Emmons County, ND elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Emmons County: 9 seats on 5 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Emmons County Board of Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Craig Miller source
County Commissioner, District 2Erin Magrum sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 3James Gartner source
County Commissioner, District 4Dan Materi sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 5Jim Vander Vorst source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Auditor/TreasurerMarlys Ohlhauser sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Recorder/Clerk of District CourtRobin Mosset sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County SheriffGary Sanders sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyJoe Hanson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Emmons County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 24 local governments in Emmons 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 townships (5 municipal, 1 township)60
School districts (school boards)40
Special districts (elected boards)130

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 Emmons County

3,254people
51.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$66,538 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
9.1%below the U.S.: 12.5%
22.2%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$117,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.3%U.S.: 8.4%
57.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
33.2%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.2% · White 93.1% · Black 0.1% · Asian 0.2% · Other or more than one race 5.3% (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 Emmons County

2.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.9%. North Dakota: 1.8%.
40people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
1,586people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
1,626in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Emmons County 0.0%1.2%2.4%3.5%4.7% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.5%401,5861,626
August 20262.8%451,5551,600
July 20262.8%441,5301,574
June 20263.2%521,5541,606
May 20262.7%441,6091,653
April 20263.4%551,5671,622
March 20264.9%801,5611,641
February 20265.4%881,5361,624
January 20266.0%951,4971,592
December 20254.3%691,5391,608
November 20253.3%531,5461,599
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.9%461,5641,610
August 20253.3%541,5991,653
July 20253.2%531,5951,648
June 20254.1%661,5261,592
May 20253.8%611,5611,622
April 20255.3%821,4791,561
March 20256.1%961,4711,567
February 20257.0%1081,4441,552
January 20256.8%1061,4471,553
December 20244.5%701,4731,543
November 20243.6%551,4821,537
October 20242.7%451,6011,646
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.5%721,5251,597
20244.0%641,5281,592
20234.2%661,5201,586
20224.0%631,5111,574
20213.6%581,5421,600
20204.3%691,5441,613
20193.4%541,5211,575
20184.0%651,5541,619
20173.7%621,6221,684
20163.9%671,6441,711

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 Dakota's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 2.2% 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 Emmons County

23.3 per 100,0002023. North Dakota: 279.8.
1,094.3 per 100,0002023. North Dakota: 1,944.4.
0murders2023, 1 violent crimes in all.

2023 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.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2023123.3471,094.3
2022246.043989.0
2021373.237902.2
2020248.3511,231.6
2019371.333784.2
2018123.7451,064.6
2017494.329683.3
2016369.438878.8
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Emmons County Sheriff's Office20231473,248

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 Dakota · the U.S.

Police staffing

0.63 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 3,182 people.
2sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
1civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Emmons County Sheriff's Office213,182
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202520.6311
202451.5411
202341.2311
202251.5211
202151.5911
202051.5711
201951.5511
201851.5511
201751.5511
201651.5211

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 Emmons County County Auditor/Treasurer?
Marlys Ohlhauser is the County Auditor/Treasurer of Emmons County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Emmons County County Recorder/Clerk of District Court?
Robin Mosset is the County Recorder/Clerk of District Court of Emmons County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Emmons County County Sheriff?
Gary Sanders is the County Sheriff of Emmons County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Emmons County State's Attorney?
Joe Hanson is the State's Attorney of Emmons County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Emmons County commissioners?
Craig Miller (District 1); Erin Magrum (District 2); James Gartner (District 3); Dan Materi (District 4); Jim Vander Vorst (District 5).
What is the population of Emmons County?
About 3,254 people, with a median age of 51.7; the median household income is $66,538 and 9.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Emmons County?
2.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 40 people unemployed in a labor force of 1,626, against 2.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Emmons County?
24 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 1 township, 4 school district and 13 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Secretary of State's official results of each seat's last general election (2022 or 2024); 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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