What does the Village Clerk do? The Clerk is an elected representative and community advocate for all Skokie residents, working full-time inside Village Hall. The Clerk is our local election official, the secretary for the Village Board, keeper of Village records, custodian of the Village seal, and more.
Why run for Clerk? I am excited by the possibilities of re-envisioning the Clerk’s Office, which has been managed by the Skokie Caucus Party for 50+ years. As the Board’s first Independent Trustee, and the lead architect of the Village’s new electoral system, I am a great fit for this position.
Let’s transform the Skokie Clerk’s Office into a nonpartisan center for civic engagement!
Skokie’s Election Official
Room for Improvement: In the last two decades, voter participation has significantly declined in our Village elections, with only 1.1 candidates per vacancy and only 9% voter turnout. The Clerk’s Office has registered fewer than 100 new voters in the past two years.
Creative Solutions: The Village Clerk can support voters in lots of ways, by expanding voter registration, advocating for electoral reform and ethical campaigning, hosting candidate training sessions, engaging local schools to support civic education, collaborating with community partners to encourage voter participation, and more. As Clerk, I will broaden the Village’s election services and support a new generation of Skokie voters.
Secretary of the Village Board
Room for Improvement: The Village Board has struggled to comply with the Illinois Open Meetings Act (OMA), and has been repeatedly investigated by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office in the past two years.
Creative Solutions: The Clerk is an elected administrator who attends all Village Board meetings, public and private. As such, the Clerk is in a unique position to ensure compliance with OMA and advocate that public business be conducted transparently. As Clerk, I will improve meeting minutes and communications, manage public comments, create a legislation tracker for residents seeking policy updates, and make our Village government more transparent and accessible than ever before.
Keeper of Village Records
Did you know? The Clerk is a community historian, helping preserve records of Village Board meetings dating back to 1888.
New Initiatives: It’s time for the Clerk’s Office to digitize the historical records of the Village Board, in collaboration with community partners like the Skokie Public Library, Skokie Heritage Museum, and Skokie Historical Society. As an academic and educator, I’ll ensure the Clerk’s Office is an active participant in local celebrations and educational events highlighting Skokie history and culture.
Custodian of the Village Seal
Did you know? The Village is finally updating its official seal, which has used outdated and problematic Native American imagery since the 1940s.
New Initiatives: As the first Village official to publicly advocate for this update, I’m excited the Village will soon unveil “a new, culturally appropriate design that reflects the rich history and promising future of the Village.” The Clerk serves as the custodian of the Village seal and ensures its proper use. I’m ready to help implement Skokie’s new seal across all Village operations.
Other Responsibilities
There’s more! The Village Clerk has many other responsibilities: overseeing the Clerk’s Office, appointing the Deputy Clerk, providing notary services, processing the Village’s real estate transfer tax, and assisting residents in a wide variety of ways.
As Village Clerk, I will expand resident access to these services and fulfill these responsibilities in an efficient and transparent manner.
James Johnson for Skokie Clerk 