photo by: Elvyn Jones

Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew

Douglas County’s top election officer is seeking to retain his seat for a fifth term in the 2020 election.

Jamie Shew, a Democrat, filed for reelection as the Douglas County clerk earlier this week. He has led the clerk’s office since he was first elected to the position in 2004.

Shew told the Journal-World Friday that he chose to throw his hat in the ring again because he still had more to offer to county residents by serving in the position.

He said the future of elections in light of the coronavirus pandemic would likely be different, and the clerk’s office would need to adapt. Currently, Shew said his office was working to make sure it could protect election workers and voters during in-person voting by providing social-distancing guidelines.

“The next year to next couple of years in elections is where our team is going to need to evolve and advocate for our citizens,” he said. “This year’s election is going to be interesting to run.”

Additionally, Shew said his original focus when he was elected in 2004 was making sure the clerk’s office was transparent and accessible. He said he could continue to improve the office in those areas if reelected. He also wants to work to make sure the office continues to find ways to run more efficiently.

“I still think there are a lot of things that I can provide to help continue leading this team,” he said.

Prior to serving as county clerk, Shew worked in higher education administration and business management, according to his profile on the county website. He currently lives in Lawrence with his wife and three children.

Shew is the only candidate so far to file for the county clerk position. Along with overseeing local, state and federal elections for the county, the clerk’s office also is responsible for county employee payroll, providing some licenses and permits on behalf of the state’s parks and wildlife department, and assisting with homestead and food sales tax forms.

The candidate filing and withdrawal deadline for the 2020 election is June 1, according to information on the county clerk’s website, douglascountyelections.com. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 4.