Who is the Union County County Auditor?

Katie Winquist is the County Auditor of Union County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County Coroner?

Jim Christenson is the Coroner of Union County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County Register of Deeds?

Debra Severson is the Register of Deeds of Union County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County Sheriff?

Jim Prouty is the Sheriff of Union County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Union County State's Attorney?

Kathy Zenner is the State's Attorney of Union County, South Dakota.

Who is the Union County County Treasurer?

Myron Hertel is the County Treasurer of Union County, South Dakota.

Who are the Union County commissioners?

Bob Ballard (County Commissioner); Michael Dailey (County Commissioner); Kevin Joffer (County Commissioner); Tom Kimmel (County Commissioner); Peggy Ustad (County Commissioner).

What is the population of Union County?

About 17,081 people, with a median age of 41.5; the median household income is $89,636 and 6.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in Union County?

1.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 165 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,975, against 1.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).

How many local governments are there in Union County?

32 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 12 township, 4 school district and 10 special district governments.

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

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

Union County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
County Commissioner	Bob Ballard source
County Commissioner	Michael Dailey source
County Commissioner	Kevin Joffer source
County Commissioner	Tom Kimmel source
County Commissioner	Peggy Ustad source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

County officers

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
County Auditor	Katie Winquist source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Coroner	Jim Christenson source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Register of Deeds	Debra Severson source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Sheriff	Jim Prouty source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
State's Attorney	Kathy Zenner source
County Treasurer	Myron Hertel source

How many local governments Union County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 32 local governments in Union County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of government	Census count (2022)	Listed on this page
County government	1	1
Cities, towns, villages and townships (5 municipal, 12 township)	17	0
School districts (school boards)	4	0
Special districts (elected boards)	10	0

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 Union County

17,081people

41.5median ageU.S.: 38.9

$89,636 household incomeU.S.: $80,734

6.2%below the U.S.: 12.5%

37%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%

$301,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700

3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%

2%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%

7.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%

5.1%U.S.: 8.4%

38.7%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%

19.2%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 4.8% · White 88.4% · Black 0.9% · Asian 1.1% · Other or more than one race 4.7% (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 Union County

1.8%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 1.8%. South Dakota: 1.7%.

165people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.

8,810people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.

8,975in the September 2026, preliminary.

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years

Month	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)	1.8%	165	8,810	8,975
August 2026	2.6%	235	8,782	9,017
July 2026	2.2%	198	8,906	9,104
June 2026	2.2%	201	8,856	9,057
May 2026	1.9%	177	8,940	9,117
April 2026	1.6%	151	9,024	9,175
March 2026	2.3%	210	8,952	9,162
February 2026	2.8%	253	8,896	9,149
January 2026	2.4%	222	8,883	9,105
December 2025	2.5%	228	8,993	9,221
November 2025	2.2%	206	9,062	9,268
October 2025	not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025	1.8%	163	9,094	9,257
August 2025	2.2%	205	8,948	9,153
July 2025	2.0%	185	9,081	9,266
June 2025	2.2%	201	9,060	9,261
May 2025	2.1%	197	9,039	9,236
April 2025	2.0%	182	9,118	9,300
March 2025	1.9%	179	9,117	9,296
February 2025	2.3%	212	9,038	9,250
January 2025	2.1%	195	8,995	9,190
December 2024	2.1%	190	8,992	9,182
November 2024	1.9%	179	9,076	9,255
October 2024	1.8%	171	9,104	9,275

Yearly averages

Year	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
2025 (11 months)	2.1%	196	9,050	9,246
2024	2.0%	180	9,018	9,198
2023	1.9%	178	9,005	9,183
2022	2.1%	188	8,953	9,141
2021	2.9%	264	8,709	8,973
2020	4.5%	402	8,528	8,930
2019	2.8%	253	8,724	8,977
2018	2.9%	249	8,482	8,731
2017	3.2%	277	8,261	8,538
2016	3.1%	262	8,318	8,580

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 Union County

104.7 per 100,0002024. South Dakota: 333.2.

449.7 per 100,0002024. South Dakota: 1,557.7.

0murders2024, 17 violent crimes in all.

2024 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

Year	Violent	Rate	Property	Rate
2024	17	104.7	73	449.7
2020	16	110.3	115	793.0
2019	17	120.7	117	830.9

By police agency (4)

Agency	Year	Violent	Property	People served
Union County Sheriff's Office	2025	9	27	10,284
North Sioux City Police Department	2025	5	56	3,063
Elk Point Police Department	2025	0	9	2,057
Jefferson Police Department	2024	0	3	440

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

1.77 per 1,000 residents2025, 4 agencies serving 15,847 people.

28sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.

22civilian staff2025, full-time.

Agencies counted (4), 2025

Agency	Officers	Civilians	People served
Union County Sheriff's Office	13	21	10,284
North Sioux City Police Department	9	1	3,063
Elk Point Police Department	5	0	2,057
Jefferson Police Department	1	0	443

Earlier years

Year	Officers	Per 1,000	Civilians	Agencies
2025	28	1.77	22	4
2024	26	1.68	23	4
2023	29	1.88	21	5
2022	26	1.70	22	5
2021	26	1.77	11	5
2020	40	2.76	11	5
2019	34	2.41	10	5
2018	23	1.68	21	5
2017	31	2.32	10	5
2016	23	1.72	21	5

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 Union County County Auditor?: Katie Winquist is the County Auditor of Union County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County Coroner?: Jim Christenson is the Coroner of Union County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County Register of Deeds?: Debra Severson is the Register of Deeds of Union County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County Sheriff?: Jim Prouty is the Sheriff of Union County, South Dakota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Union County State's Attorney?: Kathy Zenner is the State's Attorney of Union County, South Dakota.
Who is the Union County County Treasurer?: Myron Hertel is the County Treasurer of Union County, South Dakota.
Who are the Union County commissioners?: Bob Ballard (County Commissioner); Michael Dailey (County Commissioner); Kevin Joffer (County Commissioner); Tom Kimmel (County Commissioner); Peggy Ustad (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Union County?: About 17,081 people, with a median age of 41.5; the median household income is $89,636 and 6.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Union County?: 1.8% in September 2026 (preliminary): 165 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,975, against 1.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Union County?: 32 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 12 township, 4 school district and 10 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.

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

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