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

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

Board of County Commissioners

Slope County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Commissioner, District 1Mike Teske sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 2Scott Ouradnik source
County Commissioner, District 3Mike H Sonsalla sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorLorrie Buzalsky source
County Recorder/Clerk of District CourtCindy Ornsbey sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County SheriffRory M Teigen sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyErin Melling sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerColleen Germann sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Slope County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 26 local governments in Slope 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 (2 municipal, 19 township)210
School districts (school boards)10
Special districts (elected boards)30

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 Slope County

766people
54.1median ageU.S.: 38.9
$71,250 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
5%below the U.S.: 12.5%
29.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$170,000median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.4%U.S.: 8.4%
42.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
42.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 0.1% · White 92.4% · Black 0% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 7.4% (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 Slope County

2.3%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.3%. North Dakota: 1.8%.
8people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
342people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
350in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Slope County 0.0%0.9%1.8%2.7%3.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.3%8342350
August 20262.3%8338346
July 20261.8%6329335
June 20262.5%8314322
May 20261.8%6320326
April 20261.9%6317323
March 20262.4%8323331
February 20262.0%7337344
January 20261.9%6317323
December 20251.5%5337342
November 20252.3%8339347
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.3%8343351
August 20252.5%9348357
July 20252.3%8345353
June 20253.2%10301311
May 20252.5%8308316
April 20253.0%9288297
March 20253.0%9290299
February 20253.7%11289300
January 20253.0%9287296
December 20242.5%8317325
November 20242.8%9315324
October 20242.2%8355363
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.8%9316325
20243.1%10314324
20232.9%9297306
20223.0%9296305
20212.8%9313322
20203.4%12337349
20192.2%8349357
20182.1%8365373
20172.2%9392401
20162.7%11403414

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 Slope County

0.0 per 100,0002024. North Dakota: 256.7.
0.0 per 100,0002024. North Dakota: 1,698.0.
0murders2024, 0 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
202400.000.0
202300.000.0
202200.01145.8
202100.000.0
201900.01132.3
201700.01133.3
201600.01132.1
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Slope County Sheriff's Office202400674

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

1.54 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 649 people.
1sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
0civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Slope County Sheriff's Office10649
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202511.5401
202411.4801
202311.5001
202211.4601
202111.3401
202011.3401
201911.3201
201811.3001
201722.6701
201622.6401

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 Slope County County Auditor?
Lorrie Buzalsky is the County Auditor of Slope County, North Dakota.
Who is the Slope County County Recorder/Clerk of District Court?
Cindy Ornsbey is the County Recorder/Clerk of District Court of Slope County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Slope County County Sheriff?
Rory M Teigen is the County Sheriff of Slope County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Slope County State's Attorney?
Erin Melling is the State's Attorney of Slope County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Slope County County Treasurer?
Colleen Germann is the County Treasurer of Slope County, North Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Slope County commissioners?
Mike Teske (District 1); Scott Ouradnik (District 2); Mike H Sonsalla (District 3).
What is the population of Slope County?
About 766 people, with a median age of 54.1; the median household income is $71,250 and 5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Slope County?
2.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 8 people unemployed in a labor force of 350, against 2.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Slope County?
26 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal, 19 township, 1 school district and 3 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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