The clerk of the Supreme Court of Illinois is an appointed office that was formerly an elected position. From 1848 to 1902, the court had three clerks elected from three districts. From 1902 to 1975, the state had a single clerk that was elected at-large. The position has been appointed since 1975.
Before 1848 Prior to 1848, the clerk was appointed by the court. Among those who served during this period was Joseph Philips, who served from 1818 until resigning in 1822.
1848–1872: clerks elected from three divisions) From 1848 to 1897, three Clerks were elected from each of the three "grand divisions" of the state. Under the Constitution of 1848, these divisions were titled the First Grand Division, Second Grand Division, and Third Grand Division.
First Grand Division Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s) Finney D. Preston 1848–1855 1848 Noah Johnson 1855–1867 1855, 1861 Robert A. D. Wilbanks 1867–1872 1867
Second Grand Division Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s) William B. Warren 1848–1855 1848 William A. Turney 1855–1872 1855, 1861, 1867
Third Grand Division Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s) Lorenzo Leland 1848–1867 1848, 1855, 1861 Woodbury M. Taylor 1867–1872 1867
1872–1902: clerks elected from three divisions (under 1870 Constitution) From the ratification of the 1870 Constitution until a law change in 1897, clerks were elected from three grand divisions titled the Central Grand Division, Northern Grand Division, and Southern Grand Division.
Central Grand Division Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s) Robert A. D. Wilbanks 1872–1878Democratic 1872 Jacob O. Chance 1878–1890Democratic 1878, 1884 Frank W. Haville 1890–1896Democratic 1890 Jacob O. Chance 1896–Nov. 1900Republican 1896 died in office Oliver J. Page Nov. 6, 1900–1902Republican appointed to fill the vacancy left by the death of Jacob O. Chance
Northern Grand Division Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s) Cairo D. Trimble 1872–1878Republican 1872 Everell F. Dutton 1878–1884Republican 1878 Alfred H. Taylor 1884–1896Republican 1884, 1890 Christopher Mamer 1896–1902Republican 1896
Southern Grand Division Name In office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s) Emanuel C. Hamburger 1872–1878Republican 1872 Ethan A. Snivley 1878–1896Democratic 1878, 1884, 1890 Albert D. Caldwallader 1896–1902Republican 1896
1903–1975: elected clerk (post-reform, under 1870 Constitution) A 1897 state act consolidated the role of clerk into a single position elected at-large.
Name Took office Political party Year(s) elected Note(s) Christopher Mamer 1902–1908Republican 1902 had served a preceding term as Northern Grand Division clerk J. McCan Davis 1908–1914Republican 1908 Charles W. Vail 1914–1932Republican 1914, 1920, 1926 Adam F. Bloch 1932–May 9, 1940Democratic 1932, 1938 died in office Edward F. Cullinane May 11, 1940 – 1944Democratic appointed to fill vacancy left by the death of Bloch Earle Benjamin Searcy 1944–Apr. 11, 1955Republican 1944, 1950 died in office Fae Searcy Apr. 13, 1955–Mar. 23, 1968Republican 1956, 1962 appointed (in a widow's appointment) after her husband's death in office; won election to two full terms (first woman to win statewide elected office in Illinois); died in office Clell Woods Mar. 1968–Jan. 1969Republican appointed to fill vacancy left by the death of F. Searcy Justin Taft Jan. 1969–Jan. 1975Republican 1968
1975-present: appointed clerk (under 1970 Constitution) Under the reforms imposed by the ratification of the 1970 Constitution, the clerk became an appointed office in 1975.
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