Renville County Sheriff's Office18257,593
Olivia Police Department402,295
Fairfax Police Department301,210
Hector Police Department30988
Renville Police Department301,709
Buffalo Lake Police Department20639
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025332.29256
2024322.23277
2023332.28267
2020312.16237
2019302.08227
2018302.07217
2017302.06257

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 Renville County County Attorney?
Kelsie Kingstrom is the County Attorney of Renville County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Renville County County Auditor?
Marc Iverson is the County Auditor of Renville County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Renville County County Recorder?
Laurie Abrahamson is the County Recorder of Renville County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Renville County Sheriff?
Scott Hable is the Sheriff of Renville County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Renville County commissioners?
Craig Carlson (District 1); John Robinson (District 2); Greg Mertens (District 3); Greg Snow (District 4); David Hamre (District 5).
What is the population of Renville County?
About 14,558 people, with a median age of 42.3; the median household income is $70,625 and 11% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Renville County?
4.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 370 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,007, against 4.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Renville County?
43 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 10 municipal, 27 township, 3 school district and 2 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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