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

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

Wabasha County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Robert Walkes source
County Commissioner, District 2Rick Powers sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Donald S. Springer source
County Commissioner, District 4Mike Wobbe sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 5Cheryl Key sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyMatthew Stinson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorFrancie Warren sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderJeffrey Aitken sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffRodney Bartsh sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Wabasha County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 36 local governments in Wabasha 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, 17 township)270
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)50

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 Wabasha County

21,565people
45.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$82,007 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
7.1%below the U.S.: 12.5%
26.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$264,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.8%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
3.8%U.S.: 8.4%
38.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
25.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.4% · White 93.3% · Black 0.4% · Asian 0.7% · 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 Wabasha County

3.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.8%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
452people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
11,500people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
11,952in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Wabasha County 0.0%1.4%2.9%4.3%5.8% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.8%45211,50011,952
August 20264.1%50311,66512,168
July 20264.0%48411,75212,236
June 20264.2%50611,54312,049
May 20263.6%42811,45911,887
April 20263.5%42011,51611,936
March 20264.8%56311,26011,823
February 20265.4%64111,32111,962
January 20265.3%63911,34711,986
December 20254.1%49211,49611,988
November 20253.7%45011,63812,088
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.8%34311,97012,313
August 20253.2%40212,07212,474
July 20253.2%39711,97712,374
June 20253.4%41011,69812,108
May 20253.2%37911,56811,947
April 20253.5%41911,64012,059
March 20254.4%52511,51112,036
February 20254.5%54411,43311,977
January 20254.5%53711,46312,000
December 20243.4%41111,61512,026
November 20242.5%30311,75112,054
October 20242.0%23611,79212,028
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.7%44511,67912,124
20243.0%36011,61411,974
20232.8%32711,47311,800
20222.4%28011,37611,656
20213.3%38811,26511,653
20205.5%65911,34212,001
20193.5%40911,39211,801
20183.1%36511,35111,716
20173.4%39811,34211,740
20163.7%43711,27011,707

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 Wabasha County

42.9 per 100,0002024. Minnesota: 259.5.
348.2 per 100,0002024. Minnesota: 1,614.9.
0murders2024, 8 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
2024842.965348.2
202323123.887468.3
2022843.587472.9
2021421.786467.1
20201898.669377.9
20191371.083453.1
201819103.8119649.8
20171266.3107591.6
20161055.8121675.1
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Wabasha County Sheriff's Office202501711,154
Plainview Police Department20236233,532
Wabasha Police Department20253212,606

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

2.03 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 17,263 people.
35sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
31civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Wabasha County Sheriff's Office192911,154
Plainview Police Department813,503
Wabasha Police Department812,606
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025352.03313
2024352.00313
2023341.95313
2022352.03313
2021341.96303
2020341.98333
2019321.86333
2018321.86343
2017311.82363
2016311.84303

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 Wabasha County County Attorney?
Matthew Stinson is the County Attorney of Wabasha County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wabasha County County Auditor?
Francie Warren is the County Auditor of Wabasha County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wabasha County County Recorder?
Jeffrey Aitken is the County Recorder of Wabasha County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wabasha County Sheriff?
Rodney Bartsh is the Sheriff of Wabasha County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Wabasha County commissioners?
Robert Walkes (District 1); Rick Powers (District 2); Donald S. Springer (District 3); Mike Wobbe (District 4); Cheryl Key (District 5).
What is the population of Wabasha County?
About 21,565 people, with a median age of 45.2; the median household income is $82,007 and 7.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Wabasha County?
3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 452 people unemployed in a labor force of 11,952, against 2.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Wabasha County?
36 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 10 municipal, 17 township, 3 school district and 5 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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