Loading your ballot results. Please wait.
Loading your ballot results. Please wait.
Clerk of the Circuit Court · Kent County · 2026 Primary
The Clerk of the Circuit Court serves as the chief record-keeper for the county, managing all court documents for civil and criminal cases as well as property deeds and land records. This official is also responsible for issuing marriage and business licenses and swearing in various public officials. By overseeing these administrative functions, the Clerk ensures that legal records are accurately maintained and that essential government services are accessible to the public.
View all candidates in this raceSherise L. Kennard is a Kent County native and current Clerk of the Circuit Court, seeking re-election in 2026. A Democrat, Kennard began her career in the Kent County Circuit Court Clerk's Office in 1993 and devoted over two decades to the office, rising through the ranks to become Chief Deputy Clerk in 2015 under the late Clerk Mark Mumford. On May 1, 2020, she was sworn in as Clerk of the Circuit Court upon Mumford's retirement, becoming the first woman and first African American to hold the position in Kent County's history. She has completed the Maryland Judiciary's Institute for Court Management four-year certification program and was elected to a full term in 2022. She and her husband James "Buck" Kennard reside in Chestertown.