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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Yellowstone County: 8 seats on 6 elected bodies. 5 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Yellowstone County Board of Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Chris White sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Mark Morse Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3Mike Waters Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Attorney/Public AdministratorScott Twito Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk and Recorder/Auditor/SurveyorJeff Martin Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk of District CourtTerry Halpin Republican source
Sheriff/CoronerMike Linder Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Superintendent of Schools/Assessor/TreasurerHank Peters Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Yellowstone County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 58 local governments in Yellowstone 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)150
Special districts (elected boards)390

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 Yellowstone County

168,957people
39median ageU.S.: 38.9
$76,570 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9.2%below the U.S.: 12.5%
34.1%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$349,500median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
9.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
7.7%U.S.: 8.4%
46.8%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
25.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 6.6% · White 83.4% · Black 0.4% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 8.8% (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 Yellowstone County

2.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.1%. Montana: 2.5%.
2,184people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
85,654people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
87,838in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Yellowstone County 0.0%1.4%2.8%4.2%5.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.5%2,18485,65487,838
August 20263.1%2,72985,95088,679
July 20263.0%2,64486,79289,436
June 20263.4%3,04186,63689,677
May 20262.8%2,51386,55989,072
April 20262.8%2,47485,70188,175
March 20263.6%3,14884,54187,689
February 20263.7%3,22684,22887,454
January 20264.1%3,55883,97787,535
December 20253.6%3,14985,52588,674
November 20253.2%2,88086,45289,332
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.1%2,73986,06588,804
August 20253.3%2,99586,43889,433
July 20253.3%2,97386,96489,937
June 20253.2%2,87486,76089,634
May 20252.9%2,61086,77489,384
April 20252.9%2,63586,99089,625
March 20253.2%2,84885,38588,233
February 20253.6%3,15584,47587,630
January 20253.2%2,81584,48487,299
December 20242.8%2,48685,26687,752
November 20242.4%2,09886,18588,283
October 20242.3%2,04586,46688,511
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.2%2,87986,02888,907
20242.8%2,52086,01588,535
20232.5%2,17286,27288,444
20222.4%2,11786,10088,217
20213.1%2,66082,85885,518
20205.3%4,52580,74985,274
20193.2%2,67981,69484,373
20183.3%2,74680,51483,260
20173.5%2,91179,58882,499
20163.7%3,03378,92381,956

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 Yellowstone County

659.1 per 100,0002025. Montana: 419.1.
2,149.0 per 100,0002025. Montana: 1,448.5.
5murders2025, 1,136 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
20251,136659.13,7042,149.0
20241,177688.24,6172,699.4
20231,277747.25,2143,050.7
20221,273752.05,9713,527.3
20211,397838.46,3283,797.9
20201,141699.36,2843,851.5
2019877544.15,4193,361.9
2018741460.46,2223,865.5
2017655409.47,0474,404.5
2016617388.26,0453,803.3
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Billings Police Department20259313,047122,571
Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office202518343342,529
Laurel Police Department2025222247,258

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

1.41 per 1,000 residents2025, 3 agencies serving 172,358 people.
243sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
177civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (3), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Billings Police Department16448122,571
Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office6512242,529
Laurel Police Department1477,258
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20252431.411773
20242491.461663
20232321.361583
20222321.371553
20212271.361643
20202271.391573
20192201.361583
20182151.341483
20172151.341313
20162121.331393

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 Yellowstone County County Attorney/Public Administrator?
Scott Twito (Republican) is the County Attorney/Public Administrator of Yellowstone County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Yellowstone County Clerk and Recorder/Auditor/Surveyor?
Jeff Martin (Republican) is the Clerk and Recorder/Auditor/Surveyor of Yellowstone County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Yellowstone County Clerk of District Court?
Terry Halpin (Republican) is the Clerk of District Court of Yellowstone County, Montana.
Who is the Yellowstone County Sheriff/Coroner?
Mike Linder (Republican) is the Sheriff/Coroner of Yellowstone County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Yellowstone County Superintendent of Schools/Assessor/Treasurer?
Hank Peters (Republican) is the Superintendent of Schools/Assessor/Treasurer of Yellowstone County, Montana. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Yellowstone County commissioners?
Chris White (District 1); Mark Morse (District 2); Mike Waters (District 3).
What is the population of Yellowstone County?
About 168,957 people, with a median age of 39; the median household income is $76,570 and 9.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Yellowstone County?
2.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 2,184 people unemployed in a labor force of 87,838, against 3.1% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Yellowstone County?
58 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 15 school district and 39 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.

Yellowstone County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Montana county · Montana's members of Congress

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

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