Lauderdale County, TN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Lauderdale County: 31 seats on 8 elected bodies.

County Commission

Lauderdale County Commission

OfficeWho holds it now
County CommissionerMark Ballard source
County CommissionerBeth Ann Choat source
County CommissionerDonald Connell source
County CommissionerClint Conrad source
County CommissionerRob Harris source
County CommissionerMarlon Holloway source
County CommissionerMelinda Hutcherson source
County CommissionerKaye Jordon source
County CommissionerMarcus Keeley source
County CommissionerChris Littles source
County CommissionerBrian Maclin source
County CommissionerElliott Martin source
County CommissionerTerry Mills Sr. source
County CommissionerAlex Pipkin source
County CommissionerFarnsworth Pugh Jr. source
County CommissionerBrad Rose source
County CommissionerChris Rose source
County CommissionerTommy Sanders source
County CommissionerReed Sanders Jr. source
County CommissionerDustin Staggs source
County CommissionerBrantley Tillman source
County CommissionerLowell Tillman Jr. source
County CommissionerDan Ungerecht Jr. source
County CommissionerSusan Worlds source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Assessor of PropertyJason Chrestman source
Circuit Court ClerkJo Ann Edwards source
County ClerkLea Turnbow source
County MayorRonnie Jackson source
Register of DeedsGreg Summar source
SheriffBrian Kelley source
TrusteeJudy Conrad source

How many local governments Lauderdale County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 8 local governments in Lauderdale 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 townships40
School districts (school boards)00
Special districts (elected boards)30

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 (1 in Lauderdale County), 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 Lauderdale County

24,784people
39.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$49,879 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
21%below the U.S.: 12.5%
12%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$143,200median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.6%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.3%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
5.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
10.2%U.S.: 8.4%
49.7%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
31.3%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.8% · White 58.4% · Black 33.5% · Asian 0.6% · 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 Lauderdale County

4.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.8%. Tennessee: 3.3%.
408people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
8,612people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
9,020in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Lauderdale County 0.0%2.3%4.5%6.8%9.0% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.5%4088,6129,020
August 20264.8%4348,5969,030
July 20264.8%4238,4798,902
June 20265.0%4498,5589,007
May 20264.3%3858,5768,961
April 20264.3%3838,4908,873
March 20264.2%3788,5388,916
February 20265.0%4488,5929,040
January 20264.9%4438,6489,091
December 20254.5%4158,8019,216
November 20255.0%4588,7419,199
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.8%4458,7749,219
August 20254.9%4558,7819,236
July 20255.4%4998,7729,271
June 20255.4%4978,7759,272
May 20254.5%4198,8329,251
April 20254.3%3958,8549,249
March 20254.7%4378,8279,264
February 20254.8%4448,7929,236
January 20255.0%4608,8219,281
December 20244.3%4038,8969,299
November 20244.6%4188,7199,137
October 20244.5%4098,6189,027
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.8%4488,7979,245
20244.7%4288,6479,075
20234.9%4588,8909,348
20224.6%4389,1169,554
20216.1%5939,1819,774
20208.6%8509,0419,891
20195.3%5229,4069,928
20185.7%5639,2989,861
20175.8%5609,0539,613
20167.6%7288,8589,586

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. Tennessee's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.4% 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 Lauderdale County

904.5 per 100,0002023. Tennessee: 636.5.
1,476.2 per 100,0002023. Tennessee: 2,373.3.
3murders2023, 231 violent crimes in all.

2023 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
2023231904.53771,476.2
2022251996.64191,663.7
2021228899.44641,830.4
2020223877.35132,018.3
2019178670.45101,920.7
2018132510.05882,272.0
2017171619.76252,265.0
2016145523.77482,701.4
By police agency (4)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office20256110314,380
Ripley Police Department20251101287,485
Halls Police Department20256292,020
Gates Police Department2023711656

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 Tennessee · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.91 per 1,000 residents2017, 4 agencies serving 26,664 people.
51sworn officers2017, full-time, as of October 31.
46civilian staff2017, full-time.

2017 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (4), 2017
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office233815,838
Ripley Police Department2278,067
Halls Police Department512,148
Gates Police Department10611

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 Lauderdale County Assessor of Property?
Jason Chrestman is the Assessor of Property of Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Who is the Lauderdale County Circuit Court Clerk?
Jo Ann Edwards is the Circuit Court Clerk of Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Who is the Lauderdale County County Clerk?
Lea Turnbow is the County Clerk of Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Who is the Lauderdale County County Mayor?
Ronnie Jackson is the County Mayor of Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Who is the Lauderdale County Register of Deeds?
Greg Summar is the Register of Deeds of Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Who is the Lauderdale County Sheriff?
Brian Kelley is the Sheriff of Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Who is the Lauderdale County Trustee?
Judy Conrad is the Trustee of Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Who are the Lauderdale County commissioners?
Mark Ballard (County Commissioner); Beth Ann Choat (County Commissioner); Donald Connell (County Commissioner); Clint Conrad (County Commissioner); Rob Harris (County Commissioner); Marlon Holloway (County Commissioner); Melinda Hutcherson (County Commissioner); Kaye Jordon (County Commissioner); Marcus Keeley (County Commissioner); Chris Littles (County Commissioner); Brian Maclin (County Commissioner); Elliott Martin (County Commissioner); Terry Mills Sr. (County Commissioner); Alex Pipkin (County Commissioner); Farnsworth Pugh Jr. (County Commissioner); Brad Rose (County Commissioner); Chris Rose (County Commissioner); Tommy Sanders (County Commissioner); Reed Sanders Jr. (County Commissioner); Dustin Staggs (County Commissioner); Brantley Tillman (County Commissioner); Lowell Tillman Jr. (County Commissioner); Dan Ungerecht Jr. (County Commissioner); Susan Worlds (County Commissioner).
What is the population of Lauderdale County?
About 24,784 people, with a median age of 39.2; the median household income is $49,879 and 21% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Lauderdale County?
4.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 408 people unemployed in a labor force of 9,020, against 4.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Lauderdale County?
8 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal and 3 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the county directory of the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS); 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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