Custer County, MT elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Custer County: 9 seats on 7 elected bodies. 7 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Custer County Board of Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Jason Strouf sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Jeff Faycosh sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3Kevin R Krausz source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AttorneyShawn A. Quinlan sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk and RecorderLinda Corbett sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk of District CourtKristi Celander source
Sheriff/CoronerBrandon Kelm sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Superintendent of SchoolsCarla J. Begger sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Treasurer/AssessorTara L Moorehead sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Custer County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 16 local governments in Custer 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 townships20
School districts (school boards)80
Special districts (elected boards)50

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 Custer County

11,961people
42.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$70,605 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
27%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$219,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
9%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
7.7%U.S.: 8.4%
39.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
22.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.4% · White 89% · Black 0% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 7.1% (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 Custer County

2.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.6%. Montana: 2.5%.
133people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
6,254people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
6,387in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Custer County 0.0%1.2%2.5%3.7%4.9% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.1%1336,2546,387
August 20262.5%1576,2356,392
July 20262.3%1486,3146,462
June 20262.8%1806,1626,342
May 20262.2%1446,4116,555
April 20262.4%1536,3576,510
March 20263.7%2416,2746,515
February 20263.8%2476,2786,525
January 20264.0%2556,1756,430
December 20253.1%1996,2356,434
November 20252.6%1696,2546,423
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.6%1656,2406,405
August 20252.5%1616,2616,422
July 20252.5%1606,2946,454
June 20252.7%1716,2816,452
May 20252.4%1606,5566,716
April 20252.6%1766,4756,651
March 20253.3%2196,3806,599
February 20253.5%2286,3656,593
January 20253.5%2306,4136,643
December 20242.8%1836,3786,561
November 20242.1%1356,4446,579
October 20241.9%1246,4556,579
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.8%1856,3416,526
20242.6%1736,5076,680
20232.5%1696,4986,667
20222.4%1596,4456,604
20213.0%1966,3266,522
20204.7%3056,2476,552
20192.8%1826,2726,454
20183.0%1946,2446,438
20173.1%2036,3126,515
20163.5%2336,3346,567

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. Montana's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.1% 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 Custer County

276.6 per 100,0002025. Montana: 419.1.
1,190.2 per 100,0002025. Montana: 1,448.5.
0murders2025, 33 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202533276.61421,190.2
202431260.474621.6
202315124.7105873.2
202243359.176634.8
202169605.41341,175.7
202023201.8113991.6
201929251.32862,478.6
201823195.71951,658.9
201715125.52241,874.5
201628228.92091,708.4
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Miles City Police Department2025301408,422
Custer County Sheriff's Office20245113,441

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 Montana · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.84 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 11,931 people.
22sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
4civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Miles City Police Department1528,422
Custer County Sheriff's Office723,509
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025221.8442
2024231.9392
2023242.0092
2022231.92152
2021242.11112
2020232.0232
2019252.17112
2018211.79122
2017201.67112
2016221.80112

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 Custer County County Attorney?
Shawn A. Quinlan is the County Attorney of Custer County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Custer County Clerk and Recorder?
Linda Corbett is the Clerk and Recorder of Custer County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Custer County Clerk of District Court?
Kristi Celander is the Clerk of District Court of Custer County, Montana.
Who is the Custer County Sheriff/Coroner?
Brandon Kelm is the Sheriff/Coroner of Custer County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Custer County Superintendent of Schools?
Carla J. Begger is the Superintendent of Schools of Custer County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Custer County Treasurer/Assessor?
Tara L Moorehead is the Treasurer/Assessor of Custer County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Custer County commissioners?
Jason Strouf (District 1); Jeff Faycosh (District 2); Kevin R Krausz (District 3).
What is the population of Custer County?
About 11,961 people, with a median age of 42.7; the median household income is $70,605 and 11.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Custer County?
2.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 133 people unemployed in a labor force of 6,387, against 2.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Custer County?
16 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal, 8 school district and 5 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 7, 2026, from each county's own website (its elected-officials or department pages, read November 7, 2026), or a county's certified canvass; offices no county page names are left out; 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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