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

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

Board of County Commissioners

Hanson County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
County CommissionerJohn Bumgardner source
County CommissionerCurtis Fox source
County CommissionerBruce Kjetland source
County CommissionerGary Schoenrock source
County CommissionerRichard Waldera source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorLesa Trabing sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerMatt Huber source
Register of DeedsDebra Zens sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffBrandon Wingert sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyReid Kiner source
County TreasurerSara Kayser source

How many local governments Hanson County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 20 local governments in Hanson 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, 12 township)160
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 Hanson County

3,472people
38.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$81,071 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
7%below the U.S.: 12.5%
22.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$191,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
1.8%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.9%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
9.8%U.S.: 8.4%
11.1%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
25.2%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.4% · White 91.8% · Black 0.3% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 6.5% (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 Hanson County

2.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.0%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
35people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
1,663people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
1,698in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Hanson County 0.0%1.2%2.4%3.5%4.7% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.1%351,6631,698
August 20262.7%461,6461,692
July 20262.4%401,6561,696
June 20262.4%401,6531,693
May 20262.0%341,6991,733
April 20261.9%331,7021,735
March 20262.8%491,7131,762
February 20263.3%571,6681,725
January 20263.7%641,6761,740
December 20253.0%531,7161,769
November 20252.8%501,7181,768
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.0%361,7301,766
August 20252.1%371,7051,742
July 20251.9%341,7281,762
June 20252.1%371,7221,759
May 20251.9%331,7041,737
April 20251.9%331,7271,760
March 20252.2%391,7261,765
February 20253.1%541,6661,720
January 20253.0%521,6651,717
December 20242.8%491,7151,764
November 20242.0%351,7221,757
October 20241.7%311,7641,795
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.4%421,7101,752
20242.3%401,7051,745
20232.0%351,6901,725
20222.4%421,7111,753
20213.3%581,6921,750
20204.5%781,6571,735
20193.9%681,6651,733
20184.2%731,6711,744
20173.8%651,6571,722
20163.4%601,7011,761

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 Hanson County

57.4 per 100,0002021. South Dakota: 391.8.
344.6 per 100,0002021. South Dakota: 1,678.0.
0murders2021, 2 violent crimes in all.

2021 is the latest year with complete reporting here: at least one of the county's police agencies didn't send the FBI a full year of figures since, so later totals would be undercounts.

Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
2021257.412344.6
2020128.910288.5
2019129.810297.9
201800.08231.6
2017129.79267.5
201600.010295.2
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Hanson County Sheriff's Office20212123,482

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

0.86 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 3,484 people.
3sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
1civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Hanson County Sheriff's Office313,484
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202530.8611
202451.4511
202330.8701
202230.8401
202130.8601
202030.8701
201930.8901
201830.8701
201730.8901
201630.8911

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 Hanson County County Auditor?
Lesa Trabing is the County Auditor of Hanson County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hanson County Coroner?
Matt Huber is the Coroner of Hanson County, South Dakota.
Who is the Hanson County Register of Deeds?
Debra Zens is the Register of Deeds of Hanson County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hanson County Sheriff?
Brandon Wingert is the Sheriff of Hanson County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hanson County State's Attorney?
Reid Kiner is the State's Attorney of Hanson County, South Dakota.
Who is the Hanson County County Treasurer?
Sara Kayser is the County Treasurer of Hanson County, South Dakota.
Who are the Hanson County commissioners?
John Bumgardner (County Commissioner); Curtis Fox (County Commissioner); Bruce Kjetland (County Commissioner); Gary Schoenrock (County Commissioner); Richard Waldera (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Hanson County?
About 3,472 people, with a median age of 38.3; the median household income is $81,071 and 7% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Hanson County?
2.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 35 people unemployed in a labor force of 1,698, against 2.0% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Hanson County?
20 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 12 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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