Tirio prevails in McHenry County recorder race

The McHenry County recorder of deeds position may be in jeopardy, as the candidate who ran for the seat with the intention of abolishing it came out on top Tuesday.

With all precincts reporting, unofficial tallies show Republican Joe Tirio ahead of his Democratic opponent, Lynn Gray, 77,532 votes to 55,579.

Tirio, 50, of Woodstock, wants to eliminate the recorder seat by the end of his four-year term. The functions of the recorder's office would then be merged with the county clerk's office - a move he says will save time and money.

The recorder's office is responsible for maintaining and retrieving real estate records, documents and plat maps. The position has previously been held by Phyllis Walters, who is retiring after more than 30 years.

Tirio, who owns Monarch Senior Care in Woodstock, says his business experience overseeing mergers and managing large groups of people will help him be successful.

Gray, 46, of Marengo, defended the future of the position, arguing the recorder's role is too significant to eliminate. She suggested cutting costs and streamlining efficiencies in other ways, such as cutting down on staff positions and digitalizing some work.