I want to thank The Hammonton Gazette for giving me the opportunity to write a monthly column on the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office and what is new or will be happening in the office.
As a quick history lesson, I was elected to the office of Atlantic County Clerk in the General Election of 2021. Prior to that election, I was employed by the Atlantic County Improvement Authority/Atlantic County Government where I handled housing programs for homeowners—first time home buyers, CDGB grants as well as loans to businesses for the past 36 years.
All of those prior experiences have prepared me for a job and duties that are now before me. I have been asked time and time again for the past year “what exactly does the clerk’s office do?” The clerk’s office is one of three constitutional offices in the county. Each of the 21 counties in New Jersey have a sheriff, surrogate and clerk.
I am responsible for the administration of a broad range of services offered by the county clerk’s office.These duties include and are not limited to the supervision of the filing and recording of all documents affecting real estate ownership/transfer throughout Atlantic County.
This includes deeds, mortgages, notices of settlements, federal tax liens. Last year the clerk’s office recorded more than 100,000 documents that were related to real estate transactions. Approximately 75 percent of these documents were submitted thru E-File (electronically) and the remaining 25 percent were submitted the old fashioned way of paper copy. The office also does passport services. This service along with notary swearing in are offered at both our Mays Landing office as well as our Atlantic City office.
Applying for a passport renewal or new passport are taking longer than normal for a returned document. If you are looking to travel and need a renewal or a passport, one word of advice is to plan ahead. Our office also conducts the swearing in of notaries.
In a future clerk perspectives I will be addressing the new regulations of how to become a notary as well as all of the responsibilities that the clerk’s office has to do with five district, primary and general elections.
As always if you have questions please contact the clerk’s office at (609) 625-7000.
Joseph Giralo
Atlantic County Clerk
Mays Landing