McHenry County Circuit Clerk Katherine Keefe seeking 4th term

Katherine Keefe has announced her bid to seek reelection as circuit clerk for McHenry County.

Keefe has spent the past 11 as the elected circuit clerk, where her efforts have focused on improving public access records through automation and electronic filing, among other successes, according to a news release sent this week.

In addition to the 32 years Keefe has worked in the McHenry County Circuit Clerk’s Office, she also has served as a Republican precinct committeewoman in Dorr Township for the past 18 years.

The Circuit Clerk's Office is inside the McHenry County Courthouse,
2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, and is responsible for maintaining a record of all cases filed and heard in the county's court system.

Through automation, reorganization, and cross-training, Keefe gradually reduced the office’s staff from 75 to 55 employees, according to the release.

“This has created an annual savings to county taxpayers of approximately $1.1 million annually, when factoring in salary and benefits,” Keefe said.

Keefe’s first-term goals included improving public access to court records, which can be searched online or viewed in person at the courthouse. She also expanded record access to attorneys who now have access to their clients’ case files online, according to the release.

“We are considered a leader in the state and have hosted a number of other courts over the past few years to come and see how we are using technology to create a more efficient courtroom,” Keefe said.

Through the implementation of electronic filing, paper files were eliminated from the courtrooms this year. Keefe’s goals for the future include the ability for attorneys to do their own case scheduling online, she said.