What is the County Clerk’s job? Is this an elected or appointed position? Is the clerk accountable to the Board of County Commissioners?

The County Clerk is a non-partisan elected position that issues marriage licenses, processes passport applications, oversees all aspects of elections, records property, mining, and military discharge records, and, more recently, provides a Property Recording Alert Service. The Board of Commissioners’ only control over the County Clerk is budgetary.

The office plays a vital role in local government transparency, real estate transactions, civic participation, and public access to official records.

MORE IN DEPTH

1. Elections Administration

As the county's chief elections officer, the Clerk oversees all federal, state, county, city, and special district elections in Josephine County.

  • Voter Registration: Maintains voter registration records, updates rolls, and processes mail-in registrations.

  • Vote-by-Mail Operations: Under Oregon’s vote-by-mail system, the Clerk manages ballot printing, mailing, signature verification, and secure processing.

  • Drop Box & Ballot Security: Oversees official ballot drop-box locations throughout Grants Pass, Cave Junction, and rural Josephine County to ensure strict chain-of-custody protocols.

  • Filing & Campaign Finance: Manages candidate filings, local initiative petitions, measure summaries, and campaign finance reporting.

  • Certification: Tabulates votes, conducts required post-election hand-count audits, and certifies official election results.

2. Recording & Public Records

The Recording Division functions as the repository for official land and property records in Josephine County.

  • Property Documents: Records and indexes real property documents, including deeds, mortgages, trust deeds, liens, easements, and reconveyances.

  • Public Search & Copies: Maintains searchable archives of recorded land records, plats, and surveys for title companies, legal professionals, and the general public.

  • Mining Claims: Files and maintains records related to local mining claims and assessment work within the region.

  • Military Discharges: Secures and records DD-214 military discharge papers for local veterans free of charge.

3. Licensing & Vital Services

The Clerk’s office issues several official licenses and processes essential federal and state filings.

  • Marriage Licenses: Issues marriage licenses, files completed certificates, and maintains historical marriage records.

  • Passport Acceptance Agency: Serves as an official Passport Acceptance Facility on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, processing new passport applications and taking passport photos.

  • Liquor & Special Licensing: Assists in processing local county business or liquor license applications required by state regulation.

4. Board of Property Tax Appeals (BOPTA) & County Archives

The County Clerk acts as the clerk to the Property Tax Appeals Board and maintains official county legislative archives.

  • BOPTA Clerk: Schedules, documents, and maintains records for property owners appealing their assessed property values before the county board.

  • Board & Legislative Records: Preserves county ordinances, resolutions, commissioner meeting minutes, and historic public records for Josephine County.