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

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

Wadena County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Ron Noon sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Bryan Winkels source
County Commissioner, District 3Bill Stearns sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4Murlyn Kreklau source
County Commissioner, District 5Jon Kangas sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyKyra Ladd sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AuditorHeather Olson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderTracy Borchert sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffMichael D. Carr sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Wadena County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 29 local governments in Wadena 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 (6 municipal, 15 township)210
School districts (school boards)40
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 Wadena County

14,256people
40median ageU.S.: 38.9
$61,467 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
12.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%
19.8%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$173,000median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.5%U.S.: 8.4%
36.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
23.6%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.4% · White 86.1% · Black 1.7% · Asian 0.3% · Other or more than one race 9.4% (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 Wadena County

4.9%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.5%. Minnesota: 4.4%.
327people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
6,301people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
6,628in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Wadena County 0.0%1.9%3.7%5.6%7.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.9%3276,3016,628
August 20266.1%4066,2516,657
July 20265.8%3846,2416,625
June 20266.1%4136,3556,768
May 20264.9%3286,3786,706
April 20266.1%4136,4096,822
March 20269.1%6266,2326,858
February 20269.2%6316,2266,857
January 20269.6%6526,1546,806
December 20257.5%5136,3226,835
November 20255.4%3706,4456,815
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.5%2396,5486,787
August 20255.3%3676,4946,861
July 20255.1%3426,3946,736
June 20255.2%3606,5026,862
May 20254.3%2896,4926,781
April 20256.1%4246,4766,900
March 20257.8%5416,4386,979
February 20257.8%5436,3776,920
January 20257.4%5076,3296,836
December 20245.2%3656,6597,024
November 20243.8%2656,7977,062
October 20242.9%2056,8427,047
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)6.0%4096,4386,847
20244.5%3136,6616,974
20234.3%2906,5186,808
20223.5%2336,4836,716
20214.3%2916,4116,702
20207.1%4866,3686,854
20195.7%3836,3836,766
20184.9%3266,3916,717
20175.0%3346,3256,659
20165.4%3816,6637,044

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 Wadena County

43.1 per 100,0002024. Minnesota: 259.5.
43.1 per 100,0002024. Minnesota: 1,614.9.
0murders2024, 4 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
2024443.1443.1
2023775.3221.5
2017333.9333.9
2016111.3333.8
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Wadena County Sheriff's Office2024436,693
Menahga Police Department2025211,370
Sebeka Police Department202500756

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

2.26 per 1,000 residents2024, 4 agencies serving 9,289 people.
21sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
14civilian staff2024, full-time.

2024 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (4), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Wadena County Sheriff's Office14146,693
Menahga Police Department301,347
Sebeka Police Department20740
VERNDALE20509
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2024212.26144
2023192.04134
2022181.97134
2021182.03124
2020192.19104
2019182.04114
2017151.7093
2016131.46102

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 Wadena County County Attorney?
Kyra Ladd is the County Attorney of Wadena County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wadena County County Auditor?
Heather Olson is the County Auditor of Wadena County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wadena County County Recorder?
Tracy Borchert is the County Recorder of Wadena County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wadena County Sheriff?
Michael D. Carr is the Sheriff of Wadena County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Wadena County commissioners?
Ron Noon (District 1); Bryan Winkels (District 2); Bill Stearns (District 3); Murlyn Kreklau (District 4); Jon Kangas (District 5).
What is the population of Wadena County?
About 14,256 people, with a median age of 40; the median household income is $61,467 and 12.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Wadena County?
4.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 327 people unemployed in a labor force of 6,628, against 3.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Wadena County?
29 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 6 municipal, 15 township, 4 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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