County Clerk Job Description

The Kansas County Clerk and Election Official has many duties.  Though it would be impossible to list every job that every county clerk/election official does, a snapshot is available below.  The County Clerk’s duties are listed nearly 1,000 times in Kansas Statutes.

Clerical

• Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners
• Records and maintains official minutes of meetings
• Maintains all contracts with the County
• Maintains the County Seal(s)
• Attests the signatures of the County Commissioners on documents
• Assists with vacation of County roads (K.S.A. 68-102a)

Budgeting

• Responsible for office budget(s)
• Certifies that cash and budget are available to cover claims
• Reviews and approves all claims for payment and issues 1099s
• Keeps all financial reports of the County and other entities
• Assists smaller taxing entities with budget preparation annually

Taxation

• Calculates July and November abstracts of valuation and taxation
• Compiles and reports annual bonded indebtedness of the County
• Prepares the tax roll in preparation of printing tax statements
• Sets and certifies levies annually
• Maintains special assessments to the tax roll
• Processes abatements/additions and escapes to the tax roll
• Assessment of sewer costs and placement on tax roll (K.S.A. 12-618)
• Motor Vehicle Abstract Certification annually

Payroll/Human Resources (duties may vary by county)

• Administers Payroll for all County employees
• Maintains the benefits package for all County Employees
• Reports and pays all employment taxes and insurance premiums
• Issues W-2s for County employees

Voter Registration/Election (Chapter 25 of Kansas Statutes)

• 101 of 105 County Clerks are also the County Election Officer (Johnson, Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte have appointed County Election Officer in addition to a County Clerk)
• Maintains accurate Voter Registration Rolls
• Collects filing fees for local candidates
• Verifies signatures on petitions for candidates, question initiatives and recalls
• Recruits, appoints and trains board workers for all elections
• Is responsible for all aspects of election:  ballots, polling sites and equipment in accordance with federal, state and local laws and regulations
• Maintains records of elections in official abstract

Miscellaneous

• Sells licenses for the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks & Tourism
• Sells moving permits, cereal malt beverage licenses and firework permits
• Maintains fixed asset inventory for the County
• Assists taxpayers annually with Homestead and Food Sales Tax refunds
• Freedom of Information Officer for the County (in most counties)
• Maintains all legal publications for County
• Maintains all claims against the County
• Maintains a map of all taxing units in the County and submits it annually to PVD, Appraiser and State Assessed Utilities
• Provides “check and balance” to motor vehicle, general ledger and real and personal property from other offices by maintaining a separate set of records
• Administers County policies as set by the County Commission
• Handles bids/quotations
• Notary Public for State of Kansas to conduct notarizations
• Administers Oaths of Office and Swears-in Sheriff’s Deputies
• Charter Resolutions filed with Secretary of State (K.S.A. 19-101b,c)
• Inter-local Agreements filed with ROD, SOS after approved from KS AG (K.S.A. 12-2905-2905)
• Private burial grounds-files suit against those who damage monuments and fencing at private burial grounds not otherwise provided for by will or deed (K.S.A. 17-1305)
• If Sheriff and Undersheriff are no longer able to conduct duties of the office, County Clerk becomes acting Sheriff  (K.S.A. 19-804a)
• If Sheriff or Undersheriff cannot prevent a lynching, then the County Clerk assumes the duties of Sheriff (K.S.A. 19-825)
• Vacation Restricted Access (K.S.A. 58-2613)