Preston 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 Preston County: 9 seats on 7 elected bodies. 1 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.
County Commission
Preston County Commission
| Office | Who holds it now | Next term |
|---|---|---|
| County Commissioner | Don Smith Republican source | On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet |
| County Commissioner | Hunter Thomas Republican source | |
| County Commissioner | Samantha Stone Republican source |
County officers
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Assessor | David J Nestor Ii Republican source |
| Circuit Clerk | Lisa Leishman Republican source |
| Prosecuting Attorney | James E. Shay Jr. source |
| Sheriff | Scott Spiker Republican source |
| County Surveyor | Kenneth Moran Democratic source |
School Board
| Office | Who holds it now |
|---|---|
| Board of Education Member | Michael Hovatter source |
How many local governments Preston County has
The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 16 local governments in Preston 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 | 10 | 0 |
| School districts (school boards) | 1 | 1 |
| Special districts (elected boards) | 4 | 0 |
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 Preston County
Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 1.9% · White 87.3% · Black 6.5% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 4% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)
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 Preston County
Every month, last two years
| Month | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 (preliminary) | 3.2% | 456 | 13,676 | 14,132 |
| August 2026 | 3.9% | 546 | 13,394 | 13,940 |
| July 2026 | 3.8% | 536 | 13,480 | 14,016 |
| June 2026 | 4.0% | 564 | 13,408 | 13,972 |
| May 2026 | 3.3% | 458 | 13,458 | 13,916 |
| April 2026 | 4.0% | 562 | 13,413 | 13,975 |
| March 2026 | 4.1% | 567 | 13,204 | 13,771 |
| February 2026 | 5.4% | 765 | 13,357 | 14,122 |
| January 2026 | 4.8% | 656 | 13,113 | 13,769 |
| December 2025 | 4.2% | 605 | 13,637 | 14,242 |
| November 2025 | 4.5% | 651 | 13,668 | 14,319 |
| October 2025 | not collected (2025 federal shutdown) | |||
| September 2025 | 3.9% | 558 | 13,643 | 14,201 |
| August 2025 | 4.5% | 620 | 13,304 | 13,924 |
| July 2025 | 3.9% | 546 | 13,372 | 13,918 |
| June 2025 | 4.0% | 544 | 13,211 | 13,755 |
| May 2025 | 3.4% | 477 | 13,445 | 13,922 |
| April 2025 | 3.8% | 529 | 13,543 | 14,072 |
| March 2025 | 4.2% | 588 | 13,360 | 13,948 |
| February 2025 | 4.6% | 648 | 13,470 | 14,118 |
| January 2025 | 4.7% | 663 | 13,314 | 13,977 |
| December 2024 | 3.5% | 502 | 13,653 | 14,155 |
| November 2024 | 3.5% | 495 | 13,754 | 14,249 |
| October 2024 | 3.4% | 492 | 13,778 | 14,270 |
Yearly averages
| Year | Rate | Unemployed | Employed | Labor force |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (11 months) | 4.2% | 584 | 13,452 | 14,036 |
| 2024 | 4.2% | 595 | 13,574 | 14,169 |
| 2023 | 4.2% | 602 | 13,733 | 14,335 |
| 2022 | 4.4% | 629 | 13,826 | 14,455 |
| 2021 | 5.0% | 716 | 13,632 | 14,348 |
| 2020 | 7.8% | 1,104 | 13,117 | 14,221 |
| 2019 | 4.9% | 712 | 13,788 | 14,500 |
| 2018 | 5.4% | 788 | 13,686 | 14,474 |
| 2017 | 5.3% | 753 | 13,489 | 14,242 |
| 2016 | 6.2% | 852 | 12,983 | 13,835 |
Police in Preston County
Police staffing
Agencies counted (6), 2022
| Agency | Officers | Civilians | People served |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preston County Sheriff's Office | 20 | 2 | 28,346 |
| Kingwood Police Department | 3 | 0 | 3,103 |
| Masontown Police Department | 1 | 1 | 534 |
| Reedsville Police Department | 1 | 1 | 565 |
| Terra Alta Police Department | 1 | 0 | 1,505 |
| ROWLESBURG | 0 | 0 | 464 |
Earlier years
| Year | Officers | Per 1,000 | Civilians | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 26 | 0.75 | 4 | 6 |
| 2021 | 26 | 0.78 | 3 | 6 |
| 2020 | 27 | 0.81 | 4 | 6 |
Quick answers
- Who is the Preston County Assessor?
- David J Nestor Ii (Republican) is the Assessor of Preston County, West Virginia.
- Who is the Preston County Circuit Clerk?
- Lisa Leishman (Republican) is the Circuit Clerk of Preston County, West Virginia.
- Who is the Preston County Prosecuting Attorney?
- James E. Shay Jr. is the Prosecuting Attorney of Preston County, West Virginia.
- Who is the Preston County Sheriff?
- Scott Spiker (Republican) is the Sheriff of Preston County, West Virginia.
- Who is the Preston County County Surveyor?
- Kenneth Moran (Democratic) is the County Surveyor of Preston County, West Virginia.
- Who are the Preston County commissioners?
- Don Smith (County Commissioner); Hunter Thomas (County Commissioner); Samantha Stone (County Commissioner).
- Who is on the Preston County School Board?
- Michael Hovatter (Board of Education Member).
- What is the population of Preston County?
- About 34,160 people, with a median age of 43.3; the median household income is $61,880 and 13.8% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
- What is the unemployment rate in Preston County?
- 3.2% in September 2026 (preliminary): 456 people unemployed in a labor force of 14,132, against 3.9% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
- How many local governments are there in Preston County?
- 16 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 10 municipal, 1 school district and 4 special district governments.
Preston County's 2026 ballot and results · Every West Virginia county · West Virginia's members of Congress
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