Northampton County, NC elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Northampton County: 24 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
Northampton County Board of Commissioners
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner, District 1 | Keith Hugh Edwards Democratic source | |
| County Commissioner, District 2 | Keedra Whitaker Democratic source | |
| County Commissioner, District 3 | Ed Martin Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 4 | Melvetta Broadnax Taylor Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner, District 5 | Kelvin Edwards Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Superior Court | Laquitta Green Cooper Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Register of Deeds | Robin Phillips Williams Democratic source | |
| Sheriff | Jack E. Smith Democratic source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
School Board
Northampton County Board of Education
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Board of Education Member | Rhonda Taylor source |
| Board of Education Member | Lucy M. Edwards source |
| Board of Education Member | Marjorie Edwards source |
| Board of Education Member | Barbara A. Stephenson source |
| Board of Education Member | Clinton McCray Williams source |
| Board of Education Member | Tony Burnette source |
| Board of Education Member | Garry T. Elliott source |
Cities and towns
Special districts
Northampton Soil and Water Conservation District
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Mark McGee source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | Gregory Lewis Harris, Sr. source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor | William M. Stephenson source |
How many local governments Northampton County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 12 local governments in Northampton 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 | 9 | 1 |
| School districts (school boards) | 0 | 1 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 2 | 1 |
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 (1 in Northampton 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 Northampton County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.4% · White 39% · Black 54.4% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 4.1% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
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 Northampton County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 3.8% | 240 | 6,000 | 6,240 |
| August 2026 | 4.6% | 281 | 5,876 | 6,157 |
| July 2026 | 4.8% | 289 | 5,756 | 6,045 |
| June 2026 | 4.3% | 268 | 5,968 | 6,236 |
| May 2026 | 4.4% | 274 | 5,970 | 6,244 |
| April 2026 | 4.2% | 265 | 6,035 | 6,300 |
| March 2026 | 4.4% | 279 | 6,127 | 6,406 |
| February 2026 | 5.2% | 327 | 6,009 | 6,336 |
| January 2026 | 5.5% | 344 | 5,946 | 6,290 |
| December 2025 | 4.5% | 282 | 6,037 | 6,319 |
| November 2025 | 5.2% | 330 | 6,056 | 6,386 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 5.0% | 320 | 6,059 | 6,379 |
| August 2025 | 5.8% | 368 | 6,005 | 6,373 |
| July 2025 | 5.7% | 363 | 6,003 | 6,366 |
| June 2025 | 5.0% | 328 | 6,179 | 6,507 |
| May 2025 | 4.8% | 309 | 6,120 | 6,429 |
| April 2025 | 4.3% | 276 | 6,188 | 6,464 |
| March 2025 | 4.5% | 295 | 6,256 | 6,551 |
| February 2025 | 5.0% | 321 | 6,082 | 6,403 |
| January 2025 | 5.1% | 327 | 6,113 | 6,440 |
| December 2024 | 4.6% | 292 | 6,056 | 6,348 |
| November 2024 | 4.8% | 307 | 6,143 | 6,450 |
| October 2024 | 4.4% | 284 | 6,227 | 6,511 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 5.0% | 320 | 6,100 | 6,420 |
| 2024 | 4.5% | 293 | 6,260 | 6,553 |
| 2023 | 4.7% | 313 | 6,380 | 6,693 |
| 2022 | 4.9% | 335 | 6,461 | 6,796 |
| 2021 | 6.4% | 434 | 6,338 | 6,772 |
| 2020 | 7.5% | 516 | 6,376 | 6,892 |
| 2019 | 5.2% | 378 | 6,857 | 7,235 |
| 2018 | 5.4% | 378 | 6,639 | 7,017 |
| 2017 | 6.5% | 465 | 6,677 | 7,142 |
| 2016 | 7.6% | 551 | 6,707 | 7,258 |
Crime reported in Northampton County
By police agency (7)
| Agency | Year | Violent | Property | People served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton County Sheriff's Office | 2025 | 91 | 311 | 12,085 |
| Gaston Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 1,034 |
| Garysburg Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 929 |
| Rich Square Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 842 |
| Conway Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 738 |
| Woodland Police Department | 2021 | 2 | 9 | 691 |
| Jackson Police Department | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 460 |
Police staffing
Agencies counted (7), 2019
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton County Sheriff's Office | 31 | 24 | 14,733 |
| Gaston Police Department | 3 | 0 | 1,016 |
| Jackson Police Department | 2 | 0 | 455 |
| Garysburg Police Department | 2 | 0 | 918 |
| Rich Square Police Department | 1 | 0 | 837 |
| Conway Police Department | 1 | 0 | 729 |
| Woodland Police Department | 1 | 0 | 701 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 41 | 2.11 | 24 | 7 |
| 2018 | 44 | 2.25 | 25 | 7 |
| 2017 | 44 | 2.23 | 12 | 7 |
| 2016 | 41 | 2.04 | 23 | 7 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Northampton County Clerk of Superior Court?
- Laquitta Green Cooper (Democratic) is the Clerk of Superior Court of Northampton County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who is the Northampton County Register of Deeds?
- Robin Phillips Williams (Democratic) is the Register of Deeds of Northampton County, North Carolina.
- Who is the Northampton County Sheriff?
- Jack E. Smith (Democratic) is the Sheriff of Northampton County, North Carolina. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
- Who are the Northampton County commissioners?
- Keith Hugh Edwards (District 1); Keedra Whitaker (District 2); Ed Martin (District 3); Melvetta Broadnax Taylor (District 4); Kelvin Edwards (District 5).
- Who is on the Northampton County School Board?
- Rhonda Taylor (Board of Education Member); Lucy M. Edwards (Board of Education Member); Marjorie Edwards (Board of Education Member); Barbara A. Stephenson (Board of Education Member); Clinton McCray Williams (Board of Education Member); Tony Burnette (Board of Education Member); Garry T. Elliott (Board of Education Member).
- What is the population of Northampton County?
- About 16,931 people, with a median age of 52; the median household income is $50,086 and 21.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Northampton County?
- 3.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 240 people unemployed in a labor force of 6,240, against 5.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Northampton County?
- 12 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 9 municipal and 2 special district governments.
- What cities and towns are in Northampton County?
- 1: Jackson. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
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