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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Butte County: 11 seats on 7 elected bodies. 4 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Butte County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerJames Ager source
County CommissionerTerry Batterman source
County CommissionerTom Brunner source
County CommissionerChad Erk sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerFrank Walton source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorAnnie Capp sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerFred Lamphere source
Register of DeedsJulie Brunner sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffFred Lamphere sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyLeEllen McCartney source
County TreasurerDeb Lensegrav source

How many local governments Butte County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 13 local governments in Butte 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 (4 municipal, 1 township)50
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)50

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 Butte County

10,676people
40.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$75,652 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
19.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$244,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700
1.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
11.5%U.S.: 8.4%
45.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
21.6%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.3% · White 88% · Black 0% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 7.3% (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 Butte County

1.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.7%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
77people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
5,419people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
5,496in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Butte County 0.0%1.3%2.5%3.8%5.0% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)1.4%775,4195,496
August 20261.7%955,4685,563
July 20261.8%1005,4585,558
June 20261.9%1065,4905,596
May 20261.8%975,4165,513
April 20261.7%955,4055,500
March 20262.2%1255,4735,598
February 20262.5%1375,3545,491
January 20262.2%1175,2875,404
December 20252.1%1175,3365,453
November 20252.0%1095,3825,491
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20251.7%935,4305,523
August 20251.9%1075,5015,608
July 20251.5%845,4415,525
June 20251.8%1005,4475,547
May 20251.9%1015,3425,443
April 20251.9%1035,3945,497
March 20251.8%1025,4495,551
February 20252.2%1185,3385,456
January 20252.1%1135,2985,411
December 20242.0%1045,2285,332
November 20241.7%935,2795,372
October 20241.4%795,3805,459
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)1.9%1045,3965,500
20241.7%915,3845,475
20231.7%945,3355,429
20221.8%935,1135,206
20212.8%1435,0035,146
20204.8%2444,8755,119
20192.7%1425,0425,184
20182.9%1525,0305,182
20173.2%1634,9985,161
20163.4%1775,0255,202

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 Butte County

163.2 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 307.5.
463.8 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 1,312.3.
0murders2025, 19 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202519163.254463.8
202214123.581714.5
202114126.059530.9
202019171.91311,185.0
201917158.31181,099.0
201822205.11641,528.7
201716148.91561,451.3
201614128.61631,497.5
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Belle Fourche Police Department202515465,908
Butte County Sheriff's Office2025485,148

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

1.72 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 11,056 people.
19sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
10civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Belle Fourche Police Department1425,908
Butte County Sheriff's Office585,148
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025191.72102
2024181.64102
2023211.91102
2022191.7792
2021171.62122
2020171.63122
2019161.58132
2017151.48102

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 Butte County County Auditor?
Annie Capp is the County Auditor of Butte County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Butte County Coroner?
Fred Lamphere is the Coroner of Butte County, South Dakota.
Who is the Butte County Register of Deeds?
Julie Brunner is the Register of Deeds of Butte County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Butte County Sheriff?
Fred Lamphere is the Sheriff of Butte County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Butte County State's Attorney?
LeEllen McCartney is the State's Attorney of Butte County, South Dakota.
Who is the Butte County County Treasurer?
Deb Lensegrav is the County Treasurer of Butte County, South Dakota.
Who are the Butte County commissioners?
James Ager (County Commissioner); Terry Batterman (County Commissioner); Tom Brunner (County Commissioner); Chad Erk (County Commissioner); Frank Walton (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Butte County?
About 10,676 people, with a median age of 40.2; the median household income is $75,652 and 8.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Butte County?
1.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 77 people unemployed in a labor force of 5,496, against 1.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Butte County?
13 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 1 township, 2 school district and 5 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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