Will County Clerk
The Will County Clerk serves as the Chief Election Officer for the county. In that capacity, the County Clerk and her staff are responsible for administering federal, state, and local elections in Will County. In addition, the County Clerk’s Office maintains vital records, including birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates, for those who were born, married, or who died in Will County. The County Clerk’s Tax Redemption Department also accepts payments for delinquent property taxes on behalf of the Will County Treasurer. The office’s Tax Extension Department calculates property tax rates for government districts based on the levels of funding they approve in their property tax levies. The County Clerk also serves as the record keeper for the Will County Board, which includes taking and filing minutes for all Will County Board meetings and filing all Will County Board Resolutions. The duties of the County Clerk’s Office are set forth by Illinois Statute 55 ILCS 5/3-2003. [Source: https://www.willcountyclerk.gov/general-services/freedom-of-information-act-request/]The county clerk is an elected office serving a four-year term.
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Michelle Stiff
(Dem)
What related experience do you have that qualifies you for this position?
What do you see as the top two or three issues facing the Clerk’s office, and how do you plan to address them?
What is the role of the Clerk's office in increasing civic participation in elections and ensuring confidence in the voting process?
What are some of your ideas to provide an efficient, welcoming, and responsive office?
Campaign Phone
8157937545
As Director of Workforce Services, I have built my career in public service with leadership and operational management skills that align with the Will County Clerk’s Office. I oversee daily operations, staff, policies, and competing priorities while ensuring accurate, timely project completion. I lead with transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement to manage complex workflows under strict deadlines. I also work to reduce barriers residents face—such as transportation, technology, language, or financial challenges—by creating accessible, customer-focused processes. My experience is grounded in integrity, neutrality, professionalism, confidentiality, and compliance, preparing me to support the Clerk’s mission.
Top issues facing the Clerk’s office are ensuring accessible and secure elections by expanding early voting and vote-by-mail options to ALL eligible voters, investing in training and technology that protect election integrity, and maintaining accurate voter rolls. Recognizing these challenges, I will expand early voting and vote-by-mail options by working with municipalities to increase the number of locations, hours, and public awareness and convenience for voters. Updating systems to modernize technology to strengthen transparency, security, and integrity of the election system. Another way to maintain public trust is to prioritize transparency, communicate clearly, and build strong partnerships with the County's election authorities.
The Clerk’s Office is the official record keeper for the County government and plays a vital role in ensuring transparency in elections. This includes providing clear, accessible election information, issuing regular public updates and press releases, sharing real-time results, and allowing open observation of election procedures. Communication must be delivered in multiple formats to reach residents countywide. The Clerk’s Office can also strengthen civic engagement by encouraging voter registration, election judge or poll watcher service, campaign involvement, and efforts that protect voters and build public trust in democracy.
To create an efficient, welcoming, and responsive office, I would implement feedback mechanisms from voters and volunteers to guide improvements, streamline forms and services for easier access, and provide clear, accessible training for election judges and poll watchers. I would also expand accessibility by offering multilingual materials and pop-up services that reduce barriers and encourage more inclusive participation for all voters.
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