Mariyana T. Spyropoulos: 2024 candidate for Cook County circuit court clerk

Bio

Party: Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Office Sought:

City: Chicago

Age: 55

Occupation: Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD)

Previous offices held: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District commissioner

Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?

This election is about managing our court system in an efficient, effective and ethical manner in order to deliver justice for Cook County residents.The state? Bail bonds dont get refunded to epople in a timely manner after their cases are closed. Felony charges are mistakenly added to people's records. Website outages can cause problems for defendants and lawyers. These are all rela issues that mismanagement of this office has caused in the past three years. I'm an attorney who has practiced in these courtrooms. Im committed to justice for Cook County residents.

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the job and what would your priority be?

For the past 13 years, I have served as a Commissioner at the MWRD. After reciveing a law degree at UIC Law and an MBA from Loyola University, I began my career as an Assistant State's Attorney before moving to private pratice. I am the only candidate for Clerk who is an attorney so I understand how to naviaget the court system. I have brought transparency to MWRD by introducing the policy and advocating for an Independent Inspector General. My priorities would be to bring ethics and transparency, make the technology work and bring the court system to the communities.

Describe your position regarding the allocation of resources in the clerk of the circuit court's office. Is technology up to date? Are personnel allocated as they should be? Are there capital expense or other budgetary items that the office must address, and, if so, how do you propose to address them?

Technology is not up-to-date. Personnel are not allocated as they should be. I will institute an agency wide audit to make sure that we are accounting for all resources. I will also hire a consultant to do an agency wide analysis to make sure that staff and resources are being utilized according to best practices.

Describe your position on transparency in the office and the ease of access to records by the public. If you believe improvements are needed, what are they and how would you go about achieving them?

Currently there is no trasnparency. I will implement an Independent Inspector General to make staff and the public are free to express their concerns. I would also require regular ethics training.

What makes you the best candidate to represent your party to seek this position?

The combination of my legal experience and proven leadership of a government agency puts me in a unique position to make the changes that the Clerk's office need.