Berkeley County, WV elected officials: the county commission, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Berkeley County: 12 seats on 7 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Commission

Berkeley County Council

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerEddie Gochenour Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerJim Whitacre Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerHoward Boyd Republican source
County CommissionerJohn Hardy Republican source
County CommissionerSteve Catlett source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Circuit ClerkMichelle Schoppert Republican source
County ClerkAnthony Petrucci Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyJoe Kinser Republican source
SheriffRob Blair Republican source
County SurveyorLarry Hess source

School Board

Berkeley County Board of Education

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it now
Board of Education MemberMichael Martin source
Board of Education MemberMelissa Power source

How many local governments Berkeley County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 12 local governments in Berkeley 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)11
Special districts (elected boards)80

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 Berkeley County

129,514people
38.5median ageU.S.: 38.9
$80,815 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
11.1%below the U.S.: 12.5%
25.1%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$266,300median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.7%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
5%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
9.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.9%U.S.: 8.4%
48%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
20.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 6.4% · White 79.7% · Black 7.1% · Asian 1% · Other or more than one race 5.8% (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 Berkeley County

3.0%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.7%. West Virginia: 3.5%.
2,025people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
65,236people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
67,261in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Berkeley County 0.0%1.5%3.0%4.6%6.1% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.0%2,02565,23667,261
August 20263.5%2,34764,92267,269
July 20263.4%2,30065,30367,603
June 20263.7%2,53365,11267,645
May 20263.1%2,07864,06966,147
April 20263.6%2,41864,06466,482
March 20263.6%2,38763,16365,550
February 20264.5%2,99963,37266,371
January 20264.0%2,65563,63166,286
December 20253.7%2,50564,77767,282
November 20253.9%2,63365,10667,739
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.7%2,51966,13568,654
August 20254.1%2,78965,80468,593
July 20253.6%2,49066,45468,944
June 20253.7%2,53166,74169,272
May 20253.3%2,22465,70667,930
April 20253.2%2,17366,03868,211
March 20253.5%2,36265,05667,418
February 20253.4%2,32064,95367,273
January 20253.2%2,18865,32767,515
December 20242.7%1,79965,73667,535
November 20242.8%1,91365,65867,571
October 20242.8%1,91266,59168,503
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)3.6%2,43065,64568,075
20243.2%2,19166,03268,223
20233.1%2,08764,25966,346
20222.8%1,80462,89064,694
20213.5%2,18960,86263,051
20205.8%3,55857,27160,829
20193.4%2,10159,90862,009
20183.8%2,30558,89861,203
20173.4%2,05357,64559,698
20163.7%2,14055,90058,040

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. West Virginia's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.0% 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 Berkeley County

113.7 per 100,0002024. West Virginia: 253.2.
411.4 per 100,0002024. West Virginia: 1,135.8.
9murders2024, 155 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
2024155113.7561411.4
2023167125.3456342.3
2022156120.5494381.5
2021156125.5506407.0
2020143118.3542448.6
201911597.3338285.8
2018123105.9975839.4
2017165144.31,4731,288.3
2016160142.01,8341,627.1
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Berkeley County Sheriff's Office202594234120,868
Martinsburg Police Department20244232518,989

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 West Virginia · the U.S.

Police staffing

0.70 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 139,994 people.
98sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
21civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Berkeley County Sheriff's Office649120,868
Martinsburg Police Department341219,126
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025980.70212
20241000.73212
2023970.73202
20221040.80212
20211040.84202
20201030.85182
20191040.88172
20181070.92212
20171030.90172
20161040.92152

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 Berkeley County Circuit Clerk?
Michelle Schoppert (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk of Berkeley County, West Virginia.
Who is the Berkeley County County Clerk?
Anthony Petrucci (Republican) is the County Clerk of Berkeley County, West Virginia.
Who is the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney?
Joe Kinser (Republican) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Berkeley County, West Virginia.
Who is the Berkeley County Sheriff?
Rob Blair (Republican) is the Sheriff of Berkeley County, West Virginia.
Who is the Berkeley County County Surveyor?
Larry Hess is the County Surveyor of Berkeley County, West Virginia.
Who are the Berkeley County commissioners?
Eddie Gochenour (County Commissioner); Jim Whitacre (County Commissioner); Howard Boyd (County Commissioner); John Hardy (County Commissioner); Steve Catlett (County Commissioner).
Who is on the Berkeley County School Board?
Michael Martin (Board of Education Member); Melissa Power (Board of Education Member).
What is the population of Berkeley County?
About 129,514 people, with a median age of 38.5; the median household income is $80,815 and 11.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Berkeley County?
3.0% in September 2026 (preliminary): 2,025 people unemployed in a labor force of 67,261, against 3.7% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Berkeley County?
12 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 2 municipal, 1 school district and 8 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 6, 2026, from the West Virginia Secretary of State's County Elected Official Directory (2025) and the official results of the 2020, 2022 and 2024 elections (for terms and party); officials appointed or changed since the directory was 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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