VOTE411 Voter Guide

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Studies with ten years experience in the legal field. I have worked for many different areas of the legal profession including probate, criminal defense, domestic relations, corrections, and now criminal prosecution. My legal background has given me the experience with the court system, e-filing, and the procedures that are needed to succeed in this position. I have been promoted at multiple different levels of leadership in previous positions I have held as well as my current position. My previous and current job duties included budgeting, employee management, office management and training. My education, experience, and leadership skills will prove that I am the best candidate for the position.

I was never interested in politics until I started working in the Ashtabula County Prosecutor’s Office. I see firsthand how many of our public offices run and how many people complained about it as well. I decided that I was not going to be one of the people who stood by, and I was going to take action. I wanted to get involved and decided the best place to start based on my education, experience, and current skills would be the Clerk of Courts. I did not want to run for an office just to run for office. I wanted to make sure I could excel at the job and do what is best for the citizens of Ashtabula County.

In 2000, I was hired by Carol Mead as a Deputy Clerk I. I started at a level entry position, where I filed documents and made copies, but mostly I learned how the office was run and began to understand the Legal System. A few years later, I was promoted to a Deputy Clerk II. I began data entry with all the different case types in the office, such as Felony Criminal Cases, Divorce/Dissolutions, Foreclosures, Judgment Liens, Passports, State Tax Liens, Naturalization Records, issuing service, issuing subpoenas, bonds and other civil matters. Most recently I was promoted to a Deputy Clerk III, where I processed Grand Jury, Court of Appeals, Search Warrants, monthly reports, Oaths of Office and trained other employees.

I am running for this position because the Clerk of Court's Office needs to regain the trust and respect of the Judicial System and the public. I watched it go from a highly respected office that the Judges, Lawyers and the public could depend on, to an office that is no longer respected or trusted. It is hard to watch the office slowly fall apart and all the responsibilities placed on the Deputy Clerks. The Clerk's Office, the HUB of the Justice and Judicial System, and the Title Department is very complex and you MUST first know the specifics of the office to effectively serve the office. Please join Carol Mead and Tami Pentek in asking for a Democratic Ballot and vote for Jodi Thurber for Clerk of Courts! Experience DOES matter!