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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in McKenzie 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

McKenzie County Board of Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerHowdy Lawlar sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerKathy Skarda sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerClint Wold source
County CommissionerCraig Hystad source
County CommissionerJoel Brown source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Auditor/TreasurerErica Johnsrud sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County RecorderKatie Paulson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County SheriffMatthew Johansen sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyTy Leland Skarda sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments McKenzie County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 40 local governments in McKenzie 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 (3 municipal, 15 township)180
School districts (school boards)60
Special districts (elected boards)150

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 McKenzie County

14,321people
31.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$93,404 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
12%below the U.S.: 12.5%
19.1%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$349,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700
1.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
4.9%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
10.9%U.S.: 8.4%
22.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
21.3%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 12.1% · White 73.7% · Black 1.9% · Asian 1.1% · Other or more than one race 11.2% (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 McKenzie County

1.9%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.4%. North Dakota: 1.8%.
155people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
7,920people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
8,075in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, McKenzie County 0.0%2.4%4.7%7.1%9.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)1.9%1557,9208,075
August 20262.2%1787,9378,115
July 20262.2%1757,8638,038
June 20262.6%2117,8618,072
May 20262.0%1668,0578,223
April 20262.5%2058,0068,211
March 20262.9%2407,9718,211
February 20263.0%2427,9448,186
January 20262.9%2387,8978,135
December 20252.6%2107,9978,207
November 20252.3%1918,0478,238
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.4%1978,1308,327
August 20252.5%2168,2868,502
July 20252.3%1918,1268,317
June 20253.0%2468,0908,336
May 20252.2%1777,9708,147
April 20252.4%1927,9538,145
March 20252.9%2377,9808,217
February 20252.9%2377,9378,174
January 20252.6%2157,9068,121
December 20242.3%1877,8198,006
November 20242.5%1997,8158,014
October 20242.1%1747,9468,120
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.5%2108,0388,248
20242.3%1867,8328,018
20231.7%1297,5697,698
20222.4%1697,0067,175
20215.6%3866,4726,858
20209.0%6876,9517,638
20191.8%1538,2778,430
20181.9%1387,2607,398
20173.0%1976,4406,637
20164.4%2876,1916,478

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 McKenzie County

206.1 per 100,0002024. North Dakota: 256.7.
1,222.9 per 100,0002024. North Dakota: 1,698.0.
1murders2024, 30 violent crimes in all.

2024 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
202430206.11781,222.9
202342303.52431,756.0
202244330.02101,574.9
202136214.12051,219.4
202043259.92121,281.1
201963425.52982,012.8
201866474.63022,171.6
201746332.92681,939.2
201645312.53242,249.8
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
McKenzie County Sheriff's Office202412808,339
Watford City Police Department2025241216,201

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

4.47 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 14,762 people.
66sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
26civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
McKenzie County Sheriff's Office39218,561
Watford City Police Department2756,201
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025664.47262
2024674.69242
2023654.79252
2022614.66252
2021633.79262
2020593.61212
2019513.48202
2018614.39213
2017553.98233
2016503.47353

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 McKenzie County County Auditor/Treasurer?
Erica Johnsrud is the County Auditor/Treasurer of McKenzie County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the McKenzie County County Recorder?
Katie Paulson is the County Recorder of McKenzie County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the McKenzie County County Sheriff?
Matthew Johansen is the County Sheriff of McKenzie County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the McKenzie County State's Attorney?
Ty Leland Skarda is the State's Attorney of McKenzie County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the McKenzie County commissioners?
Howdy Lawlar (County Commissioner); Kathy Skarda (County Commissioner); Clint Wold (County Commissioner); Craig Hystad (County Commissioner); Joel Brown (County Commissioner).
What is the population of McKenzie County?
About 14,321 people, with a median age of 31.5; the median household income is $93,404 and 12% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in McKenzie County?
1.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 155 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,075, against 2.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in McKenzie County?
40 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 15 township, 6 school district and 15 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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