Benton County, WA elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities
Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Benton County: 59 seats on 18 elected bodies. 9 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
Board of County Commissioners
Benton County Board of Commissioners
Each member is elected by the voters of their district.
Who lives in each of the 5 school districts (Census figures)
School district
People
Median household income
Below the poverty line
Without health insurance
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent
Finley School District
5,061
$89,276
6.4%
11.8%
30.4%
Kennewick School District
100,741
$81,394
12.9%
8.4%
56.4%
Kiona-Benton City School District
9,270
$85,873
10.7%
10.1%
58%
Paterson School District
692
$96,250
14.2%
30.5%
60%
Richland School District
81,955
$99,701
8.6%
5.4%
39.7%
Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates for each school district's area, matched to its board by name. They're estimates with a , larger for small districts.
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 52 local governments in Benton 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
3
School districts (school boards)
6
5
Special districts (elected boards)
40
2
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 Benton County
212,905people
36.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$89,874 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11%below the U.S.: 12.5%
33.2%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$407,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
11.4%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.5%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
7.9%U.S.: 8.4%
48.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
22.2%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 25.6% · White 64.6% · Black 1.6% · Asian 3% · Other or more than one race 5.1% (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 Benton County
3.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.8%. Washington: 4.3%.
101,997people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
105,654in the September 2026, preliminary.
Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.
Every month, last two years
Month
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)
3.5%
3,657
101,997
105,654
August 2026
4.4%
4,735
102,102
106,837
July 2026
3.7%
3,907
100,865
104,772
June 2026
4.2%
4,451
101,179
105,630
May 2026
4.8%
5,062
101,222
106,284
April 2026
5.2%
5,417
99,493
104,910
March 2026
5.2%
5,480
99,274
104,754
February 2026
5.6%
5,877
98,173
104,050
January 2026
5.5%
5,728
97,843
103,571
December 2025
5.6%
5,876
99,295
105,171
November 2025
5.0%
5,298
101,008
106,306
October 2025
not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025
3.8%
4,067
102,022
106,089
August 2025
4.5%
4,777
101,800
106,577
July 2025
4.3%
4,695
103,274
107,969
June 2025
3.7%
3,869
101,732
105,601
May 2025
4.4%
4,436
97,092
101,528
April 2025
4.3%
4,362
96,653
101,015
March 2025
4.9%
4,881
95,606
100,487
February 2025
5.9%
5,857
93,877
99,734
January 2025
5.3%
5,314
94,060
99,374
December 2024
5.2%
5,206
95,649
100,855
November 2024
4.4%
4,533
97,376
101,909
October 2024
4.0%
4,096
99,094
103,190
Yearly averages
Year
Rate
Unemployed
Employed
Labor force
2025 (11 months)
4.7%
4,857
98,765
103,622
2024
4.7%
4,788
97,176
101,964
2023
4.6%
4,558
95,184
99,742
2022
4.6%
4,551
95,348
99,899
2021
5.5%
5,500
93,679
99,179
2020
8.4%
8,272
90,408
98,680
2019
5.7%
5,661
93,390
99,051
2018
5.7%
5,337
88,781
94,118
2017
5.8%
5,372
86,935
92,307
2016
6.6%
5,986
84,659
90,645
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. Washington's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.8% 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 Benton County
237.4 per 100,0002025. Washington: 283.9.
1,841.5 per 100,0002025. Washington: 1,974.8.
2murders2025, 533 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
Year
Violent
Rate
Property
Rate
2025
533
237.4
4,134
1,841.5
2024
609
270.8
4,956
2,203.6
2023
662
302.1
5,451
2,487.3
2022
713
328.4
7,311
3,367.8
2021
581
274.5
5,651
2,669.8
2020
533
253.1
5,403
2,565.3
2019
456
219.2
4,328
2,080.0
2018
399
194.0
4,193
2,038.6
2017
400
199.4
4,339
2,162.9
2016
380
192.7
4,368
2,214.8
By police agency (5)
Agency
Year
Violent
Property
People served
Kennewick Police Department
2025
276
2,330
87,424
Richland Police Department
2025
166
1,322
65,273
Benton County Sheriff's Office
2025
54
303
41,691
West Richland Police Department
2025
23
121
19,483
Prosser Police Department
2025
14
58
6,643
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 Washington · the U.S.
Police staffing
1.23 per 1,000 residents2025, 5 agencies serving 220,514 people.
271sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
61civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (5), 2025
Agency
Officers
Civilians
People served
Kennewick Police Department
107
17
87,424
Benton County Sheriff's Office
71
15
41,691
Richland Police Department
62
22
65,273
West Richland Police Department
20
5
19,483
Prosser Police Department
11
2
6,643
Earlier years
Year
Officers
Per 1,000
Civilians
Agencies
2025
271
1.23
61
5
2024
274
1.24
57
5
2023
269
1.25
59
5
2022
251
1.18
54
5
2021
247
1.19
49
5
2020
262
1.27
51
5
2019
271
1.32
51
5
2017
257
1.30
47
5
2016
242
1.25
46
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 Benton County County Assessor?
Bill Spencer (Republican) is the County Assessor of Benton County, Washington. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Benton County County Auditor?
Brenda Chilton (Republican) is the County Auditor of Benton County, Washington. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Benton County County Clerk?
Josie Delvin (Republican) is the County Clerk of Benton County, Washington. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Benton County County Coroner?
William "Bill" Leach (Republican) is the County Coroner of Benton County, Washington. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Benton County Prosecuting Attorney?
Eric Eisinger (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Benton County, Washington. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Benton County Sheriff?
Thomas J Croskrey (Republican) is the Sheriff of Benton County, Washington. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Benton County County Treasurer?
Kenneth Spencer Jr (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Benton County, Washington. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Benton County commissioners?
Jerome Delvin (District 1); MICHAEL ALVAREZ (District 2); Will McKay (District 3).
Who is on the Benton County School Board?
DAWN SENGER (Director District 1); Rory Bush (Director District 2); Julie Bussell (Director District 3); Timothy Goforth (Director District 4); Chris Knighten (Director At-Large); Micah Valentine (Director Position 1); Gabe Galbraith (Director Position 2); Michael Connors (Director Position 3); Brittany Gledhill (Director Position 4); Josh Miller (Director Position 5); Michael (Mike) Peterson (Director District 2); Gina M. Warner (Director District 4); Lindsay Joshlin (Director Position 1); Krista Goodall (Director Position 3); SARAH MADDOX (Director Position 4); Taryn Hartley (Director Position 5); Bonnie Mitchell (Director Position 1); Rick Jansons (Director Position 2); Chelsie Beck (Director Position 3); Katrina Waters (Director Position 4); Jill Oldson (Director Position 5).
What is the population of Benton County?
About 212,905 people, with a median age of 36.3; the median household income is $89,874 and 11% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Benton County?
3.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 3,657 people unemployed in a labor force of 105,654, against 3.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Benton County?
52 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 6 school district and 40 special district governments.
What cities and towns are in Benton County?
3: Kennewick, Prosser, Richland. Each has its own page with its mayor and council.
Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the Washington Secretary of State's certified results of each seat's last general election (2021–2025); officials appointed 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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