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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Codington 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

Codington County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerLee Gabel source
County CommissionerMyron Johnson source
County CommissionerTyler McElhany source
County CommissionerRandall Schweer sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerTroy VanDusen source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorBrenda Hanten sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerTerry Sorensen source
Register of DeedsAnn Rasmussen sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffBrad Howell sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyAllison Bakken source
County TreasurerCarol Maloney source

How many local governments Codington County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 32 local governments in Codington 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 (6 municipal, 17 township)230
School districts (school boards)40
Special districts (elected boards)40

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 Codington County

28,767people
40.4median ageU.S.: 38.9
$72,727 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.8%below the U.S.: 12.5%
21.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$237,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700
1.9%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.1%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.3%U.S.: 8.4%
36.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
19.9%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.3% · White 90.4% · Black 0.7% · Asian 0.6% · Other or more than one race 5% (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 Codington County

1.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.7%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
251people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
16,245people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
16,496in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Codington County 0.0%1.1%2.3%3.4%4.5% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)1.5%25116,24516,496
August 20261.8%30416,24816,552
July 20261.7%28616,35516,641
June 20261.8%30016,39016,690
May 20261.6%26916,35216,621
April 20261.6%26316,29016,553
March 20262.0%33516,21616,551
February 20262.5%41416,09016,504
January 20262.3%38315,93416,317
December 20252.4%38916,15816,547
November 20252.0%33716,21816,555
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20251.7%28816,40216,690
August 20252.0%33416,33516,669
July 20251.7%28416,51916,803
June 20251.9%32516,50016,825
May 20251.8%30416,24416,548
April 20251.9%32016,18116,501
March 20251.9%31916,18916,508
February 20252.2%36316,07316,436
January 20252.0%32916,08016,409
December 20242.0%32816,16016,488
November 20241.6%27016,15416,424
October 20241.5%25016,27416,524
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.0%32716,26416,591
20241.7%27616,25916,535
20231.7%27216,12316,395
20221.9%30215,91916,221
20212.5%40515,55715,962
20204.3%68215,05815,740
20192.6%41115,39115,802
20182.7%42615,18215,608
20173.0%46814,99415,462
20163.1%47515,01815,493

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 Codington County

172.7 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 307.5.
656.8 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 1,312.3.
0murders2025, 51 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202551172.7194656.8
202478268.9270930.9
202372249.64281,483.7
202255191.43851,339.9
202158206.43401,209.8
202064227.84561,623.4
201976272.33831,372.2
201883292.64071,434.7
201787310.04731,685.6
201698349.76362,269.6
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Watertown Police Department20254317423,699
Codington County Sheriff's Office20258205,837

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

1.79 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 29,536 people.
53sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
46civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Watertown Police Department412023,699
Codington County Sheriff's Office12265,837
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025531.79462
2024541.86442
2023531.84372
2022531.84392
2021521.85352
2018511.80392
2017471.67372
2016481.71392

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 Codington County County Auditor?
Brenda Hanten is the County Auditor of Codington County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Codington County Coroner?
Terry Sorensen is the Coroner of Codington County, South Dakota.
Who is the Codington County Register of Deeds?
Ann Rasmussen is the Register of Deeds of Codington County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Codington County Sheriff?
Brad Howell is the Sheriff of Codington County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Codington County State's Attorney?
Allison Bakken is the State's Attorney of Codington County, South Dakota.
Who is the Codington County County Treasurer?
Carol Maloney is the County Treasurer of Codington County, South Dakota.
Who are the Codington County commissioners?
Lee Gabel (County Commissioner); Myron Johnson (County Commissioner); Tyler McElhany (County Commissioner); Randall Schweer (County Commissioner); Troy VanDusen (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Codington County?
About 28,767 people, with a median age of 40.4; the median household income is $72,727 and 8.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Codington County?
1.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 251 people unemployed in a labor force of 16,496, against 1.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Codington County?
32 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 6 municipal, 17 township, 4 school district and 4 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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