Dorchester County, SC elected officials: county council, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Dorchester County: 12 seats on 6 elected bodies.
County Council
Dorchester County Council
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| County Council Member | David Chinnis source |
| County Council Member | Rita May Rank source |
| County Council Member | Peter Smith, Jr source |
| County Council Member | Todd Friddle source |
| County Council Member | Eddie Crosby source |
| County Council Member | Frankie Staropoli source |
| County Council Member | Jay Byars source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Clerk of Court | Cheryl Graham source |
| Coroner | Paul J. Brouthers source |
| Probate Judge | Mary Blunt source |
| Sheriff | Sam Richardson source |
Cities and towns
How many local governments Dorchester County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 10 local governments in Dorchester County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.
| Kind of government | Census count (2022) | Listed on this page |
|---|---|---|
| County government | 1 | 1 |
| Cities, towns, villages and townships | 5 | 1 |
| School districts (school boards) | 2 | 0 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 2 | 0 |
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 Dorchester County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7.2% · White 60.6% · Black 24.9% · Asian 2.1% · Other or more than one race 5.3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
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 Dorchester County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 3.3% | 3,078 | 88,940 | 92,018 |
| August 2026 | 3.9% | 3,556 | 88,755 | 92,311 |
| July 2026 | 4.0% | 3,718 | 89,310 | 93,028 |
| June 2026 | 3.8% | 3,560 | 88,909 | 92,469 |
| May 2026 | 3.4% | 3,161 | 88,761 | 91,922 |
| April 2026 | 3.2% | 2,944 | 88,133 | 91,077 |
| March 2026 | 3.7% | 3,342 | 87,172 | 90,514 |
| February 2026 | 4.8% | 4,323 | 85,884 | 90,207 |
| January 2026 | 4.8% | 4,322 | 85,856 | 90,178 |
| December 2025 | 4.3% | 3,856 | 86,262 | 90,118 |
| November 2025 | 4.4% | 3,953 | 86,283 | 90,236 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 4.0% | 3,564 | 85,287 | 88,851 |
| August 2025 | 4.3% | 3,822 | 85,226 | 89,048 |
| July 2025 | 4.2% | 3,791 | 86,088 | 89,879 |
| June 2025 | 4.0% | 3,616 | 86,773 | 90,389 |
| May 2025 | 3.4% | 3,062 | 86,117 | 89,179 |
| April 2025 | 3.2% | 2,812 | 86,000 | 88,812 |
| March 2025 | 3.6% | 3,161 | 85,446 | 88,607 |
| February 2025 | 3.9% | 3,450 | 84,474 | 87,924 |
| January 2025 | 3.7% | 3,243 | 84,986 | 88,229 |
| December 2024 | 3.5% | 3,043 | 84,506 | 87,549 |
| November 2024 | 3.8% | 3,281 | 84,071 | 87,352 |
| October 2024 | 3.9% | 3,444 | 84,506 | 87,950 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 3.9% | 3,485 | 85,722 | 89,207 |
| 2024 | 3.7% | 3,190 | 83,888 | 87,078 |
| 2023 | 2.6% | 2,177 | 81,233 | 83,410 |
| 2022 | 2.9% | 2,297 | 77,169 | 79,466 |
| 2021 | 3.6% | 2,769 | 74,112 | 76,881 |
| 2020 | 5.7% | 4,304 | 71,111 | 75,415 |
| 2019 | 2.4% | 1,835 | 73,970 | 75,805 |
| 2018 | 3.0% | 2,196 | 71,876 | 74,072 |
| 2017 | 3.8% | 2,767 | 70,425 | 73,192 |
| 2016 | 4.5% | 3,249 | 69,263 | 72,512 |
Police in Dorchester County
Police staffing
Agencies counted (4), 2022
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County Sheriff's Office | 160 | 111 | 89,189 |
| St. George Police Department | 10 | 1 | 1,774 |
| Harleyville Police Department | 2 | 0 | 679 |
| Ridgeville Police Department | 2 | 0 | 1,539 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 174 | 1.87 | 112 | 4 |
| 2020 | 160 | 1.70 | 128 | 4 |
| 2016 | 156 | 1.74 | 131 | 4 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Dorchester County Clerk of Court?
- Cheryl Graham is the Clerk of Court of Dorchester County, South Carolina.
- Who is the Dorchester County Coroner?
- Paul J. Brouthers is the Coroner of Dorchester County, South Carolina.
- Who is the Dorchester County Probate Judge?
- Mary Blunt is the Probate Judge of Dorchester County, South Carolina.
- Who is the Dorchester County Sheriff?
- Sam Richardson is the Sheriff of Dorchester County, South Carolina.
- Who are the Dorchester County commissioners?
- David Chinnis (County Council Member); Rita May Rank (County Council Member); Peter Smith, Jr (County Council Member); Todd Friddle (County Council Member); Eddie Crosby (County Council Member); Frankie Staropoli (County Council Member); Jay Byars (County Council Member).
- What is the population of Dorchester County?
- About 167,201 people, with a median age of 38; the median household income is $78,198 and 11.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Dorchester County?
- 3.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 3,078 people unemployed in a labor force of 92,018, against 4.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Dorchester County?
- 10 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 2 school district and 2 special district governments.
- What cities and towns are in Dorchester County?
- 1: St. George. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
Dorchester County's 2026 ballot and results · Every South Carolina county · South Carolina's members of Congress
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