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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Douglas County: 11 seats on 7 elected bodies. 6 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerDan Koedam sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerMarlin Maas sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerLori Sparks sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerJerod Star source
County CommissionerJim Werkmeister source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorPhyllis Barker sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerChristine Lau source
Register of DeedsKim Huebner sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffChristine Lau sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyCraig Parkhurst source
County TreasurerCarolyn Lau source

How many local governments Douglas County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 25 local governments in Douglas 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, 14 township)170
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 Douglas County

2,828people
42median ageU.S.: 38.9
$86,442 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11%below the U.S.: 12.5%
24.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$166,900median home valueU.S.: $332,700
0.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.4%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
16%U.S.: 8.4%
33%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
18.2%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3% · White 91.8% · Black 0.6% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 4.6% (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 Douglas County

1.9%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.8%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
26people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
1,309people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
1,335in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Douglas County 0.0%0.8%1.6%2.4%3.2% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)1.9%261,3091,335
August 20262.5%341,3151,349
July 20262.3%321,3341,366
June 20262.1%291,3471,376
May 20261.8%251,3801,405
April 20261.6%221,3851,407
March 20261.7%251,4231,448
February 20262.2%301,3501,380
January 20262.0%271,3171,344
December 20252.2%311,3561,387
November 20252.2%311,3541,385
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20251.8%251,3611,386
August 20252.1%291,3791,408
July 20251.6%221,3931,415
June 20251.4%201,4131,433
May 20251.7%241,3681,392
April 20251.7%231,3681,391
March 20251.7%241,4201,444
February 20252.3%321,3331,365
January 20251.9%261,3221,348
December 20242.1%281,3091,337
November 20241.6%211,2941,315
October 20241.2%171,3611,378
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)1.9%261,3701,396
20241.8%251,3511,376
20231.8%251,3311,356
20221.9%261,3271,353
20212.2%301,3561,386
20202.8%391,3621,401
20192.6%371,3821,419
20182.5%361,3761,412
20173.0%431,3861,429
20162.8%421,4601,502

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 Douglas County

46.7 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 307.5.
93.5 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 1,312.3.
0murders2025, 2 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2025246.7493.5
2017122.800.0
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Douglas County Sheriff's Office2025242,855

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

1.05 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 2,855 people.
3sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
0civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Douglas County Sheriff's Office302,855
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202531.0501
202441.4201
202331.0901
202241.4101
202141.3901
202041.3701
201941.3801
201841.3601
201741.3801
201641.3501

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 Douglas County County Auditor?
Phyllis Barker is the County Auditor of Douglas County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Douglas County Coroner?
Christine Lau is the Coroner of Douglas County, South Dakota.
Who is the Douglas County Register of Deeds?
Kim Huebner is the Register of Deeds of Douglas County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Douglas County Sheriff?
Christine Lau is the Sheriff of Douglas County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Douglas County State's Attorney?
Craig Parkhurst is the State's Attorney of Douglas County, South Dakota.
Who is the Douglas County County Treasurer?
Carolyn Lau is the County Treasurer of Douglas County, South Dakota.
Who are the Douglas County commissioners?
Dan Koedam (County Commissioner); Marlin Maas (County Commissioner); Lori Sparks (County Commissioner); Jerod Star (County Commissioner); Jim Werkmeister (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Douglas County?
About 2,828 people, with a median age of 42; the median household income is $86,442 and 11% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Douglas County?
1.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 26 people unemployed in a labor force of 1,335, against 1.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Douglas County?
25 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 14 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.

Douglas County's 2026 ballot and results · Every South Dakota county · South Dakota's members of Congress

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