Jefferson County, NY elected officials: county legislators or supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Jefferson County: 17 seats on 3 elected bodies. 16 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Legislature or Board of Supervisors

Jefferson County Board of Legislators

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County Legislator, District 1Robert W. Cantwell III Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 2William W. Johnson Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 3Philip N. Reed, Sr. Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 4Tina M. Bartlett-Bearup Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 5Michael Montigelli Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 6Daniel R. McBride Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 7Karen J. Freeman Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 8James A. Nabywaniec Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 9Patrick R. Jareo Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 10Christopher S. Boulio Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 11Robert D. Ferris Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 12Frances A. Calarco Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 13Steel E. Potter Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 14Corey Y. Grant Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Legislator, District 15Anthony J. Doldo Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County ClerkGizelle J. Meeks Republican source
SheriffPeter R. Barnett Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Jefferson County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 86 local governments in Jefferson 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 (20 municipal, 22 township)420
School districts (school boards)110
Special districts (elected boards)320

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 (1 in Jefferson County), 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 Jefferson County

115,040people
33.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$66,301 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
13.7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
26.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$188,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.9%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
4.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
12.7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.5%U.S.: 8.4%
47.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
24.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7.5% · White 80.2% · Black 4.3% · Asian 1.9% · Other or more than one race 6.1% (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 Jefferson County

4.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.0%. New York: 4.5%.
1,875people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
44,255people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
46,130in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Jefferson County 0.0%2.2%4.4%6.6%8.8% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.1%1,87544,25546,130
August 20264.2%2,00045,10747,107
July 20264.2%1,97444,84346,817
June 20264.1%1,87443,92045,794
May 20264.4%2,00843,53245,540
April 20264.9%2,17842,65944,837
March 20265.7%2,57242,93145,503
February 20266.4%2,90042,64845,548
January 20265.8%2,63642,97445,610
December 20254.7%2,15643,36845,524
November 20254.4%2,02543,87345,898
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.0%1,82243,79045,612
August 20254.3%1,98444,42446,408
July 20254.2%1,99244,93446,926
June 20253.7%1,69844,39346,091
May 20253.6%1,64143,58845,229
April 20254.1%1,80342,30444,107
March 20255.2%2,26641,51543,781
February 20255.9%2,58341,17343,756
January 20255.7%2,49441,58544,079
December 20244.5%1,97941,67443,653
November 20244.0%1,76042,27044,030
October 20243.6%1,58242,68844,270
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.5%2,04243,17745,219
20244.4%1,97542,93644,911
20234.1%1,88043,49145,371
20224.1%1,82743,20745,034
20215.1%2,27742,50644,783
20208.4%3,76641,22144,987
20195.3%2,44443,35345,797
20185.5%2,54143,71346,254
20176.4%2,97943,62146,600
20166.3%2,95044,22047,170

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. New York's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.3% 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 Jefferson County

146.4 per 100,0002022. New York: 429.4.
1,054.6 per 100,0002022. New York: 1,719.4.
0murders2022, 175 violent crimes in all.

2022 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
2022175146.41,2611,054.6
2018199174.51,2411,088.4
2016223185.41,5321,273.5
By police agency (14)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office20252113173,887
Watertown Police Department202513194323,911
Carthage Village Police Department20251203,242
Clayton Village Police Department2020031,816
West Carthage Village Police Department2024031,750
Adams Village Police Department2023041,687
Sackets Harbor Village Police Department2022011,387
Black River Police Department2025021,230
Alexandria Bay Village Police Department2020031,023
Dexter Village Police Department2024011,007
Brownville Village Police Department202500926
Theresa Village Police Department202401743
Cape Vincent Village Police Department202501725
Glen Park Village Police Department202500445

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 New York · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.01 per 1,000 residents2024, 14 agencies serving 117,115 people.
118sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
16civilian staff2024, full-time.

2024 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (14), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Watertown Police Department68324,029
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office431377,328
Carthage Village Police Department403,247
Clayton Village Police Department301,690
Adams Village Police Department001,675
Alexandria Bay Village Police Department00948
Brownville Village Police Department00937
Dexter Village Police Department001,007
Glen Park Village Police Department00445
Cape Vincent Village Police Department00726
West Carthage Village Police Department001,750
Sackets Harbor Village Police Department001,361
Black River Police Department001,229
Theresa Village Police Department00743
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20241181.011614
20231181.001414

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 Jefferson County County Clerk?
Gizelle J. Meeks (Republican) is the County Clerk of Jefferson County, New York.
Who is the Jefferson County Sheriff?
Peter R. Barnett (Republican) is the Sheriff of Jefferson County, New York. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Jefferson County commissioners?
Robert W. Cantwell III (County Legislator, District 1); William W. Johnson (County Legislator, District 2); Philip N. Reed, Sr. (County Legislator, District 3); Tina M. Bartlett-Bearup (County Legislator, District 4); Michael Montigelli (County Legislator, District 5); Daniel R. McBride (County Legislator, District 6); Karen J. Freeman (County Legislator, District 7); James A. Nabywaniec (County Legislator, District 8); Patrick R. Jareo (County Legislator, District 9); Christopher S. Boulio (County Legislator, District 10); Robert D. Ferris (County Legislator, District 11); Frances A. Calarco (County Legislator, District 12); Steel E. Potter (County Legislator, District 13); Corey Y. Grant (County Legislator, District 14); Anthony J. Doldo (County Legislator, District 15).
What is the population of Jefferson County?
About 115,040 people, with a median age of 33.7; the median household income is $66,301 and 13.7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Jefferson County?
4.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,875 people unemployed in a labor force of 46,130, against 4.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Jefferson County?
86 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 20 municipal, 22 township, 11 school district and 32 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from each county's own website (its legislature, elected-officials and board of elections pages and rosters); in New York City, the City Council's member list and the NYC Board of Elections' certified 2023 and 2025 results; officials appointed since a page was posted 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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