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

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

Jackson County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerTravis DeJong sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerJeff Page source
County CommissionerRuby Sanftner source
County CommissionerJeff Willert source
County CommissionerTom Zickrick source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorVicki Wilson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerJon Seidschlaw source
Register of DeedsMitzi Mitchell sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffTucker Amiotte sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyCassie Wendt source
County TreasurerJacqueline Stilwell source

How many local governments Jackson County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 11 local governments in Jackson 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, 4 township)80
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 Jackson County

2,802people
34.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$35,417 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
42.4%below the U.S.: 12.5%
12.4%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$117,300median home valueU.S.: $332,700
7.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
3.4%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
27.4%U.S.: 8.4%
43%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
63.1%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 0.4% · White 36.6% · Black 0% · Asian 0% · Other or more than one race 63% (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 Jackson County

2.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.7%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
22people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
848people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
870in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Jackson County 0.0%1.7%3.5%5.2%6.9% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.5%22848870
August 20262.9%26867893
July 20262.8%25866891
June 20262.7%24862886
May 20262.9%26868894
April 20263.0%25801826
March 20264.3%35783818
February 20265.9%46737783
January 20265.2%40732772
December 20254.9%39763802
November 20255.0%41773814
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.7%24875899
August 20252.9%27900927
July 20252.1%19888907
June 20252.6%23875898
May 20252.7%24876900
April 20253.0%25803828
March 20252.8%23795818
February 20254.2%33746779
January 20253.4%26741767
December 20244.0%31750781
November 20243.7%29751780
October 20242.7%23817840
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.3%28821849
20243.4%29814843
20233.9%33817850
20223.6%30797827
20214.6%39800839
20204.8%40796836
20195.9%52832884
20185.6%50837887
20176.6%61863924
20165.4%49851900

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 Jackson County

89.8 per 100,0002018. South Dakota: 396.4.
119.7 per 100,0002018. South Dakota: 1,728.8.
0murders2018, 3 violent crimes in all.

2018 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.

By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Jackson County Sheriff's Office2025292,196
Kadoka Police Department201925714

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

0.90 per 1,000 residents2021, 2 agencies serving 3,328 people.
3sworn officers2021, full-time, as of October 31.
1civilian staff2021, full-time.

2021 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (2), 2021
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Jackson County Sheriff's Office212,614
Kadoka Police Department10714
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
202130.9012
202030.8912
201930.9012
201830.9012
201730.8912
201630.8912

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 Jackson County County Auditor?
Vicki Wilson is the County Auditor of Jackson County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Jackson County Coroner?
Jon Seidschlaw is the Coroner of Jackson County, South Dakota.
Who is the Jackson County Register of Deeds?
Mitzi Mitchell is the Register of Deeds of Jackson County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Jackson County Sheriff?
Tucker Amiotte is the Sheriff of Jackson County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Jackson County State's Attorney?
Cassie Wendt is the State's Attorney of Jackson County, South Dakota.
Who is the Jackson County County Treasurer?
Jacqueline Stilwell is the County Treasurer of Jackson County, South Dakota.
Who are the Jackson County commissioners?
Travis DeJong (County Commissioner); Jeff Page (County Commissioner); Ruby Sanftner (County Commissioner); Jeff Willert (County Commissioner); Tom Zickrick (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Jackson County?
About 2,802 people, with a median age of 34.3; the median household income is $35,417 and 42.4% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Jackson County?
2.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 22 people unemployed in a labor force of 870, against 2.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Jackson County?
11 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 4 township, 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.

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

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