Kane County Clerk John A. Cunningham was recently recognized with the Commitment to Service Award for his outstanding dedication and commitment to public service.
The award was presented October 23 in Rockford during a special ceremony hosted by the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Zone IV.
“It is a privilege to recognize Jack for his unwavering service and leadership. His work is a true reflection of the values this award represents. The Commitment to Service Award honors Clerks and Recorders who “exemplify integrity, leadership, and dedication in serving their constituents,” according to the organization.
“Recipients are recognized not only for the essential duties of recordkeeping and elections administration, but also for their commitment to safeguarding democracy and strengthening public trust, ”Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Zone IV President and Putnam County Clerk & Recorder Tina Dolder said.
Cunningham has served as Kane County’s Clerk since 2002, demonstrating a commitment to serving the public with integrity. Cunningham’s office accomplishments range from modernizing the election system off the punch card and improving voter access, to being recognized as one of the top 10 election authorities in the United States.
The Kane County Clerk’s Office in 2022 was named as a Center for Election Excellence by the nonpartisan U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence.
“I was honored for the award as being one of the top 10 election authorities in the United States, but I am even more honored when surrounding election authorities honor our office,” Cunningham said.
The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Zone IV represents the counties of Cook, Lake, McHenry, Boone, Winnebago, Stephenson, Jo Davies, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Will, Kendall, Grundy, LaSalle, Lee, Bureau, Putnam, Stark, Whiteside, Henry, Rock Island, and Mercer.
The Kane County Clerk’s office has been a model for other election authorities in Illinois and across the country. “Many of the County Clerks from the surrounding area come to our office to see how we operate because of our state-of-the-art equipment. The award actually goes to our office staff,” Cunningham said.
“I come up with the ideas and they basically implement them. I am extremely proud of the staff we have developed over the years,” Cunningham said.
—Kane County government