Newton County, TX elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Newton County: 8 seats on 5 elected bodies. 8 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County ClerkSandra K. Duckworth sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Criminal District AttorneyCourtney J. Ponthier sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
District ClerkNikki Windham sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County JudgeRonnie Cochran sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Special districts

Boards elected by the voters who live in each district.

Newton County Justices of the Peace · 4 seats
OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 1Connie L. Smith sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 1Carla Brooks sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, Place 1Michael L. Greer sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 1Dana R. Ashmore sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Newton County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 11 local governments in Newton County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government10
Cities, towns, villages and townships10
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)61

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 Newton County

12,093people
46.1median ageU.S.: 38.9
$42,618 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
19%below the U.S.: 12.5%
6.8%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$103,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
8.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.4%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
19.2%U.S.: 8.4%
47.5%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
18.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 3.6% · White 74.2% · Black 17.3% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 4.1% (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 Newton County

6.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 6.5%. Texas: 4.3%.
322people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
4,838people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
5,160in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Newton County 0.0%2.8%5.6%8.4%11.2% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)6.2%3224,8385,160
August 20266.8%3454,7645,109
July 20266.7%3444,7655,109
June 20266.7%3454,7825,127
May 20266.1%3124,8115,123
April 20265.6%2894,8455,134
March 20266.0%3094,8395,148
February 20266.3%3264,8825,208
January 20266.9%3574,8415,198
December 20256.1%3164,8545,170
November 20256.4%3334,8845,217
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20256.5%3384,8245,162
August 20256.8%3464,7595,105
July 20256.7%3414,7585,099
June 20256.4%3264,7965,122
May 20256.0%3044,8015,105
April 20255.5%2824,8725,154
March 20255.9%3064,8875,193
February 20255.9%3064,8815,187
January 20256.2%3224,8465,168
December 20246.4%3254,7915,116
November 20246.3%3264,8085,134
October 20246.1%3154,8095,124
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)6.2%3204,8335,153
20246.5%3364,8045,140
20236.8%3424,7175,059
20226.4%3254,7385,063
20219.4%4914,7435,234
202010.7%5504,6035,153
20196.2%3184,8255,143
20186.5%3444,9105,254
20177.8%4174,8965,313
20167.7%4205,0525,472

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. Texas's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.4% 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 Newton County

144.1 per 100,0002025. Texas: 344.9.
966.3 per 100,0002025. Texas: 1,786.0.
0murders2025, 17 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202517144.1114966.3
202417140.167552.3
202314116.552432.6
202223185.685685.8
20211075.970531.0
202023170.9102757.9
201928206.31361,001.8
201824173.4118852.4
20171286.297696.9
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Newton County Sheriff's Office2025138810,245
Newton Police Department20254261,552

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 Texas · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.44 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 11,797 people.
17sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
11civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Newton County Sheriff's Office131110,245
Newton Police Department401,552
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025171.44112
2024171.4012
2023171.4112
2022131.0502
2021191.4402
2020191.4102

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 Newton County County Clerk?
Sandra K. Duckworth is the County Clerk of Newton County, Texas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Newton County Criminal District Attorney?
Courtney J. Ponthier is the Criminal District Attorney of Newton County, Texas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Newton County District Clerk?
Nikki Windham is the District Clerk of Newton County, Texas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Newton County County Judge?
Ronnie Cochran is the County Judge of Newton County, Texas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
What is the population of Newton County?
About 12,093 people, with a median age of 46.1; the median household income is $42,618 and 19% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Newton County?
6.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 322 people unemployed in a labor force of 5,160, against 6.5% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Newton County?
11 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 1 municipal, 3 school district and 6 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Office of Court Administration's directory of trial courts by county (May 2026), the Texas Secretary of State's county officer lists, the Comptroller's county directory and each county's own website (commissioners); officials appointed since those lists were updated may differ; 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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