Who is the Johnston County Clerk of Superior Court?

Michelle Creech Ball (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of Johnston County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Johnston County Register of Deeds?

Craig Olive (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Johnston County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Johnston County Sheriff?

Steve Bizzell (Republican) is the Sheriff of Johnston County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who are the Johnston County commissioners?

Michelle Pace Davis (District 1); Ted G. Godwin (District 2); Richard D. (Dickie) Braswell (District 3); April Stephens (District 4); Patrick Harris (District 5); Bill Stovall (District 6); R.S. (Butch) Lawter, Jr. (District 7).

Who is on the Johnston County School Board?

Terry Tippett (Board of Education Member); Kevin Donovan (Board of Education Member); Michelle Antoine (Board of Education Member); Kay Carroll (Board of Education Member, District 3); April Lee (Board of Education Member, District 4); Lyn Andrews (Board of Education Member, District 6); Ronald Johnson (Board of Education Member, District 7).

What is the population of Johnston County?

About 234,263 people, with a median age of 38.1; the median household income is $83,384 and 10.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in Johnston County?

2.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 3,515 people unemployed in a labor force of 130,865, against 3.1% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).

How many local governments are there in Johnston County?

17 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 11 municipal and 5 special district governments.

What cities and towns are in Johnston County?

2: Clayton, Smithfield. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.

Johnston County, NC elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Johnston County: 34 seats on 8 elected bodies. 11 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Johnston County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
County Commissioner, District 1	Michelle Pace Davis Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2	Ted G. Godwin Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3	Richard D. (Dickie) Braswell Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4	April Stephens Republican source
County Commissioner, District 5	Patrick Harris Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 6	Bill Stovall Republican source
County Commissioner, District 7	R.S. (Butch) Lawter, Jr. Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Clerk of Superior Court	Michelle Creech Ball Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Register of Deeds	Craig Olive Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Sheriff	Steve Bizzell Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

School Board

Johnston County Board of Education

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Board of Education Member	Terry Tippett source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member	Kevin Donovan source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member	Michelle Antoine source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Board of Education Member, District 3	Kay Carroll source
Board of Education Member, District 4	April Lee source
Board of Education Member, District 6	Lyn Andrews source
Board of Education Member, District 7	Ronald Johnson source

Cities and towns

Clayton · Mayor Jody L. McLeod · 6 seats
Smithfield · Mayor Andy Moore · 8 seats

Special districts

Boards elected by the voters who live in each district.

Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District · 3 seats

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor	John Michael Langdon source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor	Dewitt Hardee source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor	Charles Hill source

How many local governments Johnston County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 17 local governments in Johnston County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of government	Census count (2022)	Listed on this page
County government	1	1
Cities, towns, villages and townships	11	2
School districts (school boards)	0	1
Special districts (elected boards)	5	1

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 (2 in Johnston County), 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 Johnston County

234,263people

38.1median ageU.S.: 38.9

$83,384 household incomeU.S.: $80,734

10.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%

28.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%

$305,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700

3.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%

8.3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%

7.4%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%

10.4%U.S.: 8.4%

48.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%

22.9%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 16.8% · White 61.4% · Black 16.7% · Asian 0.8% · Other or more than one race 4.2% (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 Johnston County

2.7%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.1%. North Carolina: 3.1%.

3,515people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.

127,350people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.

130,865in the September 2026, preliminary.

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years

Month	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)	2.7%	3,515	127,350	130,865
August 2026	3.1%	4,028	125,991	130,019
July 2026	3.2%	4,151	126,107	130,258
June 2026	3.0%	3,945	125,994	129,939
May 2026	3.0%	3,930	125,969	129,899
April 2026	3.0%	3,861	126,233	130,094
March 2026	3.0%	3,938	126,536	130,474
February 2026	3.3%	4,302	125,873	130,175
January 2026	3.4%	4,463	125,023	129,486
December 2025	2.9%	3,762	126,249	130,011
November 2025	3.3%	4,264	126,060	130,324
October 2025	not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025	3.1%	4,072	126,112	130,184
August 2025	3.5%	4,566	125,161	129,727
July 2025	3.4%	4,530	127,640	132,170
June 2025	3.4%	4,397	125,670	130,067
May 2025	3.1%	4,077	125,461	129,538
April 2025	2.9%	3,718	125,536	129,254
March 2025	3.2%	4,082	124,889	128,971
February 2025	3.2%	4,108	124,079	128,187
January 2025	3.3%	4,197	124,453	128,650
December 2024	2.9%	3,701	123,656	127,357
November 2024	3.1%	4,022	123,889	127,911
October 2024	2.8%	3,632	124,663	128,295

Yearly averages

Year	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
2025 (11 months)	3.2%	4,161	125,574	129,735
2024	3.1%	3,988	124,082	128,070
2023	3.1%	3,832	121,528	125,360
2022	3.2%	3,836	117,165	121,001
2021	4.0%	4,469	107,259	111,728
2020	5.9%	6,109	97,927	104,036
2019	3.5%	3,660	102,001	105,661
2018	3.5%	3,592	98,491	102,083
2017	4.0%	3,907	94,656	98,563
2016	4.5%	4,237	90,790	95,027

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. North Carolina's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.4% 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 Johnston County

187.5 per 100,0002018. North Carolina: 356.2.

1,436.0 per 100,0002018. North Carolina: 2,343.8.

8murders2018, 377 violent crimes in all.

2018 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

By police agency (10)

Agency	Year	Violent	Property	People served
Johnston County Sheriff's Office	2025	180	1,262	188,715
Clayton Police Department	2025	38	355	33,135
Smithfield Police Department	2025	38	511	13,192
Selma Police Department	2025	42	199	7,462
Benson Police Department	2025	14	163	4,678
Wilson's Mills Police Department	2025	12	39	3,010
Four Oaks Police Department	2022	3	20	2,440
Pine Level Police Department	2025	2	25	2,424
Kenly Police Department	2018	0	0	1,544
Princeton Police Department	2021	0	8	1,451

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 North Carolina · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.23 per 1,000 residents2025, 10 agencies serving 258,706 people.

318sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.

95civilian staff2025, full-time.

Agencies counted (10), 2025

Agency	Officers	Civilians	People served
Johnston County Sheriff's Office	124	83	188,715
Clayton Police Department	66	5	33,135
Smithfield Police Department	43	4	13,192
Selma Police Department	26	1	7,462
Benson Police Department	16	1	4,678
Wilson's Mills Police Department	14	0	3,010
Four Oaks Police Department	9	1	2,797
Kenly Police Department	7	0	1,736
Princeton Police Department	7	0	1,557
Pine Level Police Department	6	0	2,424

Earlier years

Year	Officers	Per 1,000	Civilians	Agencies
2025	318	1.23	95	10
2023	298	1.22	81	11
2021	283	1.30	69	11
2020	283	1.32	77	11
2019	275	1.33	76	11
2018	260	1.29	77	11
2017	262	1.34	83	11
2016	260	1.37	81	11

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 Johnston County Clerk of Superior Court?: Michelle Creech Ball (Republican) is the Clerk of Superior Court of Johnston County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Johnston County Register of Deeds?: Craig Olive (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Johnston County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Johnston County Sheriff?: Steve Bizzell (Republican) is the Sheriff of Johnston County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Johnston County commissioners?: Michelle Pace Davis (District 1); Ted G. Godwin (District 2); Richard D. (Dickie) Braswell (District 3); April Stephens (District 4); Patrick Harris (District 5); Bill Stovall (District 6); R.S. (Butch) Lawter, Jr. (District 7).
Who is on the Johnston County School Board?: Terry Tippett (Board of Education Member); Kevin Donovan (Board of Education Member); Michelle Antoine (Board of Education Member); Kay Carroll (Board of Education Member, District 3); April Lee (Board of Education Member, District 4); Lyn Andrews (Board of Education Member, District 6); Ronald Johnson (Board of Education Member, District 7).
What is the population of Johnston County?: About 234,263 people, with a median age of 38.1; the median household income is $83,384 and 10.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Johnston County?: 2.7% in September 2026 (preliminary): 3,515 people unemployed in a labor force of 130,865, against 3.1% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Johnston County?: 17 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 11 municipal and 5 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in Johnston County?: 2: Clayton, Smithfield. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the NC State Board of Elections' certified results of each seat's last election (2022–2025, and the March 2026 nonpartisan school board elections); officials appointed since then may differ; 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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