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Cheryl Potter Browe has worked as the chief deputy clerk for Charlevoix county for 20 years.

She said she learned from her mother, former county treasurer Anah H. Potter, that the public should be treated with respect and dignity.

"The public is most important and it's our responsibility to provide people with knowledge and service quickly and efficiently," Browe said. "If we don't have an answer, we'll get one. No one will be turned away."

Browe helps run elections for the county, which includes following election and campaign finance laws, training inspectors and troubleshooting at polling locations. The office also coordinates school elections for the county.

The county clerk's office manages records and performs services ranging from processing passports to providing applications for marriage licenses and the recording of births and deaths.

"I've learned how important the job is," Browe said. "It's basically the history of the county."

Browe's experience includes researching information to provide to the board of commissioners, preparation of minutes from meetings, management of financial matters such as budgets, processing military discharges and grant reporting.

The clerk's office keeps circuit court filings and records and manages jury matters for three courts.

"A lot of law is required and it's critical that the county clerk is knowledgeable about constitutional law and state statutes and regulations," Browe said.

One of her goals is to change the telephone system so that the public speaks directly to a person when they call.

Browe said she is fascinated by technology and uses it to make research more efficient for the public. One of her projects is to post marriage and death indexes on the county website to assist in genealogy research.

Republican candidate James E. Eisley said his 18 years of experience with owning his own business provides him with the knowledge of serving the public with professionalism and courtesy. His electrical contracting business was based near Ann Arbor and he eventually sold it to his employees and moved to Northern Michigan.

"Being in business isn't easy and I've learned to treat people they way they should be," Eisley said.

Currently, Eisley is the chief electrical inspector for the county building department and has been in that position for 12 years. As such, he is familiar with the electrical laws and regulations of the state.

He is also the education director for the Northern Michigan Electrical Inspectors Association.

Eisley said that he would bring innovation to the job as county clerk if he were elected on Aug. 5. He said he was instrumental in the development of the computer system for the county building department. One of his goals is to use his knowledge and experience in computerizing the clerk's office.

Eisley also wants to change the telephone system so that the public talks with a person when they call.

"Your (the public's) issue is just as important to us as it is to you," he said.