BELLEVILLE – St. Clair County circuit clerk Kahalah Clay resigned her position effective Nov. 30.
“I look forward to my future,” she said on Nov. 9.
Clay took the position by appointment in 2011, and won a full term as a Democrat without a Republican opponent in 2012.
She succeeded Brendan Kelly, who went on to become St. Clair County State’s Attorney, and then onto Illinois State Police superintendent after Gov. JB Pritzker took office.
In the 2016 general election, Clay defeated Dallas Cook by a slim margin, 58,799 to 57,476.
She defeated Jason Madlock in 2020, by 65,722 to 57,797.
“I’ll be forever grateful to the wonderful citizens for believing in me and allowing me to serve as their circuit clerk for ten years,” she said.
“I’m thankful to my staff. We accomplished and overcame a lot together.
“I learned and gained so much. It has really been a blessing.”
The state association of court clerks elected her as president, and the Supreme Court appointed her to committees on access to justice and pretrial reform.
She was born in East St. Louis, daughter of late fire chief Bruce Hill and Reola Hill.
She graduated from East St. Louis Lincoln High and the University of Illinois.
She earned a law degree at Indiana University.
Prior to her appointment as clerk she worked as an assistant state’s attorney.
She and husband William Clay, an associate judge, have three children.
St. Clair County board chairman Mark Kern, Democrat, will nominate Clay’s successor, which will require approval by a 29-member board.