For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans.

In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

[citation needed] Saline County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.

Monte Shadwick defeated incumbent commissioner Randy Duncan, who finished last in a three-way race.

[13] Governor Sam Brownback was tasked with appointing the two new commission members that will serve for two years and then be up for election by the people.

On January 12, 2015, Luci Larson and Dave Smith were appointed to the newly created 4th and 5th Districts.

The administrator is responsible for researching administrative and operational issues and then presenting suggestions for improvement in government efficiency to the Board of Commissioners and for reviewing all requests for action brought to the Board of Commissioners.

The county administrator also implements policies enacted by the Board of Commissioners, prepares the annual budget, and "supervises accounts payable, payroll, human resource division and central purchasing for the county.

Saline has voted for the statewide winner in every presidential election since 1872, including for James Weaver in 1892.

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

The city of Salina is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships.