Clay County, NE elected officials: county commissioners or supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Clay County: 13 seats on 7 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Board of Commissioners or Supervisors

Clay County Board of Supervisors

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Supervisor, District 1Scott Bitterman source
County Supervisor, District 2Jesse Mohnike source
County Supervisor, District 3Glen Becker source
County Supervisor, District 4Eric Samuelson source
County Supervisor, District 5L. Wayne Johnson source
County Supervisor, District 6James Pavelka source
County Supervisor, District 7Richard Shaw source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AssessorBrenda Hansen sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AttorneyJennifer Fleischer sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County ClerkCassie Aksamit sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk of the District CourtJoni Bitterman sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffJeff Franklin sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerRobin Gilbert sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Clay County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 42 local governments in Clay 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 (10 municipal, 16 township)260
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)120

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 Clay County

6,095people
39.1median ageU.S.: 38.9
$78,986 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
6.9%below the U.S.: 12.5%
22.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$155,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700
1.9%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.6%U.S.: 8.4%
35.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
13.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 9.7% · White 87.1% · Black 0.7% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 2.4% (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 Clay County

2.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.6%. Nebraska: 2.5%.
64people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
2,968people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
3,032in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Clay County 0.0%0.9%1.7%2.6%3.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.1%642,9683,032
August 20262.1%642,9913,055
July 20262.3%712,9513,022
June 20262.8%862,9873,073
May 20262.4%702,8692,939
April 20262.2%662,9222,988
March 20263.1%962,9573,053
February 20263.9%1182,9333,051
January 20264.0%1232,9253,048
December 20253.1%942,9333,027
November 20253.2%952,8642,959
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.6%772,9112,988
August 20252.5%772,9663,043
July 20252.5%773,0253,102
June 20252.8%903,0803,170
May 20252.7%812,8882,969
April 20252.4%742,9473,021
March 20253.1%952,9403,035
February 20253.7%1112,9083,019
January 20253.6%1122,9683,080
December 20242.6%792,9783,057
November 20242.4%722,9443,016
October 20242.6%782,9223,000
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.9%892,9483,037
20242.6%802,9713,051
20232.3%692,9753,044
20222.1%642,9893,053
20212.2%713,0923,163
20203.2%1043,1193,223
20193.3%1073,1563,263
20183.2%1043,1083,212
20173.2%1023,1323,234
20163.2%1043,1823,286

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. Nebraska's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 2.9% 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 Clay County

0.0 per 100,0002025. Nebraska: 218.4.
81.9 per 100,0002025. Nebraska: 1,378.6.
0murders2025, 0 violent crimes in all.
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Clay County Sheriff's Office2025003,724
Sutton Police Department2025001,441
Harvard Police Department202505941

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 Nebraska · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.65 per 1,000 residents2022, 3 agencies serving 6,061 people.
10sworn officers2022, full-time, as of October 31.
5civilian staff2022, full-time.

2022 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (3), 2022
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Clay County Sheriff's Office653,693
Sutton Police Department301,430
Harvard Police Department10938
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2022101.6553
2021121.9353
2020121.9643
2018111.7963

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 Clay County County Assessor?
Brenda Hansen is the County Assessor of Clay County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Clay County County Attorney?
Jennifer Fleischer is the County Attorney of Clay County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Clay County County Clerk?
Cassie Aksamit is the County Clerk of Clay County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Clay County Clerk of the District Court?
Joni Bitterman is the Clerk of the District Court of Clay County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Clay County Sheriff?
Jeff Franklin is the Sheriff of Clay County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Clay County County Treasurer?
Robin Gilbert is the County Treasurer of Clay County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Clay County commissioners?
Scott Bitterman (County Supervisor, District 1); Jesse Mohnike (County Supervisor, District 2); Glen Becker (County Supervisor, District 3); Eric Samuelson (County Supervisor, District 4); L. Wayne Johnson (County Supervisor, District 5); James Pavelka (County Supervisor, District 6); Richard Shaw (County Supervisor, District 7).
What is the population of Clay County?
About 6,095 people, with a median age of 39.1; the median household income is $78,986 and 6.9% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Clay County?
2.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 64 people unemployed in a labor force of 3,032, against 2.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Clay County?
42 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 10 municipal, 16 township, 3 school district and 12 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 7, 2026, from each county's annual audit filed with the Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts (its list of county officials at June 30, 2025) or, where the audit has none, the county's own website (read November 2026), with the Secretary of State's, Department of Revenue's and Judicial Branch's contact directories for a clerk, assessor or clerk of the district court a county page doesn't name; officials appointed or replaced 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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