Kearney 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 Kearney 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

Kearney County Board of Supervisors

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Supervisor, District 1Jason Sinsel source
County Supervisor, District 2Nathan Avery source
County Supervisor, District 3Robert M. Swanson source
County Supervisor, District 4Jeff England source
County Supervisor, District 5Brent Stewart source
County Supervisor, District 6James W. Miller source
County Supervisor, District 7Heath Hofstetter source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AssessorJennifer Pittner sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County AttorneyMelodie Bellamy sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County ClerkJenni Lupkes sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Clerk of the District CourtLisa Betty sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffScott K. White sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerJody Payne sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Kearney County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 31 local governments in Kearney 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, 14 township)190
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)80

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 Kearney County

6,713people
40.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$78,631 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
7.2%below the U.S.: 12.5%
34.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$223,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
1.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.1%U.S.: 8.4%
25.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
19.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 6.8% · White 90.8% · Black 0% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 1.8% (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 Kearney County

2.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.4%. Nebraska: 2.5%.
75people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
3,443people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
3,518in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Kearney County 0.0%0.9%1.8%2.8%3.7% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.1%753,4433,518
August 20262.5%893,4253,514
July 20262.5%863,3823,468
June 20262.8%1003,4213,521
May 20262.4%823,3493,431
April 20262.0%703,4203,490
March 20262.0%713,4583,529
February 20262.6%953,4903,585
January 20262.6%933,4783,571
December 20252.4%873,4913,578
November 20252.8%973,4243,521
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.4%853,4173,502
August 20252.5%903,4583,548
July 20252.6%923,4763,568
June 20252.7%993,5473,646
May 20252.5%873,3783,465
April 20252.3%803,4273,507
March 20252.1%743,3923,466
February 20252.7%933,3363,429
January 20252.6%893,3923,481
December 20242.2%763,3893,465
November 20242.3%803,3423,422
October 20242.3%783,3323,410
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.5%883,4313,519
20242.2%763,3553,431
20231.9%673,3753,442
20221.9%673,3933,460
20212.1%743,4493,523
20203.5%1253,4163,541
20192.5%893,4533,542
20182.3%813,4183,499
20172.4%843,3993,483
20162.6%913,3983,489

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 Kearney County

43.6 per 100,0002024. Nebraska: 219.4.
305.5 per 100,0002024. Nebraska: 1,625.4.
0murders2024, 3 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
2024343.621305.5
2023574.442624.9
2022690.132480.6
20217104.237550.7
202014216.661943.5
20199137.9851,302.7
20189138.0751,149.8
201714213.31091,661.1
2016460.71011,531.5
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Kearney County Sheriff's Office20232193,631
Minden Police Department20242163,140

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

1.92 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 6,769 people.
13sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
6civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Kearney County Sheriff's Office863,656
Minden Police Department503,113
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025131.9262
2024121.7552
2023142.0852
2021121.7952
2020121.8652
2019111.6952
2018101.5352
2016101.5252

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 Kearney County County Assessor?
Jennifer Pittner is the County Assessor of Kearney County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kearney County County Attorney?
Melodie Bellamy is the County Attorney of Kearney County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kearney County County Clerk?
Jenni Lupkes is the County Clerk of Kearney County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kearney County Clerk of the District Court?
Lisa Betty is the Clerk of the District Court of Kearney County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kearney County Sheriff?
Scott K. White is the Sheriff of Kearney County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Kearney County County Treasurer?
Jody Payne is the County Treasurer of Kearney County, Nebraska. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Kearney County commissioners?
Jason Sinsel (County Supervisor, District 1); Nathan Avery (County Supervisor, District 2); Robert M. Swanson (County Supervisor, District 3); Jeff England (County Supervisor, District 4); Brent Stewart (County Supervisor, District 5); James W. Miller (County Supervisor, District 6); Heath Hofstetter (County Supervisor, District 7).
What is the population of Kearney County?
About 6,713 people, with a median age of 40.2; the median household income is $78,631 and 7.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Kearney County?
2.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 75 people unemployed in a labor force of 3,518, against 2.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Kearney County?
31 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 14 township, 3 school district and 8 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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