Kane County Clerk John A. Cunningham recently was awarded a Commitment to Service Award by the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Zone IV for public service commitment and dedication.

The award was presented during a ceremony Oct. 23 in Rockford.

“It is a privilege to recognize Jack for his unwavering service and leadership. His work is a true reflection of the values this award represents. The Commitment to Service Award honors Clerks and Recorders who “exemplify integrity, leadership, and dedication in serving their constituents,” the association said in a news release.

“Recipients are recognized not only for the essential duties of record keeping and elections administration, but also for their commitment to safeguarding democracy and strengthening public trust,” Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Zone IV President and Putnam County Clerk and Recorder Tina Dolder also said in the news release.

Cunningham has served as the Kane County Clerk since 2002. His office’s accomplishments include modernizing the election system and improving voter access. Cunningham’s office also was recognized as one of the United States the top 10 election authorities. The clerk’s office was named a Center for Election Excellence by the nonpartisan U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence in 2022.

“I was honored for the award as being one of the top 10 election authorities in the United States, but I am even more honored when surrounding election authorities honor our office,” Cunningham said in the news release.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Zone IV represents Kane, Cook, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Boone, Henry, Winnebago, Will, Stephenson, Jo Davies, Carroll, Stark, Ogle, DeKalb, DuPage, Kendall, Putnam, Grundy, LaSalle, Bureau, Whiteside, Rock Island, and Mercer counties.

“Many of the County Clerks from the surrounding area come to our office to see how we operate because of our state-of-the-art equipment. The award actually goes to our office staff,” Cunningham also said in the news release.

“I come up with the ideas and they basically implement them. I am extremely proud of the staff we have developed over the years.”