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

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

Fall River County Board of Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerJoe Allen source
County CommissionerLes Cope source
County CommissionerJoe Falkenburg source
County CommissionerDeborah Russell sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerSandra Wahlert source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorSue Ganje sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerJennifer Mraz source
Register of DeedsMelody Engebretson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffLyle Norton sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyLance Russell source
County TreasurerTeresa Pullen source

How many local governments Fall River County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 26 local governments in Fall River 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, 2 township)50
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)170

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 Fall River County

7,258people
55.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$67,917 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
16.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
29.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$193,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
2.7%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
15%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
13.2%U.S.: 8.4%
41%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
29.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.4% · White 83.9% · Black 0% · Asian 1.9% · Other or more than one race 10.8% (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 Fall River County

2.3%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.4%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
75people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
3,138people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
3,213in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Fall River County 0.0%1.3%2.6%3.9%5.3% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.3%753,1383,213
August 20263.0%983,1933,291
July 20262.6%863,2563,342
June 20262.7%913,2383,329
May 20262.5%813,1613,242
April 20262.5%803,0983,178
March 20263.1%983,0983,196
February 20263.7%1173,0313,148
January 20263.9%1253,0723,197
December 20253.2%1023,1323,234
November 20252.9%943,1633,257
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.4%783,2373,315
August 20252.6%883,2963,384
July 20252.2%773,3573,434
June 20252.5%873,3273,414
May 20252.4%793,2023,281
April 20252.3%763,1793,255
March 20252.8%923,2163,308
February 20253.1%1013,1823,283
January 20253.2%1043,1973,301
December 20242.3%753,1533,228
November 20241.8%603,1973,257
October 20241.9%653,2693,334
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.7%893,2263,315
20242.4%783,2303,308
20232.2%743,2223,296
20222.2%733,2913,364
20213.2%1083,2703,378
20205.0%1653,1083,273
20193.3%1073,1263,233
20183.2%1053,1523,257
20173.5%1133,1273,240
20164.1%1363,1673,303

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.

Police in Fall River County

Police staffing

2.28 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 7,466 people.
17sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
10civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Fall River County Sheriff's Office883,803
Hot Springs Police Department923,663
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025172.28102
2024162.14122
2023162.12162
2022141.87162
2021142.11142
2020172.5592
2019142.10132
2018121.80132
2017131.9282

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 Fall River County County Auditor?
Sue Ganje is the County Auditor of Fall River County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Fall River County Coroner?
Jennifer Mraz is the Coroner of Fall River County, South Dakota.
Who is the Fall River County Register of Deeds?
Melody Engebretson is the Register of Deeds of Fall River County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Fall River County Sheriff?
Lyle Norton is the Sheriff of Fall River County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Fall River County State's Attorney?
Lance Russell is the State's Attorney of Fall River County, South Dakota.
Who is the Fall River County County Treasurer?
Teresa Pullen is the County Treasurer of Fall River County, South Dakota.
Who are the Fall River County commissioners?
Joe Allen (County Commissioner); Les Cope (County Commissioner); Joe Falkenburg (County Commissioner); Deborah Russell (County Commissioner); Sandra Wahlert (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Fall River County?
About 7,258 people, with a median age of 55.3; the median household income is $67,917 and 16.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Fall River County?
2.3% in September 2026 (preliminary): 75 people unemployed in a labor force of 3,213, against 2.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Fall River County?
26 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 3 municipal, 2 township, 3 school district and 17 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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