Aurora County, SD elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Aurora County: 11 seats on 7 elected bodies. 5 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Aurora County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerTravis Clark sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerClyde Dethlefsen sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerRoger Hanten source
County CommissionerRandy Niles source
County CommissionerJohn Paul Studeny source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorSusan Urban sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerDiane Spinar source
Register of DeedsArlene Koch sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffRoman Briggs sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyRachel Mairose source
County TreasurerAndrea Pryor source

How many local governments Aurora County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 27 local governments in Aurora 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 (3 municipal, 20 township)230
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)10

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 Aurora County

2,642people
41.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$72,885 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
10.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
21.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$151,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
1.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
4.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.2%U.S.: 8.4%
33.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
21.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7% · White 86.3% · Black 0.6% · Asian 0.2% · Other or more than one race 6% (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 Aurora County

1.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.5%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
20people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
1,416people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
1,436in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Aurora County 0.0%0.8%1.5%2.3%3.0% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)1.4%201,4161,436
August 20261.6%231,4171,440
July 20261.5%221,4341,456
June 20261.7%251,4311,456
May 20261.6%241,4561,480
April 20261.2%181,4741,492
March 20261.3%211,5441,565
February 20262.3%341,4561,490
January 20262.3%341,4381,472
December 20252.1%311,4521,483
November 20251.9%281,4541,482
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20251.5%221,4401,462
August 20251.5%231,4891,512
July 20251.3%191,4681,487
June 20251.5%231,4931,516
May 20251.5%231,4611,484
April 20251.6%251,5091,534
March 20251.6%261,5841,610
February 20251.8%281,4881,516
January 20251.7%251,4701,495
December 20241.8%251,3781,403
November 20241.7%241,3931,417
October 20241.9%291,4791,508
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)1.7%251,4831,508
20241.6%241,4721,496
20231.5%221,4791,501
20221.8%261,4581,484
20212.0%291,4481,477
20202.9%431,4321,475
20192.3%351,4791,514
20182.7%421,5151,557
20172.6%401,4841,524
20162.2%341,4971,531

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. South Dakota's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 2.0% 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 Aurora County

181.4 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 307.5.
435.3 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 1,312.3.
0murders2025, 5 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
20255181.412435.3
20245179.86215.7
20235181.26217.4
2022271.96215.7
20195179.0135.8
20183108.84145.1
201600.05182.9
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Aurora County Sheriff's Office20255122,757

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 South Dakota · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.45 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 2,757 people.
4sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
1civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Aurora County Sheriff's Office412,757
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202541.4511
202441.4411
202341.4511
202241.4411
202131.1011
202031.0911
201931.0711
201831.0911
201731.1011
201631.1011

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 Aurora County County Auditor?
Susan Urban is the County Auditor of Aurora County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Aurora County Coroner?
Diane Spinar is the Coroner of Aurora County, South Dakota.
Who is the Aurora County Register of Deeds?
Arlene Koch is the Register of Deeds of Aurora County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Aurora County Sheriff?
Roman Briggs is the Sheriff of Aurora County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Aurora County State's Attorney?
Rachel Mairose is the State's Attorney of Aurora County, South Dakota.
Who is the Aurora County County Treasurer?
Andrea Pryor is the County Treasurer of Aurora County, South Dakota.
Who are the Aurora County commissioners?
Travis Clark (County Commissioner); Clyde Dethlefsen (County Commissioner); Roger Hanten (County Commissioner); Randy Niles (County Commissioner); John Paul Studeny (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Aurora County?
About 2,642 people, with a median age of 41.7; the median household income is $72,885 and 10.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Aurora County?
1.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 20 people unemployed in a labor force of 1,436, against 1.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Aurora County?
27 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 20 township, 2 school district and 1 special district governments.

Officeholders as of December 2, 2025, from the Secretary of State's South Dakota Legislative Manual (Blue Book); 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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