Alleghany County, VA elected officials: supervisors or council members, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Alleghany County: 14 seats on 7 elected bodies.

Board of Supervisors (counties) or City Council (cities)

Alleghany County Board of Supervisors

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

OfficeWho holds it now
Supervisor, Boiling SpringsShannon Paxton Cox source
Supervisor, Falling SpringGeorge M. "Matt" Garten source
Supervisor, SharonCletus W. Nicely source
Supervisor, Clifton Forge WestCourtney Fridley Howard source
Supervisor, CovingtonJames M. Griffith source
Supervisor, Jackson RiverStephen A. Bennett source

Official website

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Clerk of the Circuit Court (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City)Debra N. Byer source
Commissioner of the RevenueSheila K. Selleck source
Commonwealth's Attorney (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City)Ann Gardner source
Sheriff (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City)Kyle Matt Moore source
TreasurerTeresa Sartain Brown source

School Board

Alleghany County School Board

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it now
School Board Member, At LargeJohn B. Littleton source
School Board Member, At LargeRobert J. "Bob" Umstead source
School Board Member, At LargeJonathan A. Lanford source

Official website

How many local governments Alleghany County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 4 local governments in Alleghany 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 townships20
School districts (school boards)01
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 (1 in Alleghany 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 Alleghany County

14,859people
48.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$56,188 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
14.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$125,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700
2.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
6.6%U.S.: 8.4%
43.2%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 1.6% · White 91% · Black 5.2% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 1.8% (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 Alleghany County

4.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.4%. Virginia: 3.6%.
246people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
5,640people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
5,886in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Alleghany County 0.0%1.9%3.9%5.8%7.8% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)4.2%2465,6405,886
August 20264.2%2435,5965,839
July 20264.3%2495,5745,823
June 20264.5%2625,6085,870
May 20264.0%2335,6395,872
April 20263.9%2285,6665,894
March 20264.2%2485,6345,882
February 20264.4%2625,6275,889
January 20264.8%2815,5955,876
December 20253.9%2295,5745,803
November 20254.6%2665,5795,845
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.4%2025,6545,856
August 20253.8%2195,5825,801
July 20253.8%2215,5545,775
June 20253.9%2325,6455,877
May 20253.8%2225,5845,806
April 20253.7%2155,6745,889
March 20253.7%2185,6625,880
February 20254.2%2455,5865,831
January 20254.5%2665,5905,856
December 20244.0%2345,6355,869
November 20244.0%2375,6385,875
October 20243.8%2295,8086,037
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.9%2305,6085,838
20243.9%2345,7555,989
20233.5%2135,8776,090
20223.4%2075,9126,119
20214.4%2705,8136,083
20207.4%4615,8086,269
20193.6%2356,2186,453
20184.1%2636,1726,435
20174.9%3206,1936,513
20165.3%3506,2556,605

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. Virginia's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.6% 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 Alleghany County

215.6 per 100,0002025. Virginia: 205.9.
613.2 per 100,0002025. Virginia: 1,353.5.
0murders2025, 32 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202532215.691613.2
202441276.7127857.0
202346307.0122814.2
202156376.1127853.0
202029192.699657.4
201922146.4131871.9
201823150.4149974.1
201723145.1107675.0
201621132.4125787.9
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Alleghany County Sheriff's Office2025264911,185
Clifton Forge Police Department20256423,348

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 Virginia · the U.S.

Police staffing

4.13 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 14,533 people.
60sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
23civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Alleghany County Sheriff's Office542211,185
Clifton Forge Police Department613,348
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025604.13232
2024614.20202
2023624.22222
2022604.04212
2021614.20212
2020563.81182
2019614.16212
2018593.95222
2017563.62222
2016563.62212

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 Alleghany County Clerk of the Circuit Court (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City)?
Debra N. Byer is the Clerk of the Circuit Court (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City) of Alleghany County, Virginia.
Who is the Alleghany County Commissioner of the Revenue?
Sheila K. Selleck is the Commissioner of the Revenue of Alleghany County, Virginia.
Who is the Alleghany County Commonwealth's Attorney (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City)?
Ann Gardner is the Commonwealth's Attorney (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City) of Alleghany County, Virginia.
Who is the Alleghany County Sheriff (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City)?
Kyle Matt Moore is the Sheriff (shared by Alleghany County and Covington City) of Alleghany County, Virginia.
Who is the Alleghany County Treasurer?
Teresa Sartain Brown is the Treasurer of Alleghany County, Virginia.
Who are the Alleghany County commissioners?
Shannon Paxton Cox (Supervisor, Boiling Springs); George M. "Matt" Garten (Supervisor, Falling Spring); Cletus W. Nicely (Supervisor, Sharon); Courtney Fridley Howard (Supervisor, Clifton Forge West); James M. Griffith (Supervisor, Covington); Stephen A. Bennett (Supervisor, Jackson River).
Who is on the Alleghany County School Board?
John B. Littleton (At Large); Robert J. "Bob" Umstead (At Large); Jonathan A. Lanford (At Large).
What is the population of Alleghany County?
About 14,859 people, with a median age of 48.3; the median household income is $56,188 and 11.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Alleghany County?
4.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 246 people unemployed in a labor force of 5,886, against 3.4% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Alleghany County?
4 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal and 1 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Virginia Department of Elections' certified results (its Historical Elections Database) of each seat's last election; officials appointed or resigned since then 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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