Joe Giralo, who was elected to succeed former Clerk Ed McGettigan on Nov. 2, has announced new initiatives for the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office, including changing the office layout at the Historic Atlantic County Courthouse in Mays Landing to include an Election Department.
Giralo said he plans to “restore integrity” to the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office through effective leadership and direct communication with Atlantic County residents.
“We’re going to have a full-time dedicated election department which is something this office did not have previously,” Giralo said in a statement. “We will be cross-training staff so they can push in and out of multiple roles to fit the needs of the community, such as around election deadlines when the office experiences increased workloads. We’re also reconfiguring our space to meet the needs of our staff and ensure an effective workflow.”
His initiatives include an aggressive marketing campaign to inform voters how they can opt-out of receiving a vote-by-mail ballot.
“Voters are entitled to a choice, and my office will make sure that anyone who wants to opt-out of an vote-by-mail ballot can do so via mail, in person or electronically,” Giralo said.
Giralo also plans to restore matrimonial ceremonies as a free service of the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office. Marriages will be conducted at both the Mays Landing and Atlantic City locations by appointment. Giralo also pledged to be available for ceremonies in person if needed.
Giralo also plans to establish a satellite office in Atlantic City that will provide 100% of the services offered in Mays Landing with the exception of elections. Election services will be handled exclusively at the main office in Mays Landing. Giralo also plans Saturday hours for the Mays Landing office.
“We’re working with the bargaining unit to put Saturday hours into place in the next few months,” he said. “We’ll also be implementing an outreach plan to take our services into communities at local events, to improve our connection to the community. Specific to election services, those will only take place in Mays Landing and I will be personally involved in those processes along with my management team to ensure faith in our processes.”
Giralo noted that the Clerk’s Office has had very little visibility in the community. He plans to develop a custom plan for communication with title agencies, banks and other businesses that regularly interact with the Clerk’s Office, as well as for the general public.
“We’re going to meet people where we can connect with them, whether that’s in person at a church BBQ, via LinkedIN for the business community, or at a kitchen table in the western end of the county. My team and I have a plan we will put in place in the next 90 days to ensure anyone who needs our services can access them quickly,” he said.
Giralo also said he is conducting a listening tour with local officials to see what gaps his office can fill.
“I plan to make our office a resource for victims of identity theft. I plan to work with local police agencies, the County Prosecutor, State Police and our federal partners to ensure the Atlantic County Clerk is a secure source of advice on how to combat identity theft, especially for our at-risk populations,” he said.
A lifelong resident of Hammonton, Giralo led the Hammonton Board of Education for nearly a decade and served several terms as member of the Town Council. He is a graduate of Stockton University and worked as Housing Program Administrator for the Atlantic County Improvement Authority.
