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

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

Sibley County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Peter Koch sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Christian Lilienthal sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Lyle Grochow source
County Commissioner, District 4Keith Hennen source
County Commissioner, District 5Steven Saxton sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyDonald Everett Lannoye sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorMarilee Peterson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderKathy Dietz sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffPatrick Nienaber sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Sibley County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 30 local governments in Sibley 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 (7 municipal, 17 township)240
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 Sibley County

15,005people
42.4median ageU.S.: 38.9
$77,634 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9%below the U.S.: 12.5%
19.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$231,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
4.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.3%U.S.: 8.4%
41.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
23.9%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 9.3% · White 87% · Black 1.2% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 2.2% (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 Sibley County

4.0%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.1%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
341people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
8,209people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
8,550in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Sibley 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)4.0%3418,2098,550
August 20264.6%3898,1288,517
July 20264.5%3858,0798,464
June 20265.0%4097,7538,162
May 20264.5%3467,3927,738
April 20265.5%4337,4297,862
March 20267.0%5367,1047,640
February 20267.2%5507,1227,672
January 20267.3%5587,1077,665
December 20255.7%4457,4117,856
November 20253.8%3177,9498,266
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.1%2688,4698,737
August 20253.9%3428,3378,679
July 20254.0%3418,1208,461
June 20254.4%3557,7098,064
May 20253.7%2847,3697,653
April 20254.6%3537,3887,741
March 20255.7%4387,2437,681
February 20255.8%4447,1857,629
January 20255.8%4437,2297,672
December 20244.3%3397,5487,887
November 20243.2%2567,7688,024
October 20242.4%2068,4118,617
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.6%3667,6748,040
20243.7%3037,7918,094
20233.4%2707,5757,845
20222.9%2337,6887,921
20213.9%3137,6777,990
20205.6%4687,9238,391
20193.9%3308,1258,455
20183.2%2748,1888,462
20173.5%3008,2468,546
20164.2%3618,2418,602

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 Sibley County

32.6 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 223.5.
221.7 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 1,411.5.
0murders2025, 5 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025532.634221.7
2024852.383542.4
2023746.451338.4
20191173.545300.6
20181387.854364.8
201616108.285574.9
By police agency (6)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Sibley County Sheriff's Office20251107,538
Gaylord Police Department20253102,346
Arlington Police Department2025052,334
Winthrop Police Department2025151,333
Henderson Police Department202500996
Gibbon Police Department202504789

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

2.15 per 1,000 residents2025, 6 agencies serving 15,336 people.
33sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
16civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (6), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Sibley County Sheriff's Office17157,538
Arlington Police Department412,334
Gaylord Police Department402,346
Winthrop Police Department401,333
Gibbon Police Department20789
Henderson Police Department20996
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025332.15166
2024332.16166
2023312.06176
2022251.66186
2021271.84136
2019221.47153
2018191.28143
2017181.21123
2016181.22133

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 Sibley County County Attorney?
Donald Everett Lannoye is the County Attorney of Sibley County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Sibley County County Auditor?
Marilee Peterson is the County Auditor of Sibley County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Sibley County County Recorder?
Kathy Dietz is the County Recorder of Sibley County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Sibley County Sheriff?
Patrick Nienaber is the Sheriff of Sibley County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Sibley County commissioners?
Peter Koch (District 1); Christian Lilienthal (District 2); Lyle Grochow (District 3); Keith Hennen (District 4); Steven Saxton (District 5).
What is the population of Sibley County?
About 15,005 people, with a median age of 42.4; the median household income is $77,634 and 9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Sibley County?
4.0% in September 2026 (preliminary): 341 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,550, against 3.1% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Sibley County?
30 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 7 municipal, 17 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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