Fresno County promotes from within for next elections chief. Some wanted an outsider
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors appointed a county employee to take over as county clerk on Tuesday despite some calls to appoint an outsider.
The board unanimously appointed James Kus as county clerk and registrar of voters to replace Brandi Orth, who will retire at the end of the month. Kus is the assistant county clerk and has been full-time in the department for four years.
Kus was the handpicked replacement recommended by Orth, a 27-year county employee who announced an unexpected retirement to care for her ailing mother on the East Coast.
“(Kus) is nonpartisan, he’s been with the elections office for many years and he’ll do an excellent job,” Orth said on Tuesday.
Kus takes over on March 1 pending a routine background check, according to county employees. He takes over Orth’s election term which is up again in 2022.
Kus thanked the board for his appointment. “They see the importance of experience and election knowledge and recognize that this is a job. This isn’t a political position,” Kus told The Bee. “My focus is running the office and ensuring the integrity of elections.”
He said he started volunteering with the elections department about 18 years ago. The new clerk studied epidemiology and biological statistics, he said, attending graduate school at Johns Hopkins University.
Before the supervisors voted in closed session, Kus gained vocal support from some members of the public speaking at the meeting. Several others called for someone from outside the department who they said could bring a new way of operating the department.
Some expressed concerns over voter fraud, including ballots that go to deceased voters or redundant ballots sent to those who have moved. County officials have noted there have been no examples of voter fraud confirmed in Fresno County in recent memory.
Kus said the department pays close attention to voter rolls and follows the state’s legal standards. “There’s no issue with voter fraud in Fresno County,” he said.
Supervisor Steve Brandau said the board will ask Kus to take up educational efforts to ease the minds of voters, as well as come up with a plan to address any potential voter fraud.
“We heard a lot of concerns from the public,” Brandau said.
Along with elections, the clerk provides services related to marriage licenses and ceremonies, fictitious business names, passport applications and the Fresno County Records Management program. The clerk position is paid $137,706 annually, according to the county’s salary schedule.
Kus’ first election as registrar comes next week on March 2, when Clovis City Council elections are on the ballot.
This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 11:39 AM.
