Geneva attorney Doug Warlick seeks GOP nomination for Kane County Clerk

Geneva lawyer Douglas Warlick is running against five-term incumbent John Cunningham in the June 28 Republican primary for Kane County Clerk.

The GOP primary winner will face off against Democrat Nicolas Jimenez in the Nov. 8 general election.

Warlick’s platform seeks “election integrity,” asserting that “the voters of Kane County should have full confidence in the election process.”

“Too many questions arose after the last election as a result of the incumbent neglecting to follow the law,” Warlick wrote in a Shaw Local News Network questionnaire that was sent to all candidates.

“As an attorney for over 40 years, I have the utmost respect for the rule of law and our judicial system,” Warlick wrote. “However, like so many other Americans, I am dismayed by the questions and chaos surrounding the 2020 election and I believe that I can correct that situation here in Kane County.”

The Illinois Election Code expressly provides that a voter is permitted to sign an affidavit and vote with a provisional ballot, so that such a person can vote, but not vote twice, Warlick wrote.

“However, the incumbent whimsically decided NOT to have any provisional ballots,” Warlick’s wrote.

The clerk does not have the option to ignore state law and should not create procedures that are contrary to state law, Warlick wrote.

“The incumbent has done those things and perhaps that is because he has checked-out after being a career politician who has been holding this job for 20 years,” Warlick wrote.

“And there is no excuse for the behavior of the incumbent who permitted tabulating ballots that were not viewed and initialed by election judges from both parties,” Warlick wrote. “We can also easily clean-up the voter roles with little effort. We simply need to instill confidence in the election process.”

When a situation requires using a provisional ballot, a ballot is spoiled, there is an error or a vote-by-mail ballot is returned after election day without a postmark, “we need to take the time to investigate the situation and permit the voter to vote in accordance with Illinois Law,” Warlick wrote.

To increase transparency, Warlick wrote that nothing should be concealed – including fiscal records and operations – except employees’ personal information.

Warlick also pledged to retire from his law practice and serve only two terms as clerk “to enable fresh ideas and new technology to reinvigorate the office.”

Warlick has not served in elected office before, except as a Republican precinct committeeman and as vice chair of the Geneva Township Republican Central Committee, according to his questionnaire.

His campaign website is www.Warlick4KaneCountyClerk.com.

In addition to overseeing elections, the clerk’s office also issues marriage licenses; maintains vital records of certificates for births, deaths, marriages and civil unions; processes passport applications; extending taxes to all parcels; accepting economic interest statements; and posting audio recordings of Kane County meetings online.