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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Newton County: 21 seats on 11 elected bodies.

Board of Supervisors

Newton County Board of Supervisors

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
Supervisor, District 1Terry Frazier source
Supervisor, District 2Jeffery Harrison source
Supervisor, District 3Terry Vance source
Supervisor, District 4Charles Godwin source
Supervisor, District 5Aaron Clark source

County officers

Newton County Constables

OfficeWho holds it now
Constable, District 1Mark Spence source
Constable, District 2Donny Collins source

Newton County Election Commission

OfficeWho holds it now
Election Commissioner, District 1Nancy Darlene Kidd-Smith source
Election Commissioner, District 2Cindy Alexander source
Election Commissioner, District 3Lesia Taylor source
Election Commissioner, District 4Amy Hollingsworth source
Election Commissioner, District 5Debby Walker source

Newton County Justice Court Judges

OfficeWho holds it now
Justice Court Judge, District 1Scott Round source
Justice Court Judge, District 2Justin K. Chaney source

Also elected countywide

OfficeWho holds it now
Chancery ClerkChrissie Buffington source
Circuit ClerkMichael L. Butler source
CoronerRebecca Burton source
County Prosecuting AttorneyJ. Douglas Smith source
SheriffJoedy Pennington source
Tax AssessorBen Kelly source
Tax CollectorBen Kelly source

How many local governments Newton County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 14 local governments in Newton 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 townships50
School districts (school boards)40
Special districts (elected boards)40

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 Newton County

21,093people
38.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$50,540 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
24.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
19.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$106,300median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.4%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
12.2%U.S.: 8.4%
31.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
29.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.9% · White 59.7% · Black 31.6% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 6.3% (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 Newton County

3.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.5%. Mississippi: 3.3%.
269people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
7,583people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
7,852in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Newton County 0.0%2.0%4.0%6.0%8.0% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.4%2697,5837,852
August 20263.3%2607,5527,812
July 20264.0%3157,6277,942
June 20264.2%3397,6688,007
May 20263.6%2907,7608,050
April 20263.1%2477,7848,031
March 20264.0%3267,8188,144
February 20264.4%3597,7578,116
January 20263.7%2957,7338,028
December 20253.0%2427,8438,085
November 20253.6%2937,8268,119
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.5%2897,8728,161
August 20254.1%3387,8138,151
July 20254.4%3667,8668,232
June 20254.6%3797,9028,281
May 20253.7%3087,9208,228
April 20252.9%2408,0088,248
March 20253.6%2967,9748,270
February 20253.9%3237,9508,273
January 20253.7%3047,9738,277
December 20243.4%2777,9688,245
November 20243.4%2817,9098,190
October 20243.4%2797,9818,260
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.7%3077,9048,211
20243.3%2687,9178,185
20233.4%2767,8248,100
20224.0%3388,0398,377
20215.2%4468,0858,531
20207.6%6307,6498,279
20195.7%4948,1928,686
20184.8%4318,5338,964
20175.2%4728,6599,131
20166.0%5258,2878,812

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 Newton County

Police staffing

1.64 per 1,000 residents2020, 3 agencies serving 19,478 people.
32sworn officers2020, full-time, as of October 31.
14civilian staff2020, full-time.

2020 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (3), 2020
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Newton County Sheriff's Office131214,653
Newton Police Department1423,133
Decatur Police Department501,692

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 Newton County Chancery Clerk?
Chrissie Buffington is the Chancery Clerk of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Circuit Clerk?
Michael L. Butler is the Circuit Clerk of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Constable, District 1?
Mark Spence is the Constable, District 1 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Constable, District 2?
Donny Collins is the Constable, District 2 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Coroner?
Rebecca Burton is the Coroner of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County County Prosecuting Attorney?
J. Douglas Smith is the County Prosecuting Attorney of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Election Commissioner, District 1?
Nancy Darlene Kidd-Smith is the Election Commissioner, District 1 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Election Commissioner, District 2?
Cindy Alexander is the Election Commissioner, District 2 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Election Commissioner, District 3?
Lesia Taylor is the Election Commissioner, District 3 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Election Commissioner, District 4?
Amy Hollingsworth is the Election Commissioner, District 4 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Election Commissioner, District 5?
Debby Walker is the Election Commissioner, District 5 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Justice Court Judge, District 1?
Scott Round is the Justice Court Judge, District 1 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Justice Court Judge, District 2?
Justin K. Chaney is the Justice Court Judge, District 2 of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Sheriff?
Joedy Pennington is the Sheriff of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Tax Assessor?
Ben Kelly is the Tax Assessor of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who is the Newton County Tax Collector?
Ben Kelly is the Tax Collector of Newton County, Mississippi.
Who are the Newton County commissioners?
Terry Frazier (Supervisor, District 1); Jeffery Harrison (Supervisor, District 2); Terry Vance (Supervisor, District 3); Charles Godwin (Supervisor, District 4); Aaron Clark (Supervisor, District 5).
What is the population of Newton County?
About 21,093 people, with a median age of 38.6; the median household income is $50,540 and 24.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Newton County?
3.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 269 people unemployed in a labor force of 7,852, against 3.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Newton County?
14 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 4 school district and 4 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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