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

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Washburn 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 ClerkAlicia Swearingen Republican source
Clerk of Circuit CourtShannon Anderson Independent sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
CoronerAngela Pank Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
District AttorneyAaron Marcoux Independent source
Register of DeedsJessica Hedinger Republican source
SheriffDennis Stuart Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerNicole Tims Republican source

How many local governments Washburn County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 39 local governments in Washburn 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 (4 municipal, 21 township)250
School districts (school boards)40
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 Washburn County

16,854people
52.7median ageU.S.: 38.9
$63,441 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%
25.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$226,100median home valueU.S.: $332,700
3.9%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
8.6%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.3%U.S.: 8.4%
49.2%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
26.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.1% · White 92.4% · Black 0.2% · Asian 0.5% · Other or more than one race 4.8% (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 Washburn County

3.2%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 2.8%. Wisconsin: 2.9%.
234people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
7,048people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
7,282in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Washburn County 0.0%2.0%3.9%5.9%7.9% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.2%2347,0487,282
August 20264.0%2987,1947,492
July 20264.1%3077,2547,561
June 20263.9%2977,2507,547
May 20263.4%2456,8717,116
April 20264.8%3386,6867,024
March 20266.7%4776,5947,071
February 20266.9%4866,5707,056
January 20266.0%4196,5246,943
December 20254.1%2886,7687,056
November 20253.6%2556,7987,053
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20252.8%1976,8737,070
August 20253.4%2487,0287,276
July 20253.7%2737,0497,322
June 20253.7%2747,2027,476
May 20253.5%2526,8787,130
April 20254.6%3246,7677,091
March 20255.6%3986,6997,097
February 20256.1%4326,6817,113
January 20255.8%4166,6987,114
December 20244.1%2946,8617,155
November 20243.5%2516,9157,166
October 20243.0%2167,0157,231
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.3%3056,8587,163
20244.0%2946,9817,275
20233.8%2786,9887,266
20223.9%2887,0407,328
20214.9%3697,0967,465
20207.5%5576,8817,438
20194.2%3147,1057,419
20184.2%3137,1357,448
20174.2%3167,2107,526
20165.2%3937,1607,553

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 Washburn County

58.4 per 100,0002023. Wisconsin: 298.0.
484.8 per 100,0002023. Wisconsin: 1,237.5.
0murders2023, 10 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
20231058.483484.8
202026165.8131835.3
201932201.91671,053.5
201845285.9126800.5
201751326.81651,057.3
201629187.72391,546.6
By police agency (3)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Washburn County Sheriff's Office2025124314,154
Spooner Police Department20255322,497
Birchwood Police Department202300407

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

1.75 per 1,000 residents2024, 3 agencies serving 17,165 people.
30sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.
22civilian staff2024, full-time.

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

Agencies counted (3), 2024
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Washburn County Sheriff's Office222114,292
Spooner Police Department712,467
Birchwood Police Department10406
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2024301.75223
2023231.3493
2022261.54183
2021251.58193
2020251.59183
2019251.58213
2018231.46173
2017231.47193
2016211.3692

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 Washburn County County Clerk?
Alicia Swearingen (Republican) is the County Clerk of Washburn County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Washburn County Clerk of Circuit Court?
Shannon Anderson (Independent) is the Clerk of Circuit Court of Washburn County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Washburn County Coroner?
Angela Pank (Republican) is the Coroner of Washburn County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Washburn County District Attorney?
Aaron Marcoux (Independent) is the District Attorney of Washburn County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Washburn County Register of Deeds?
Jessica Hedinger (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Washburn County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Washburn County Sheriff?
Dennis Stuart (Republican) is the Sheriff of Washburn County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Washburn County County Treasurer?
Nicole Tims (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Washburn County, Wisconsin.
What is the population of Washburn County?
About 16,854 people, with a median age of 52.7; the median household income is $63,441 and 11.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Washburn County?
3.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 234 people unemployed in a labor force of 7,282, against 2.8% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Washburn County?
39 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 21 township, 4 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.

Washburn County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Wisconsin county · Wisconsin's members of Congress

See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Washburn County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem · Corrections