Pawnee County, OK elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Pawnee County: 8 seats on 6 elected bodies.

Board of County Commissioners

Pawnee County Board of County Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County Commissioner, District 1Ronnie Weaver Republican source
County Commissioner, District 2Joe Higgins Republican source
County Commissioner, District 3Curt Mullin Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
County AssessorMelissa Waters Republican source
County ClerkKristie Moles Republican source
Court ClerkIla Jean Potts Republican source
SheriffShawn Price Republican source
County TreasurerCarrie Tatum Republican source

How many local governments Pawnee County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 25 local governments in Pawnee 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 townships120
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)90

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 Pawnee County

15,795people
41.6median ageU.S.: 38.9
$58,738 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
18.2%below the U.S.: 12.5%
16.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$131,500median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
12.3%U.S.: 8.4%
45.3%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
20.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.9% · White 74.3% · Black 0.8% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 20.4% (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 Pawnee County

4.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.3%. Oklahoma: 3.9%.
327people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
7,043people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
7,370in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Pawnee County 0.0%1.9%3.8%5.7%7.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.4%3277,0437,370
August 20264.6%3357,0237,358
July 20265.2%3877,0607,447
June 20265.2%3907,0497,439
May 20265.2%3796,9267,305
April 20264.6%3266,8147,140
March 20264.3%3156,9337,248
February 20264.8%3526,9407,292
January 20264.9%3606,9987,358
December 20254.4%3237,0227,345
November 20254.9%3637,0287,391
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.3%3177,1307,447
August 20254.0%3017,1527,453
July 20253.7%2757,1997,474
June 20253.7%2787,1697,447
May 20253.6%2677,0787,345
April 20253.3%2427,0827,324
March 20253.5%2617,0927,353
February 20253.9%2837,0067,289
January 20253.7%2687,0437,311
December 20243.1%2277,0727,299
November 20243.4%2517,0607,311
October 20243.4%2487,0667,314
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.9%2897,0917,380
20243.6%2607,0297,289
20233.6%2586,8957,153
20223.8%2656,6426,907
20214.6%3146,5366,850
20207.2%4866,2886,774
20193.9%2706,5796,849
20184.2%2876,5976,884
20175.3%3696,5956,964
20166.7%4746,6217,095

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. Oklahoma's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.2% 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 Pawnee County

200.2 per 100,0002025. Oklahoma: 407.7.
728.1 per 100,0002025. Oklahoma: 1,813.5.
0murders2025, 33 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202533200.2120728.1
202426159.91771,088.7
202343266.61901,177.9
202224147.9150924.6
202131186.82161,301.9
202060360.22311,386.6
201867401.01901,137.2
201740239.62101,257.8
201649294.51681,009.6
By police agency (4)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Pawnee County Sheriff's Office2025157210,651
Cleveland Police Department20259333,279
Pawnee Police Department20258131,980
Jennings Police Department202512296

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 Oklahoma · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.36 per 1,000 residents2025, 4 agencies serving 16,206 people.
22sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
17civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (4), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Pawnee County Sheriff's Office81310,651
Pawnee Police Department641,980
Cleveland Police Department703,279
Jennings Police Department10296
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025221.36174
2024231.44164
2023251.58184
2022221.38234
2021251.54224
2020241.47124
2019251.53144
2018231.40144
2017231.41184
2016211.29183

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 Pawnee County County Assessor?
Melissa Waters (Republican) is the County Assessor of Pawnee County, Oklahoma.
Who is the Pawnee County County Clerk?
Kristie Moles (Republican) is the County Clerk of Pawnee County, Oklahoma.
Who is the Pawnee County Court Clerk?
Ila Jean Potts (Republican) is the Court Clerk of Pawnee County, Oklahoma.
Who is the Pawnee County Sheriff?
Shawn Price (Republican) is the Sheriff of Pawnee County, Oklahoma.
Who is the Pawnee County County Treasurer?
Carrie Tatum (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Pawnee County, Oklahoma.
Who are the Pawnee County commissioners?
Ronnie Weaver (District 1); Joe Higgins (District 2); Curt Mullin (District 3).
What is the population of Pawnee County?
About 15,795 people, with a median age of 41.6; the median household income is $58,738 and 18.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Pawnee County?
4.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 327 people unemployed in a labor force of 7,370, against 4.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Pawnee County?
25 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 12 municipal, 3 school district and 9 special district governments.

Officeholders as of March 26, 2025, from the Oklahoma State Election Board's Roster of State and County Officers; 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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