2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Voted on across Elkhart County.
The clerk of the circuit court is an elected county officer created by the Indiana Constitution. The clerk keeps the records of every court in the county and collects court fees, sits on the county election board, and in most counties is also the voter registration officer [1, 2, 3, 4].
The job in full — the duties the Indiana Code puts in it, the term, what it pays and who sets that, and what to ask a candidate.
Legal Insights county office research (Oct. 13, 2026): Indiana Gateway budgets 2019-2026 and the indicator sources linked on each line.
This office's 2026 budget
$2,138,859
1.2% of the county's adopted 2026 budget · 11% more than 2019, before inflation
Adopted budget, all funds, 2019-2026 (not adjusted for inflation)
Budget lines counted: 0001 CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT (COUNTY CLERK)
Adopted 2026 county budget (Form 1 line items, Form 4B) and earlier years' budgets
Elected official's pay, 2026 budget line
$98,417
From the county budget; verify against the county's 2026 salary ordinance. A line can include longevity pay or a second role.
Budgeted separately, not included above: election board, voter registration, election expense, clerk IV-D (depts 0062, 0010, 0104, 0665), $1.2 million.
A position compares this county with counties of similar size. It is not a grade: for most measures a higher or lower number is neither good nor bad on its own.
Turnout, Nov. 2024 general election · 2024 general
55.9%
Ballots cast as a share of registered voters.
How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low: voters decide whether to vote; the clerk and election board run voting sites and absentee options
Position 8 of 10 counties with 150,000 or more residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)
Absentee and early voting share, Nov. 2024 · 2024 general
47.5%
Absentee ballots, including early in-person votes, as a share of all ballots.
How much this is the officeholder's to decide: partial: the county election board (the clerk plus two party appointees) sets early-voting sites and hours, with unanimity required for satellite sites
Position 9 of 10 counties with 150,000 or more residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)
Registered voters, May 2026 primary · May 2026 primary
124,914
From the Election Division.
Context, not something the officeholder sets: the number of registered voters the office serves
Turnout, May 2026 primary · May 2026 primary
14.8%
Ballots cast as a share of registered voters.
How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low: voters decide whether to vote; the clerk and election board run voting sites and absentee options
Position 5 of 9 counties with 150,000 or more residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)
Court clearance rate · 2025
93.1%
Cases closed as a share of cases filed in 2025, all trial courts (not infractions or ordinance violations).
How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low for the clerk: judges decide cases; the clerk keeps records and dockets
Position 8 of 11 counties with 150,000 or more residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)
Court filings per judicial officer · 2025
2,261
2025 filings per judge or magistrate.
How much this is the officeholder's to decide: low for the clerk: judges decide cases; the clerk keeps records and dockets
Position 2 of 11 counties with 150,000 or more residents that have this figure (1 = highest value)
Democratic
Megan A Graham is the Democratic nominee [11].
Sources for Graham
RepublicanIncumbent
Republican Patricia (Patty) Pickens became Elkhart County clerk in January 2026, chosen by a Republican caucus while she was county auditor [10].
Researched Tuesday, October 13, 2026
This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.