The race is officially on for one of Clark County’s lower-profile elected offices.
Deanna Pauli-Hammond has announced her candidacy for county clerk. Pauli-Hammond, a Democrat, will oppose incumbent clerk Scott Weber, a Republican.
Pauli-Hammond said her background in finance would help her oversee Superior Court accounts managed by the clerk’s office and “keep clean, concise and accurate records.” She is currently unemployed but spent 20 years working in business, she said.
The clerk’s office supports the Superior Court by processing documents and assisting in court proceedings. Among other duties, the office disburses the court’s money and the money of litigants. The office operates with a budget of $6.5 million, and the clerk oversees 46 employees. The clerk receives an annual salary of $94,000 a year.
Pauli-Hammond, a 25-year resident of Clark County, is a relative newcomer to county politics. This will be her first attempt at office. She also said she’d had limited exposure to the Clark County Democrats before announcing her intention to run as one.
“I want to be able to work with the people for the people,” she said, acknowledging that mounting a campaign was “a new venture for me.”
Weber, who’s completing his first term as county clerk, said the office has become more efficient in the past four years, making online access to records easier.
“It’s fair to say the office has changed more in the last four years than ever before,” Weber said.
He succeeded Democrat Sherry Parker in 2011, winning an election during which he said he’d work to abolish the office and turn it into an appointed position if elected. That turned out to be easier said than done. Such a move would require a change to the county charter. Voters rebuffed the idea of a new charter in 2012, and freeholders preparing a possible new charter have not considered such action.
Pauli-Hammond said she would start raising money for her campaign shortly. She has yet to file a candidate registration form with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission.
Weber, meanwhile, filed a full-reporting form for campaign contributions in February but hasn’t reported any money.
Pauli-Hammond said she planned to announce a campaign kickoff event in May. The filing deadline for all elective offices is the week of May 12 to May 16.
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