Stearns County, MN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Stearns County: 8 seats on 4 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
County Board of Commissioners
Stearns County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Tarryl Clark source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Joe Perske source | |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Jeff Bertram source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 4 | Leigh Lenzmeier source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 5 | Steven Notch source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Attorney | Janelle P. Kendall source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Auditor | Randy Schreifels source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Sheriff | Steve Soyka source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
How many local governments Stearns County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 87 local governments in Stearns 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 (29 municipal, 34 township) | 63 | 0 |
| School districts (school boards) | 10 | 0 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 13 | 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 Stearns County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.8% · White 80.2% · Black 9% · Asian 1.9% · Other or more than one race 4% (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 Stearns County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 4.2% | 3,633 | 83,720 | 87,353 |
| August 2026 | 4.8% | 4,152 | 82,538 | 86,690 |
| July 2026 | 4.7% | 4,102 | 83,425 | 87,527 |
| June 2026 | 5.0% | 4,350 | 82,987 | 87,337 |
| May 2026 | 4.0% | 3,449 | 83,843 | 87,292 |
| April 2026 | 4.1% | 3,563 | 84,277 | 87,840 |
| March 2026 | 5.2% | 4,512 | 83,042 | 87,554 |
| February 2026 | 5.6% | 4,927 | 83,357 | 88,284 |
| January 2026 | 5.5% | 4,880 | 83,326 | 88,206 |
| December 2025 | 4.6% | 4,044 | 84,455 | 88,499 |
| November 2025 | 3.9% | 3,427 | 85,211 | 88,638 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 3.2% | 2,852 | 87,154 | 90,006 |
| August 2025 | 4.0% | 3,574 | 86,042 | 89,616 |
| July 2025 | 4.1% | 3,645 | 86,050 | 89,695 |
| June 2025 | 4.2% | 3,713 | 84,783 | 88,496 |
| May 2025 | 3.4% | 2,988 | 85,789 | 88,777 |
| April 2025 | 3.6% | 3,211 | 85,896 | 89,107 |
| March 2025 | 4.3% | 3,870 | 85,367 | 89,237 |
| February 2025 | 4.4% | 3,956 | 84,975 | 88,931 |
| January 2025 | 4.4% | 3,847 | 84,345 | 88,192 |
| December 2024 | 3.2% | 2,862 | 85,257 | 88,119 |
| November 2024 | 2.8% | 2,491 | 85,876 | 88,367 |
| October 2024 | 2.5% | 2,231 | 86,518 | 88,749 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 4.0% | 3,557 | 85,461 | 89,018 |
| 2024 | 3.1% | 2,776 | 85,536 | 88,312 |
| 2023 | 2.8% | 2,459 | 84,371 | 86,830 |
| 2022 | 2.5% | 2,165 | 83,418 | 85,583 |
| 2021 | 4.0% | 3,403 | 81,750 | 85,153 |
| 2020 | 6.0% | 5,256 | 82,511 | 87,767 |
| 2019 | 3.3% | 2,901 | 84,220 | 87,121 |
| 2018 | 3.1% | 2,696 | 83,653 | 86,349 |
| 2017 | 3.5% | 3,011 | 83,743 | 86,754 |
| 2016 | 3.9% | 3,332 | 82,788 | 86,120 |
Crime reported in Stearns County
Earlier years
| Year | Violent | Rate | Property | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 91 | 98.8 | 517 | 561.2 |
| 2024 | 81 | 89.2 | 603 | 664.4 |
| 2023 | 87 | 96.6 | 963 | 1,069.1 |
| 2022 | 105 | 118.2 | 1,017 | 1,144.4 |
| 2020 | 62 | 67.5 | 1,271 | 1,384.3 |
| 2019 | 76 | 84.2 | 1,060 | 1,174.1 |
| 2018 | 82 | 91.6 | 1,232 | 1,376.8 |
| 2017 | 83 | 93.3 | 1,253 | 1,407.9 |
| 2016 | 87 | 98.8 | 1,338 | 1,520.1 |
By police agency (10)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stearns County Sheriff's Office | 2024 | 35 | 98 | 50,671 |
| Waite Park Police Department | 2025 | 20 | 352 | 8,545 |
| St. Joseph Police Department | 2025 | 14 | 33 | 6,974 |
| Cold Spring/Richmond Police Department | 2025 | 9 | 20 | 5,895 |
| Sauk Centre Police Department | 2024 | 3 | 52 | 4,626 |
| Melrose Police Department | 2025 | 10 | 4 | 3,993 |
| Albany Police Department | 2024 | 7 | 7 | 2,848 |
| Paynesville Police Department | 2025 | 3 | 4 | 2,636 |
| Avon Police Department | 2025 | 1 | 10 | 1,770 |
| Belgrade/Brooten Police Department | 2025 | 2 | 1 | 1,395 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (10), 2025
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stearns County Sheriff's Office | 76 | 148 | 50,824 |
| Waite Park Police Department | 18 | 4 | 8,545 |
| St. Joseph Police Department | 13 | 2 | 6,974 |
| Cold Spring/Richmond Police Department | 11 | 1 | 5,895 |
| Sauk Centre Police Department | 9 | 1 | 4,711 |
| Melrose Police Department | 5 | 1 | 3,993 |
| Albany Police Department | 5 | 1 | 2,897 |
| Paynesville Police Department | 5 | 0 | 2,636 |
| Avon Police Department | 3 | 1 | 1,770 |
| Belgrade/Brooten Police Department | 2 | 0 | 1,395 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 147 | 1.64 | 159 | 10 |
| 2024 | 139 | 1.57 | 158 | 10 |
| 2023 | 145 | 1.65 | 150 | 10 |
| 2022 | 148 | 1.71 | 142 | 10 |
| 2021 | 142 | 1.55 | 138 | 10 |
| 2020 | 138 | 1.54 | 147 | 10 |
| 2018 | 132 | 1.50 | 143 | 11 |
| 2017 | 126 | 1.44 | 134 | 11 |
| 2016 | 128 | 1.48 | 126 | 11 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Stearns County County Attorney?
- Janelle P. Kendall is the County Attorney of Stearns County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Stearns County County Auditor?
- Randy Schreifels is the County Auditor of Stearns County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Stearns County Sheriff?
- Steve Soyka is the Sheriff of Stearns County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Stearns County commissioners?
- Tarryl Clark (District 1); Joe Perske (District 2); Jeff Bertram (District 3); Leigh Lenzmeier (District 4); Steven Notch (District 5).
- What is the population of Stearns County?
- About 160,865 people, with a median age of 35.1; the median household income is $77,066 and 12.9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Stearns County?
- 4.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 3,633 people unemployed in a labor force of 87,353, against 3.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Stearns County?
- 87 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 29 municipal, 34 township, 10 school district and 13 special district governments.
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