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Contact
Kristin Higgins
Public Policy Center
Phone: 501-671-2160
Email: khiggins@uada.edu
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
2301 S. University Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72204
What is a County Clerk?
There are a lot of jobs on the ballot that people might not know what they do. Today we highlight the job of a county clerk.
County Clerk in Arkansas
Are you married? Do you vote in Arkansas? If you answered yes to either of those questions, you've interacted with a County Clerk.
Depending on your county, the county clerk role might be combined with the county circuit clerk position. This administrative role is tied to record keeping, and is one of nine executives in county government.
Term in Office: A constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2016 changed the term of a county clerk from two years to four years. The pay for the job varies depending on the population of the county, and is set by the Quorum Court.
The Association of Arkansas Counties reported salaries ranging from about $27,089 to $150,884 in their 2024 county government salary survey. Counties that reported a low salary were for part-time positions where the person is also paid for another role in county government.
Eligibility Requirements:
- United States citizen
- At least 18 years old
- Registered to vote in their county
- No fraud or felony convictions
Job Duties:
Over their four-year term, a county clerk is responsible for:
- Maintaining the official records (ordinances, resolutions, etc.) and minutes of the Quorum Court.
- Keeping records of annexations, incorporations, county purchases, election results, proclamations, levy of taxes, board appointments, bonds, improvement districts, right of way acquisitions, contracts, and agreements signed by the County Judge.
- Maintaining the county's voter registration list, including adding and removing people to the rolls.
- Keeping custody of the county's absentee ballots and ballot boxes.
- Overseeing early voting in a county (election day is overseen by the election commission).
- Issuing marriage licenses.
- Holding the role of treasurer if the county doesn't have one, and handles county payroll.
- Maintaining the records of the Board of Equalization, which oversees property tax appeals.
Additional Reading
Arkansas County Clerks 2022 Procedures Manual - Association of Arkansas Counties
Sign Up for "Introduction to County Government in Arkansas" Course
Want to know more about how county government operates in Arkansas? Sign up at https://learn.uada.edu/ for a free account to register for our new County Government in Arkansas course to learn about the roles and responsibilities of county offices and how local government is funded.