Linh Nguyen

Race: DeKalb County Clerk

Party: Democratic

Experience: Instructor of computational chemistry at NIU, former president of League of Women Voters DeKalb County Ill.

Education:

Doctorate – Duquesne University, chemistry

Master’s degree – University of Oklahoma, chemistry

Bachelor’s degree – University of Oklahoma, chemistry

Associate’s degree – Oklahoma City Community College, science

Major issues:

“I think election authorities create confusion and intimidation regarding student residency when they attend college to create barriers to vote for students attending college,” said Nguyen.

“I am running for county clerk because I want to ensure free and fair elections in DeKalb county,” said Nguyen.

“Because of my PhD training in computational chemistry, I’m trained to generate, process and store massive amounts of data,” said Nguyen. “So I can take a look at the (county clerk) system, I can vet the third-party vendors that we use, streamline the record search and make everything easier to navigate.”

What matters most:

“One thing I value so much is democracy, and the freedom to make decisions for yourself and your family,” said Nguyen. “I didn’t have that where I came from. So when I got here, I realized how wonderful this democratic world is where you have the freedom to make decisions on your own.”

Interview conducted by Colin Kempsell, news editor.

Tasha Sims

Race: DeKalb County Clerk

Party: Republican

Experience:

Worked in DeKalb county Clerk’s Office for 15 years, cross-trained in all five departments of the Clerk’s office, and County Administrations office for 9 years.

Education:

Diploma – Sycamore High School

Associates – Kishwaukee Community College, office systems

Major issues:

“From day one I have had that experience already,” Sims said. “So, I know why things are done the way they are, and I know why things are not done the way they are. I bring knowledge of not only the clerk’s office but all of the county government. The knowledge of how all the units of government work together, how the county works, how the clerk’s office works and my experience I believe sets me apart from anybody else.”

What matters most:

“Something that I can’t always express is how much I care about the (county clerk) office,” Sims said. “This office has been like a second home to me for the past 15 years. I care about the staff, I care about the quality of work that comes out of the office and I want to make sure the county residents can trust what’s coming out of the office and that we are providing the best service possible.”

Interview conducted by Eddie Drinkwine, senior news reporter.