Lincoln County, WI elected officials: county supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Lincoln County: 7 seats on 7 elected bodies. 3 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County ClerkChristopher Marlowe Republican source
Clerk of Circuit CourtThomas Barker Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerValerie Caylor Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
District AttorneyKristopher Ellis Democratic source
Register of DeedsSarah Koss Republican source
SheriffKen Schneider Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerRobbin Gigl Republican source

How many local governments Lincoln County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 30 local governments in Lincoln 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 townships (2 municipal, 16 township)180
School districts (school boards)20
Special districts (elected boards)90

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 Lincoln County

28,426people
49.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$68,164 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
10.6%below the U.S.: 12.5%
19.6%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$192,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.2%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
6.9%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
4.7%U.S.: 8.4%
51.9%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
20.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.3% · White 93% · Black 0.5% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 3.8% (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 Lincoln County

2.9%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.6%. Wisconsin: 2.9%.
394people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
13,403people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
13,797in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Lincoln County 0.0%1.7%3.3%5.0%6.6% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)2.9%39413,40313,797
August 20263.8%52513,36713,892
July 20263.9%53113,25513,786
June 20263.5%49213,51614,008
May 20262.9%39413,15313,547
April 20263.7%50413,05513,559
March 20264.6%62913,10713,736
February 20264.9%67013,08513,755
January 20264.6%63613,07113,707
December 20253.3%45813,30413,762
November 20252.9%39913,39013,789
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.6%35213,26913,621
August 20253.3%44913,26713,716
July 20253.9%53613,29013,826
June 20253.4%48513,57714,062
May 20253.2%43913,24213,681
April 20254.0%54813,29113,839
March 20254.5%62713,26013,887
February 20254.6%64113,23013,871
January 20254.3%60313,30513,908
December 20243.1%42613,33413,760
November 20242.8%38913,38813,777
October 20242.3%32013,35813,678
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.6%50313,31113,814
20243.3%46413,42713,891
20233.1%43913,62814,067
20223.1%44313,70914,152
20213.8%55013,74814,298
20206.3%90313,48314,386
20193.7%54114,15214,693
20183.3%48414,38714,871
20173.7%55214,43714,989
20164.4%65314,13314,786

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. Wisconsin's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.2% 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 Lincoln County

195.7 per 100,0002024. Wisconsin: 284.4.
1,038.0 per 100,0002024. Wisconsin: 1,171.8.
0murders2024, 56 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
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202456195.72971,038.0
202384295.33871,360.5
2022149519.63801,325.2
2021134484.24811,738.0
2020106386.33111,133.4
201991330.62921,061.0
201842151.5268966.8
201767241.33671,321.7
201659212.44591,652.2
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Lincoln County Sheriff's Office20235910516,076
Merrill Police Department2025161559,469
Tomahawk Police Department20243213,367

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 Wisconsin · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.06 per 1,000 residents2024, 3 agencies serving 28,613 people.
59sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
34civilian staff2024, full-time.

2024 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (3), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Lincoln County Sheriff's Office283016,240
Merrill Police Department2239,006
Tomahawk Police Department913,367
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2024592.06343
2023582.04363
2022622.16423
2020612.22693
2019582.11363
2018602.16413
2017602.16423
2016602.16393

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 Lincoln County County Clerk?
Christopher Marlowe (Republican) is the County Clerk of Lincoln County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Lincoln County Clerk of Circuit Court?
Thomas Barker (Republican) is the Clerk of Circuit Court of Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Lincoln County Coroner?
Valerie Caylor (Republican) is the Coroner of Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Lincoln County District Attorney?
Kristopher Ellis (Democratic) is the District Attorney of Lincoln County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Lincoln County Register of Deeds?
Sarah Koss (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Lincoln County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Lincoln County Sheriff?
Ken Schneider (Republican) is the Sheriff of Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Lincoln County County Treasurer?
Robbin Gigl (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Lincoln County, Wisconsin.
What is the population of Lincoln County?
About 28,426 people, with a median age of 49.3; the median household income is $68,164 and 10.6% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Lincoln County?
2.9% in September 2026 (preliminary): 394 people unemployed in a labor force of 13,797, against 2.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Lincoln County?
30 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal, 16 township, 2 school district and 9 special district governments.

Officeholders as of August 4, 2025, from the Wisconsin Blue Book 2025–2026 (Legislative Reference Bureau), as county clerks reported their officers in April 2025; officials elected or appointed since then may differ, and only each county board's chair is listed; 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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