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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Harding County: 11 seats on 7 elected bodies. 5 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Board of County Commissioners

Harding County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerWilliam “Bill” Clarkson source
County CommissionerJohn Helms source
County CommissionerHunter Kalisiak sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerJason Latham sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerCharles Verhulst source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorKathy Glines sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerCrystal Page source
Register of DeedsSue Litzel sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffWyatt Sabo sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyDusty Ginsbach source
County TreasurerMelissa Breding source

How many local governments Harding County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 5 local governments in Harding 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 townships20
School districts (school boards)10
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 Harding County

1,148people
46.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$80,441 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
6.3%below the U.S.: 12.5%
30.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$166,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
0.9%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
9.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
2.8%U.S.: 8.4%
5.1%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
19.8%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.4% · White 91.2% · Black 1.5% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 5.9% (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 Harding County

1.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.5%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
12people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
802people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
814in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Harding 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)1.5%12802814
August 20261.4%11782793
July 20261.4%11788799
June 20261.5%12775787
May 20261.3%10783793
April 20261.0%8815823
March 20261.0%9894903
February 20261.3%11810821
January 20261.0%8783791
December 20251.8%15802817
November 20251.8%15808823
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20251.5%12808820
August 20251.9%16826842
July 20251.1%9795804
June 20251.2%10804814
May 20251.5%12775787
April 20251.4%12833845
March 20251.4%13924937
February 20251.8%15824839
January 20251.5%12805817
December 20241.6%12735747
November 20241.8%14757771
October 20241.8%15842857
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)1.6%13819832
20241.5%12815827
20231.6%13790803
20221.6%13809822
20212.0%16773789
20203.0%24775799
20192.2%18802820
20182.1%17795812
20172.5%20784804
20162.7%23820843

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 Harding County

0.0 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 307.5.
59.3 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 1,312.3.
0murders2025, 0 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202500.0159.3
202400.000.0
20202119.22119.2
201800.02125.2
20173183.5161.2
20162123.600.0
By police agency (1)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Harding County Sheriff's Office2025011,330

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

1.50 per 1,000 residents2025, 1 agency serving 1,330 people.
2sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
1civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (1), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Harding County Sheriff's Office211,330
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202521.5011
202421.5111
202321.4911
202221.4911
202121.5311
202021.5311
201921.6111
201821.6011
201721.5711
201621.5811

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 Harding County County Auditor?
Kathy Glines is the County Auditor of Harding County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Harding County Coroner?
Crystal Page is the Coroner of Harding County, South Dakota.
Who is the Harding County Register of Deeds?
Sue Litzel is the Register of Deeds of Harding County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Harding County Sheriff?
Wyatt Sabo is the Sheriff of Harding County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Harding County State's Attorney?
Dusty Ginsbach is the State's Attorney of Harding County, South Dakota.
Who is the Harding County County Treasurer?
Melissa Breding is the County Treasurer of Harding County, South Dakota.
Who are the Harding County commissioners?
William “Bill” Clarkson (County Commissioner); John Helms (County Commissioner); Hunter Kalisiak (County Commissioner); Jason Latham (County Commissioner); Charles Verhulst (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Harding County?
About 1,148 people, with a median age of 46.3; the median household income is $80,441 and 6.3% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Harding County?
1.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 12 people unemployed in a labor force of 814, against 1.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Harding County?
5 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal, 1 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.

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

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