|
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2023
Contact: Kania Robinson, PIO
(847) 377-2312
Statement from Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega on 100 Days in Office
 (From left to right: Director of Voter Services Dan Thelen, Vital Records Supervisor Claudia Rodriguez, Tax Extension Supervisor Chris Lopez, Chief Deputy of Civic Engagement Sol Cabachuela, Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega, Chief Deputy of Administration Cynthia Pruim Haran, Director of Elections Mary Peavey, IT Director Juan Lopez, and Election Judge Supervisor Isorelia Hernandez.)
Waukegan, IL – From day one my administration hit the ground running, and one-hundred days in, I am thrilled with the progress we have made and excited about the opportunity that we have over the next four years to elevate the County Clerk’s Office to be a leader in election administration best practices and civic engagement.
In evaluating internal operations, in one hundred days we have already saved nearly $200,000, and counting, in taxpayer dollars by re-evaluating whether purchases are essential and by looking for cost effective alternatives. We will continue to evaluate and implement further financial controls to restore strong fiscal management and stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
I am also thrilled to announce the appointment of Sol Cabachuela as Chief Deputy of Civic Engagement and External Affairs. Sol will oversee our Communications, Training and Election Judge Departments and will focus on building a robust election judge recruitment arm and increasing our civic education and engagement efforts. Her background as a former Mundelein Village Clerk, and Equity & Community Coordinator for Mundelein High School will propel the County Clerk’s Office to be a leader in civic engagement.
Sol joins the Clerk’s Office executive leadership alongside Cynthia Pruim Haran, former Chief Deputy of the Recorder of Deeds Office, who is now the Chief Deputy of Administration and will oversee the newly merged Recording Division, Vital Records, Tax Extension and budgeting process. Chief Pruim Haran will work on modernizing our processes to increase accessibility in digital spaces and increase the quality of our constituent experience. Her experience in county government, legal acumen, and passion for service will be an asset to move the County Clerk’s Office forward.
Leadership also includes: Mary Peavey, Director of Elections; Dan Thelen, Director of Voter Services; Juan Lopez, Director of IT & Election Assets; Claudia Rodriguez, Vital Records Supervisor; Isorelia Hernandez, Election Judge Supervisor; and Chris Lopez, Supervisor of Tax Extension.
Other significant accomplishments:
· Partnered with Representative Didech to introduce a legislative bill to give college credit to college students who serve as election judges. The legislative bill passed out of committee with unanimous bipartisan support and now heads to the House floor
· Successfully administered a consolidated primary election
· Worked with the United States Postal Service to significantly reduce the cost of mailings moving forward
· In partnership with Bluecrest, our vote by mail equipment provider, added features that streamline our vote by mail process and reduce future costs
The last one hundred days have been a lot of work, but I am energized by the dedication of the experienced staff, and at the vast opportunity to make the Lake County Clerk’s Office a leader in election administration. Now that our leadership team is finalized, we will work to build a robust election judge recruitment program, increase our civic engagement, develop an effective training program for our election workers, modernize our operation, and lead to protect voter access rooted in a community centric approach. We are headed in the right direction and I look forward to what is to come.
###
For more information on Lake County Clerk services and up-to-the-minute election news, visit LakeCountyClerk.info, follow us at twitter.com/LakeCountyClerk, join our page at facebook.com/CountyClerk, or call 847-377-2400.
| 
