The seat is up for grabs this year. But, what does the job entail? With Election Day quickly approaching, WMBD News is getting a series of civics lessons from Dr. Megan Remmel, Political Science Professor at Bradley University.
Who will be Peoria County Circuit Clerk for the next four years?
On the ballot are incumbent Democrat Robert Spears, first elected in 2002 to the seat, and Republican challenger Anita Meeker, Peoria County Process Improvement Specialist.
Remmel explained a circuit clerk’s position is “a little odd, in that it’s not necessarily a local official, even though they’re operating locally.”
“Circuit” refers to a judicial circuit.
It’s a position created by Illinois’s constitution.
“The circuit clerk is the official record keeper for the court system. They’re in charge of helping the circuit court judges in actually making the courthouse run,” she said.
“They’re going to be the ones you pay fines and fees to, they’re going to be the ones issuing citations or notices to appear, or jury summons, they obviously work a lot in relationship with law enforcement officers, local social service agencies, local state’s attorneys offices, and also coordinate witness testimony and jurors coming in.”
Remmel said even though it’s a partisan position, it’s “partisan in name only.”
