Benton County, MS elected officials: supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Benton County: 17 seats on 9 elected bodies.

Board of Supervisors

Benton County Board of Supervisors

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
Supervisor, District 1Chris Shoup source
Supervisor, District 2Alonzo Tucker source
Supervisor, District 3James Lowry source
Supervisor, District 4Tommy Fortner source
Supervisor, District 5Craig Briscoe source

County officers

Benton County Election Commission

OfficeWho holds it now
Election Commissioner, District 1Leatrice Steward Wooden source
Election Commissioner, District 2Freda Spight source
Election Commissioner, District 3Charlie Walls source
Election Commissioner, District 4Ashley Wilkerson source
Election Commissioner, District 5Lanell Hutchison Poff source

Also elected countywide

OfficeWho holds it now
Chancery ClerkMarlene McKenzie source
Circuit ClerkKathy Graves source
CoronerMichael Alberson source
County Prosecuting AttorneyBart Adams source
SheriffRobby Goolsby source
Tax AssessorCarol Ormon source
Tax CollectorCarol Ormon source

How many local governments Benton County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 11 local governments in Benton 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 townships30
School districts (school boards)10
Special districts (elected boards)60

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 Benton County

7,589people
44.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$46,016 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
21.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%
12.8%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$105,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.1%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
5.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
4.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
9.1%U.S.: 8.4%
43.1%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
26.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.4% · White 60.4% · Black 34.5% · Asian 0.3% · Other or more than one race 2.4% (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 Benton County

3.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.9%. Mississippi: 3.3%.
114people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
3,098people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
3,212in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Benton 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)3.5%1143,0983,212
August 20263.3%1063,0883,194
July 20264.2%1373,1133,250
June 20264.7%1553,1103,265
May 20263.9%1283,1493,277
April 20263.7%1193,1343,253
March 20263.9%1303,1883,318
February 20264.5%1473,1483,295
January 20264.0%1303,1533,283
December 20253.4%1113,2023,313
November 20253.8%1273,1883,315
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.9%1293,2083,337
August 20254.4%1473,1903,337
July 20254.5%1513,2163,367
June 20254.7%1563,1843,340
May 20253.7%1243,1903,314
April 20253.4%1143,1913,305
March 20253.8%1283,2063,334
February 20254.2%1383,1663,304
January 20253.7%1233,1933,316
December 20243.3%1103,2233,333
November 20243.2%1073,2173,324
October 20243.1%1033,2133,316
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.0%1323,1943,326
20243.0%983,2033,301
20233.2%1023,1253,227
20224.1%1373,1953,332
20215.4%1793,1573,336
20207.2%2383,0543,292
20195.4%1813,1753,356
20185.0%1663,1553,321
20174.9%1653,1883,353
20165.9%2013,1953,396

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. Mississippi's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.3% 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.

Police in Benton County

Police staffing

0.95 per 1,000 residents2024, 1 agency serving 7,386 people.
7sworn 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 (1), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Benton County Sheriff's Office7147,386
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202470.95141
202330.40151

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 Benton County Chancery Clerk?
Marlene McKenzie is the Chancery Clerk of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Circuit Clerk?
Kathy Graves is the Circuit Clerk of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Coroner?
Michael Alberson is the Coroner of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County County Prosecuting Attorney?
Bart Adams is the County Prosecuting Attorney of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Election Commissioner, District 1?
Leatrice Steward Wooden is the Election Commissioner, District 1 of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Election Commissioner, District 2?
Freda Spight is the Election Commissioner, District 2 of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Election Commissioner, District 3?
Charlie Walls is the Election Commissioner, District 3 of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Election Commissioner, District 4?
Ashley Wilkerson is the Election Commissioner, District 4 of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Election Commissioner, District 5?
Lanell Hutchison Poff is the Election Commissioner, District 5 of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Sheriff?
Robby Goolsby is the Sheriff of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Tax Assessor?
Carol Ormon is the Tax Assessor of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Benton County Tax Collector?
Carol Ormon is the Tax Collector of Benton County, Mississippi.
Who are the Benton County commissioners?
Chris Shoup (Supervisor, District 1); Alonzo Tucker (Supervisor, District 2); James Lowry (Supervisor, District 3); Tommy Fortner (Supervisor, District 4); Craig Briscoe (Supervisor, District 5).
What is the population of Benton County?
About 7,589 people, with a median age of 44.5; the median household income is $46,016 and 21.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Benton County?
3.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 114 people unemployed in a labor force of 3,212, against 3.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Benton County?
11 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 1 school district and 6 special district governments.

Officeholders as of May 6, 2026, from the Mississippi Secretary of State's County Offices and Directory; 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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