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

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

Minnehaha County Board of Commissioners

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerGerald Beninga source
County CommissionerJen Bleyenberg sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerCole Heisey source
County CommissionerDean Karsky source
County CommissionerJoe Kippley source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County AuditorLeah Anderson sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerKenneth Snell source
Register of DeedsAmanda Halsey sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
SheriffMike Milstead sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's AttorneyDaniel Haggar source
County TreasurerKristen Swanson source

How many local governments Minnehaha County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 51 local governments in Minnehaha 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 (11 municipal, 23 township)340
School districts (school boards)70
Special districts (elected boards)90

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 Minnehaha County

203,289people
36median ageU.S.: 38.9
$76,880 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
8.8%below the U.S.: 12.5%
35.2%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$287,600median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
7.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.7%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
8.2%U.S.: 8.4%
41.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
21%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 6.6% · White 78.6% · Black 6.3% · Asian 1.6% · Other or more than one race 7% (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 Minnehaha County

1.6%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.8%. South Dakota: 1.7%.
1,939people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
116,565people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
118,504in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Minnehaha County 0.0%1.1%2.2%3.2%4.3% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)1.6%1,939116,565118,504
August 20262.2%2,631117,506120,137
July 20261.8%2,238118,999121,237
June 20261.9%2,323119,423121,746
May 20261.8%2,136118,693120,829
April 20261.8%2,133117,929120,062
March 20262.3%2,771115,679118,450
February 20262.7%3,202116,255119,457
January 20262.6%3,051116,189119,240
December 20252.4%2,847117,896120,743
November 20252.1%2,493118,294120,787
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20251.8%2,154119,832121,986
August 20252.1%2,607119,093121,700
July 20251.8%2,169121,112123,281
June 20251.9%2,321120,596122,917
May 20251.8%2,225119,555121,780
April 20252.0%2,360118,613120,973
March 20252.2%2,580116,284118,864
February 20252.3%2,777116,286119,063
January 20252.2%2,624116,284118,908
December 20242.0%2,413117,664120,077
November 20241.6%1,972118,126120,098
October 20241.6%1,889117,227119,116
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)2.0%2,469118,531121,000
20241.8%2,075116,153118,228
20231.7%2,012114,145116,157
20221.8%2,047112,277114,324
20212.4%2,728110,481113,209
20204.1%4,633107,817112,450
20192.4%2,715108,881111,596
20182.4%2,657106,719109,376
20172.6%2,856105,722108,578
20162.6%2,782104,046106,828

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 Minnehaha County

109.4 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 307.5.
320.1 per 100,0002025. South Dakota: 1,312.3.
0murders2025, 53 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202553109.4155320.1
20244594.9198417.5
202266131.9344687.4
202172155.2394849.5
202062131.5350742.2
201961131.7346746.8
201863130.7361749.0
201760129.2317682.8
201648102.7463990.2
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office20254811929,036
Brandon Police Department202553610,786

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

2.56 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 39,822 people.
102sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
172civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office8617129,036
Brandon Police Department16110,786
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20251022.561722
20241022.631722
20231042.591632
2022972.341682
2021982.571662
20201082.771562
20191082.841392
20181092.721182
20171092.851002
2016842.171362

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 Minnehaha County County Auditor?
Leah Anderson is the County Auditor of Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Minnehaha County Coroner?
Kenneth Snell is the Coroner of Minnehaha County, South Dakota.
Who is the Minnehaha County Register of Deeds?
Amanda Halsey is the Register of Deeds of Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Minnehaha County Sheriff?
Mike Milstead is the Sheriff of Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Minnehaha County State's Attorney?
Daniel Haggar is the State's Attorney of Minnehaha County, South Dakota.
Who is the Minnehaha County County Treasurer?
Kristen Swanson is the County Treasurer of Minnehaha County, South Dakota.
Who are the Minnehaha County commissioners?
Gerald Beninga (County Commissioner); Jen Bleyenberg (County Commissioner); Cole Heisey (County Commissioner); Dean Karsky (County Commissioner); Joe Kippley (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Minnehaha County?
About 203,289 people, with a median age of 36; the median household income is $76,880 and 8.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Minnehaha County?
1.6% in September 2026 (preliminary): 1,939 people unemployed in a labor force of 118,504, against 1.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Minnehaha County?
51 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 11 municipal, 23 township, 7 school district and 9 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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