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John Cunningham: Candidate Profile

Kane County Clerk (Republican)

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: AuroraWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Office sought: Kane County Clerk Age: 79Family: Father of two sons, John and MichaelOccupation: Attorney and Kane County ClerkEducation: BA, MBA, JDCivic involvement: Elected offices held: Republican precinct committeemanCommissioner of Public Property, City of AuroraKane County Clerk Questions Answers What is the correct number of polling places to have that both ensures an efficient operation but also a timely voting process on election days?I believe that we currently run an efficient operation to ensure a timely voting process on Election Day as permitted by state law. 92 polling locations cover the county's 228 precincts as a way of balancing the convenience of traditional neighborhood polling places with the cost-saving efficiencies of co-locating multiple precincts in the same polling location. We have backup machines on hand for rapid deployment in the event of an unexpected surge of voters or equipment failure on Election Day to protect against unnecessary lines or delays. Many of the statutes governing elections were written decades ago, prior to early voting, voting by mail, and computerized voting machines. In the most recent general election, more than 50% of the votes were cast prior to Election Day through early voting and voting by mail. Our voting machines can accommodate larger numbers of voters more efficiently than older machines. We are exploring legislative changes that update and reflect the reality of modern elections, but at this time, our current procedures provide an efficient Election Day operation without long lines for voters.Do you support the ongoing operation of the Aurora Election Commission?As Clerk, I am not taking a position with regard to the referendum question in Aurora. That decision will be made by the voters of the City of Aurora. As we presented to the County Board, our office operates its elections in a much more efficient and less expensive way. Using the most recent data available for both jurisdictions (2016), the Clerk's Office conducted the elections at approximately 40% of the cost of the Aurora Election Commission (approximately $8,500 per precinct for the Clerk's Office compared with the approximately $20,000 per precinct cost for the Aurora Election Commission). The cost savings from the efficiency of the Clerk's Office benefits taxpayers. My office is preparing for the possibility of dissolution of the commission and will be ready to serve if that occurs. If Aurora voters decide to abolish the election commission, I have been preparing for that scenario and I am the most qualified candidate to handle the transition to the Clerk's Office and ultimately to provide the best services to the residents of Aurora in the most economical way.How will you ensure the security of ballots and guard against hacking efforts?We have partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as well as the Chief of Intelligence handling cybersecurity for the state of Illinois to discuss issues regarding the security of elections. I have also attended seminars from other state and federal agencies that have dealt with these issues so that the Clerk's Office is up to date in this area. I have worked closely with the County's IT director to implement a plan for election security. Kane County's election system and its voting machines are protected with an encrypted private network that is not accessible from the outside. This encryption helps to protect the system from hackers. The system also has a paper trail which increases accuracy and validates the process. The County's election system was approved and continues to receive approval from the state and federal governments. We remain vigilant against the potential of hacking or any outside malicious security threats and work with the IT department to monitor our equipment and any potential ways to strengthen it.Do you believe the county has taken all proper measures to allow for fair and equal access to voting for all residents?While we are always looking to increase accessibility of services to Kane County taxpayers in all areas, I believe that our office has taken proper measures to allow for a fair and equal access to voting. Kane County's voting machines are ADA compliant for our residents who require special assistance, and they are highly rated for accessibility. Our early voting program is one of, if not the largest, in the surrounding counties with 26 early voting sites throughout the county. Kane County's early voting is universal which means that voters can go to any early voting center in the county, whether it is close to their home, work, or school to vote early. Our vote by mail program allows voters to vote without leaving the house. Our office aggressively promotes early voting and vote by mail through the Voter Outreach Program, use of social media, and community activity, and the results have demonstrated that we have been successful. More than 50% of the votes in the most recent general election were cast before Election Day. Our Election Day polling places are convenient placed throughout the county so that voters have a site in their area. Do you believe same-sex couples should be able to marry? Regardless of that personal belief, will you support the legal right of same-sex couples to marry if elected?While I personally have concerns with same sex marriage due to my own personal religious beliefs, it is the law of the land. The personal beliefs of the office holder do not influence their legal obligations of the office. My office follows state and federal law and supports all legally-protected rights of all residents and taxpayers who seek services from the Clerk's Office.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?My accomplishments as Clerk are what separate me from other candidates. Fiscal responsibility: Our office lives within its budget. We have been under budget and have returned money to the County's general fund nearly every year, despite significant unfunded state and federal mandates with which we must comply. When Illinois implemented same-day Election Day registration, we needed $1.9 million of equipment to meet the unfunded mandate. Through long-term planning, office efficiencies, and my relationships with other clerks, I secured nearly $500,000 worth of voting machines at no cost and absorbed remaining costs into my budget. My office generated over $1.26 million in revenue last year (twice as much as when I took office). I have eliminated 3 management-level positions in the office. We spearheaded legislation to eliminate unnecessary election judges to save the County nearly $100,000. Our change in computer servers saves taxpayers $500,000/year (over $5 million during my tenure). In 2017, we added passport photography to generate more revenue. Accessibility: The Clerk's Accessibility Program has increased the amount of services available to residents outside of normal business hours and the office. The Office provides resources directly and transparently to residents with increased use of social media.Teamwork: Our staff assisted the Treasurer's Office in accommodating residents pre-paying taxes last December, worked with the IT department to increase efficiency, and regularly share our programs and software with other counties so that we can find new efficiencies and savings. When my office saves money, it helps all county offices and departments.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Billy GrahamWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Work hardIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Spending more time with my childrenWhat was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Social studies gave me an insight into people, and as a public servant, I want to know what the public wants to meet their needsIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be fair and treat others the way you want to be treated.John Cunningham, running for Kane County Clerk