Mercer County, MO elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Mercer County: 11 seats on 9 elected bodies. 3 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Commission

Mercer County Commission

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Associate Commissioner, District 1Denny Power Republican source
Associate Commissioner, District 2Gary Porter Republican source
Presiding CommissionerJerry D. Allen Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorDana Widner Republican source
Circuit Clerk and Recorder of DeedsTammy Crouse Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Collector-TreasurerSusan Moore Republican source
CoronerDouglas Priest Republican source
County ClerkJudy Hamilton Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Prosecuting AttorneyPamela Blevins Republican source
Public AdministratorKelli Judd Republican source
SheriffJeff Spencer Republican source

How many local governments Mercer County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 22 local governments in Mercer 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 (3 municipal, 9 township)120
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)70

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 Mercer County

3,482people
42.4median ageU.S.: 38.9
$62,679 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
13.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%
18.1%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$104,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
3.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.5%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
9.2%U.S.: 8.4%
29.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
28.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.8% · White 91.1% · Black 0.2% · Asian 0.9% · Other or more than one race 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 Mercer County

2.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.2%. Missouri: 3.3%.
45people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
1,571people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
1,616in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Mercer County 0.0%1.3%2.6%3.9%5.3% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.8%451,5711,616
August 20263.8%541,3671,421
July 20263.9%551,3651,420
June 20263.3%521,5071,559
May 20263.2%491,4791,528
April 20263.0%501,6091,659
March 20264.2%671,5401,607
February 20263.6%581,5431,601
January 20264.2%621,4291,491
December 20253.3%491,4421,491
November 20253.6%521,3861,438
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.2%481,4651,513
August 20254.6%591,2241,283
July 20254.6%631,2951,358
June 20254.1%641,4801,544
May 20253.8%561,4061,462
April 20253.5%561,5381,594
March 20254.2%681,5441,612
February 20255.0%811,5371,618
January 20254.5%711,5091,580
December 20243.8%601,5051,565
November 20243.1%451,4121,457
October 20243.3%501,4571,507
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.1%611,4391,500
20243.9%591,4441,503
20233.0%461,4641,510
20222.8%421,4751,517
20213.1%491,5521,601
20204.0%671,6051,672
20193.4%561,6101,666
20183.4%591,6601,719
20174.1%721,6941,766
20165.0%871,6571,744

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. Missouri's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.6% 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 Mercer County

55.6 per 100,0002020. Missouri: 542.7.
194.6 per 100,0002020. Missouri: 2,531.0.
0murders2020, 2 violent crimes in all.

2020 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
2020255.67194.6
2017381.312325.4
201600.030816.8
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Mercer County Sheriff's Office2020273,598

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 Missouri · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.15 per 1,000 residents2024, 1 agency serving 3,473 people.
4sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
1civilian staff2024, full-time.

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

Agencies counted (1), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Mercer County Sheriff's Office413,473
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202441.1511
202241.1651
202020.5641
201930.8361
201841.0961
201730.8161
201630.8261

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 Mercer County Assessor?
Dana Widner (Republican) is the Assessor of Mercer County, Missouri.
Who is the Mercer County Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds?
Tammy Crouse (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Deeds of Mercer County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mercer County Collector-Treasurer?
Susan Moore (Republican) is the Collector-Treasurer of Mercer County, Missouri.
Who is the Mercer County Coroner?
Douglas Priest (Republican) is the Coroner of Mercer County, Missouri.
Who is the Mercer County County Clerk?
Judy Hamilton (Republican) is the County Clerk of Mercer County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney?
Pamela Blevins (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Mercer County, Missouri.
Who is the Mercer County Public Administrator?
Kelli Judd (Republican) is the Public Administrator of Mercer County, Missouri.
Who is the Mercer County Sheriff?
Jeff Spencer (Republican) is the Sheriff of Mercer County, Missouri.
Who are the Mercer County commissioners?
Denny Power (Associate Commissioner, District 1); Gary Porter (Associate Commissioner, District 2); Jerry D. Allen (Presiding Commissioner).
What is the population of Mercer County?
About 3,482 people, with a median age of 42.4; the median household income is $62,679 and 13.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Mercer County?
2.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 45 people unemployed in a labor force of 1,616, against 3.2% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Mercer County?
22 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 9 township, 2 school district and 7 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Missouri Secretary of State's Official Manual (Blue Book) 2025–2026; 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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