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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Polk County: 14 seats on 12 elected bodies. 7 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Commission

Polk County Commission

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Associate Commissioner, Northern DistrictKyle Legan Republican source
Associate Commissioner, Southern DistrictBob Moreland Republican source
Presiding CommissionerShannon Hancock Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorRita Lemmon Republican source
Circuit ClerkTiffany Phillips Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Collector of RevenueRachel Boyce Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerZane Gore Independent source
County ClerkRachel Lightfoot Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County SurveyorKevin Nelson Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyKeaton R. Ashlock Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Public AdministratorScott Pursselley Republican source
Recorder of DeedsCarol Poindexter Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffDanny Morrison Republican source
TreasurerShirley Allison Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Polk County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 27 local governments in Polk 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 townships80
School districts (school boards)60
Special districts (elected boards)120

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 Polk County

32,444people
38.1median ageU.S.: 38.9
$59,647 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
16.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
22.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$205,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.5%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
14.1%U.S.: 8.4%
46.1%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 3% · White 90.9% · Black 0.7% · Asian 0.8% · Other or more than one race 4.5% (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 Polk County

3.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.5%. Missouri: 3.3%.
468people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
14,673people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
15,141in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Polk County 0.0%1.3%2.5%3.8%5.0% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.1%46814,67315,141
August 20264.0%61214,51415,126
July 20264.0%61714,67415,291
June 20263.9%58914,48215,071
May 20263.7%54714,39014,937
April 20263.5%53314,74815,281
March 20264.2%63914,51315,152
February 20264.1%62414,56215,186
January 20264.3%64514,33314,978
December 20253.2%47314,46714,940
November 20253.3%48314,35314,836
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.5%52314,32414,847
August 20254.5%66213,98614,648
July 20254.7%70314,35415,057
June 20254.6%69914,34915,048
May 20254.3%64114,11814,759
April 20253.9%59014,49915,089
March 20254.6%70314,45415,157
February 20254.7%70814,47115,179
January 20254.4%66114,36715,028
December 20243.5%52614,32014,846
November 20243.6%52314,12714,650
October 20243.4%50214,26514,767
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.2%62214,34014,962
20243.9%57914,22214,801
20233.2%46714,13214,599
20222.6%37214,05114,423
20213.4%47513,69014,165
20204.8%67313,27313,946
20193.4%48413,60714,091
20183.7%52513,64014,165
20174.0%56113,44714,008
20164.8%68213,44714,129

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 Polk County

224.8 per 100,0002024. Missouri: 467.0.
893.3 per 100,0002024. Missouri: 1,974.1.
1murders2024, 75 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
202475224.8298893.3
201795303.38102,586.0
2016130416.79993,202.3
By police agency (6)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Polk County Sheriff's Office20244417019,351
Bolivar Police Department20251620011,743
Humansville Police Department2021151,072
Pleasant Hope Police Department202571697
Fair Play Police Department2017010465
Morrisville Police Department202500401

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

1.51 per 1,000 residents2018, 5 agencies serving 31,859 people.
48sworn officers2018, full-time, as of October 31.
20civilian staff2018, full-time.

2018 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (5), 2018
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Polk County Sheriff's Office231418,754
Bolivar Police Department21610,966
Pleasant Hope Police Department20615
Humansville Police Department101,048
Fair Play Police Department10476
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2018481.51205
2016411.31195

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 Polk County Assessor?
Rita Lemmon (Republican) is the Assessor of Polk County, Missouri.
Who is the Polk County Circuit Clerk?
Tiffany Phillips (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk of Polk County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Polk County Collector of Revenue?
Rachel Boyce (Republican) is the Collector of Revenue of Polk County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Polk County Coroner?
Zane Gore (Independent) is the Coroner of Polk County, Missouri.
Who is the Polk County County Clerk?
Rachel Lightfoot (Republican) is the County Clerk of Polk County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Polk County County Surveyor?
Kevin Nelson (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Polk County, Missouri.
Who is the Polk County Prosecuting Attorney?
Keaton R. Ashlock (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Polk County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Polk County Public Administrator?
Scott Pursselley (Republican) is the Public Administrator of Polk County, Missouri.
Who is the Polk County Recorder of Deeds?
Carol Poindexter (Republican) is the Recorder of Deeds of Polk County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Polk County Sheriff?
Danny Morrison (Republican) is the Sheriff of Polk County, Missouri.
Who is the Polk County Treasurer?
Shirley Allison (Republican) is the Treasurer of Polk County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Polk County commissioners?
Kyle Legan (Associate Commissioner, Northern District); Bob Moreland (Associate Commissioner, Southern District); Shannon Hancock (Presiding Commissioner).
What is the population of Polk County?
About 32,444 people, with a median age of 38.1; the median household income is $59,647 and 16.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Polk County?
3.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 468 people unemployed in a labor force of 15,141, against 3.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Polk County?
27 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 8 municipal, 6 school district and 12 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.

Polk County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Missouri county · Missouri's members of Congress

See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Polk County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem · Corrections