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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Wright County: 13 seats on 11 elected bodies. 7 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Commission

Wright County Commission

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Associate Commissioner, Eastern DistrictRandy Pamperien Republican source
Associate Commissioner, Western DistrictTommy Kingery Republican source
Presiding CommissionerZach Williams Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
AssessorRachel Willhite Republican source
Circuit ClerkLori Jones Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Collector of RevenueShelly Chadwell Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerBen Hurtt Republican source
County ClerkLoni Pedersen Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Prosecuting AttorneyJohn Tyrrell sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Public AdministratorGina Jones Republican source
Recorder of DeedsAmanda Hoffman Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffAlfred (Sonny) Byerley Republican source
TreasurerLisa Hensley Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Wright County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 18 local governments in Wright 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 townships40
School districts (school boards)50
Special districts (elected boards)80

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 Wright County

18,965people
41.1median ageU.S.: 38.9
$47,909 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
18.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
15.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$160,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
12.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
13.5%U.S.: 8.4%
43.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
33.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.6% · White 91.7% · Black 0.5% · Asian 0.3% · Other or more than one race 4.8% (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 Wright County

3.9%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.7%. Missouri: 3.3%.
302people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
7,490people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
7,792in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Wright County 0.0%1.9%3.8%5.7%7.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.9%3027,4907,792
August 20264.5%3347,1347,468
July 20265.0%3686,9467,314
June 20264.4%3447,4287,772
May 20264.2%3307,4807,810
April 20264.0%3187,6607,978
March 20264.9%3897,5077,896
February 20265.4%4337,5137,946
January 20265.2%4027,3087,710
December 20254.2%3257,3447,669
November 20254.7%3607,2827,642
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.7%3607,2747,634
August 20255.6%4056,8727,277
July 20256.3%4606,7927,252
June 20255.4%4217,4077,828
May 20255.2%3997,2787,677
April 20254.7%3707,4667,836
March 20255.5%4277,4057,832
February 20255.5%4297,3967,825
January 20255.1%3937,3447,737
December 20244.8%3667,2477,613
November 20244.7%3547,1177,471
October 20244.8%3697,2847,653
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)5.2%3957,2607,655
20244.8%3647,2067,570
20233.7%2787,1377,415
20223.0%2187,0047,222
20214.0%2836,8257,108
20207.2%4936,3546,847
20195.3%3706,5816,951
20184.4%3006,5946,894
20175.1%3646,7147,078
20166.2%4346,6207,054

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 Wright County

164.1 per 100,0002025. Missouri: 417.8.
164.1 per 100,0002025. Missouri: 1,644.1.
0murders2025, 26 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202526164.126164.1
20241487.737231.9
202321133.137234.5
202243281.771465.1
202122152.7125867.4
202019132.1111771.9
201921145.3132913.5
201818124.91721,193.3
201721146.31881,309.6
201628196.01891,322.7
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Wright County Sheriff's Office2025152013,266
Mansfield Police Department2025941,325
Hartville Police Department202327632

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

0.92 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 15,225 people.
14sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
8civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Wright County Sheriff's Office7813,266
Mansfield Police Department501,325
Hartville Police Department20634
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025140.9283
2020130.9533
2019151.0953
2018141.0273
2017141.0263
2016130.9573

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 Wright County Assessor?
Rachel Willhite (Republican) is the Assessor of Wright County, Missouri.
Who is the Wright County Circuit Clerk?
Lori Jones (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk of Wright County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wright County Collector of Revenue?
Shelly Chadwell (Republican) is the Collector of Revenue of Wright County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wright County Coroner?
Ben Hurtt (Republican) is the Coroner of Wright County, Missouri.
Who is the Wright County County Clerk?
Loni Pedersen (Republican) is the County Clerk of Wright County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wright County Prosecuting Attorney?
John Tyrrell is the Prosecuting Attorney of Wright County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wright County Public Administrator?
Gina Jones (Republican) is the Public Administrator of Wright County, Missouri.
Who is the Wright County Recorder of Deeds?
Amanda Hoffman (Republican) is the Recorder of Deeds of Wright County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Wright County Sheriff?
Alfred (Sonny) Byerley (Republican) is the Sheriff of Wright County, Missouri.
Who is the Wright County Treasurer?
Lisa Hensley (Republican) is the Treasurer of Wright County, Missouri. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Wright County commissioners?
Randy Pamperien (Associate Commissioner, Eastern District); Tommy Kingery (Associate Commissioner, Western District); Zach Williams (Presiding Commissioner).
What is the population of Wright County?
About 18,965 people, with a median age of 41.1; the median household income is $47,909 and 18.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Wright County?
3.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 302 people unemployed in a labor force of 7,792, against 4.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Wright County?
18 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 5 school district and 8 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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