Should The Village Clerk Be Appointed Or Elected? Why Woodridge’s Referendum Question Is Important

Woodridge residents will be able to vote this April on whether or not the Village Clerk should be an elected position, as it currently stands, or an appointed one.

The referendum will appear on April 4’s election ballot and was prompted by the suggestion that a clerk appointed by the village mayor and Board of Trustees may be better suited to the role than someone who’s elected by the people but may not have as much experience.

According to the Village of Woodridge website, the ballot question will look like this:

If you vote “yes,” that means you’re saying you’d rather have an appointed clerk. A “no” vote would show your favor in continuing to elect the Village Clerk through democratic processes.

If the clerk’s position remains elected, that man or woman will continue to carry out the day-to-day duties of the clerk’s office, including calling roll call during public meetings, overseeing the local elections, signing village agreements and administering Oaths of Office for village officials, according to Woodridge’s site.

Benefits for keeping the position as it is might be a personal connection with residents.

“An elected clerk may be presumed to be more service-oriented and responsive to the demands of residents as they are subject to losing their office every four years,” the site states. “In this case, residents are afforded a more direct say in the selection of an individual to carry out the duties of the Village Clerk’s Office.”

If the process should change to appointment, though, the village mayor, along with the help of the village board, would handpick a candidate based on individual qualities and qualifications. Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Wheaton and Naperville all have appointed clerks.

An upside to this, Woodridge’s website states, is that oftentimes elected clerks will need to be briefed on their roles and duties. And, as technology advances, the village will need to have someone who’s up-to-date on digitizing records and understanding new software systems.

For more information about the referendum question and its possible outcomes, visit Woodridge’s website.

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Images via Village of Woodridge/Shutterstock