Marshall 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 Marshall County: 10 seats on 7 elected bodies. 1 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Commission

Marshall County Commission

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County CommissionerScott Varner Democratic sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County CommissionerJohn Gruzinskas Democratic source
County CommissionerDave Mclaughlin Republican source

County officers

OfficeWho holds it now
Circuit ClerkJoe Rucki Republican source
County ClerkConnie Howard Republican source
Prosecuting AttorneyJoe Canestraro Democratic source
SheriffMichael "Mike" Dougherty Republican source
County SurveyorJim Ruckman Republican source

School Board

Marshall County Board of Education

Every member is elected countywide.

OfficeWho holds it now
Board of Education MemberLori Kestner source
Board of Education MemberJohn Miller source

How many local governments Marshall County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 17 local governments in Marshall 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 townships50
School districts (school boards)11
Special districts (elected boards)100

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 Marshall County

29,865people
46.3median ageU.S.: 38.9
$59,169 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
16.8%below the U.S.: 12.5%
20.5%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$149,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700
4.3%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
0.6%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
7.3%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.6%U.S.: 8.4%
51.6%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
16.5%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.2% · White 92.9% · Black 0.3% · Asian 0.3% · Other or more than one race 5.3% (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 Marshall County

3.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.1%. West Virginia: 3.5%.
439people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
12,051people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
12,490in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Marshall County 0.0%2.5%5.1%7.6%10.2% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.5%43912,05112,490
August 20264.5%56111,99612,557
July 20264.3%54912,12412,673
June 20264.6%58512,13112,716
May 20263.9%49011,97312,463
April 20264.6%58011,98912,569
March 20264.7%58711,82212,409
February 20266.3%79811,84212,640
January 20265.5%68511,82012,505
December 20254.6%57512,01612,591
November 20254.4%56312,15712,720
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20254.1%53112,32312,854
August 20254.5%58312,24712,830
July 20254.2%54112,39412,935
June 20254.2%53812,40512,943
May 20253.9%48612,13112,617
April 20254.1%52612,14912,675
March 20254.9%61412,01712,631
February 20255.2%65411,99412,648
January 20255.1%64312,04012,683
December 20244.0%51312,25612,769
November 20243.8%48912,33812,827
October 20243.8%48912,53813,027
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.5%56912,17012,739
20244.8%62312,46413,087
20234.8%64512,67013,315
20224.9%64912,52413,173
20216.2%82512,54913,374
20209.7%1,31612,31113,627
20196.2%90213,54314,445
20185.5%81113,84014,651
20175.8%83513,55714,392
20167.8%1,12013,18814,308

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.

Police in Marshall County

Police staffing

2.44 per 1,000 residents2025, 7 agencies serving 54,583 people.
133sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
21civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (7), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Wheeling Police Department681125,851
Marshall County Sheriff's Office35316,139
Moundsville Police Department1547,615
Benwood Police Department631,189
Glen Dale Police Department501,397
Cameron Police Department20808
McMechen Police Department201,584
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
20251332.44217
20241332.43217
20231222.21237
20221262.26257
20211352.42287
20201322.35217
20191312.31167
20181362.37317
20171322.26247
20161342.28217

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 Marshall County Circuit Clerk?
Joe Rucki (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk of Marshall County, West Virginia.
Who is the Marshall County County Clerk?
Connie Howard (Republican) is the County Clerk of Marshall County, West Virginia.
Who is the Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney?
Joe Canestraro (Democratic) is the Prosecuting Attorney of Marshall County, West Virginia.
Who is the Marshall County Sheriff?
Michael "Mike" Dougherty (Republican) is the Sheriff of Marshall County, West Virginia.
Who is the Marshall County County Surveyor?
Jim Ruckman (Republican) is the County Surveyor of Marshall County, West Virginia.
Who are the Marshall County commissioners?
Scott Varner (County Commissioner); John Gruzinskas (County Commissioner); Dave Mclaughlin (County Commissioner).
Who is on the Marshall County School Board?
Lori Kestner (Board of Education Member); John Miller (Board of Education Member).
What is the population of Marshall County?
About 29,865 people, with a median age of 46.3; the median household income is $59,169 and 16.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Marshall County?
3.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 439 people unemployed in a labor force of 12,490, against 4.1% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Marshall County?
17 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 5 municipal, 1 school district and 10 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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