Anyone in Orange County who has needed to get a marriage license, request birth or death records, register the name of their business or record the sale of property has probably dealt with the county Clerk-Recorder’s Office.

The person who runs that office is elected by voters, and three people, including the incumbent, are hoping to win the post in the June 7 primary.

Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen, who was appointed to the job in 2013 and has since won election twice, faces challengers Sandy Kimble, a grocery cashier and Realtor, and educational publisher and writer Steve Rocco.

Here are some details about the candidates, based on their answers to questions submitted by the Register.

Sandy Kimble

Her background: Kimble, 56, is a longtime Orange County resident and first-time candidate for public office who lives in Yorba Linda with her family. She said she’s honed her skills in customer service, bookkeeping and management working at a supermarket for almost four decades. She has also been a Realtor since 2005.

Why she’s running: “I am running for County Clerk-Recorder because I feel every part of my life experience has led me to this position. I truly believe I can bring a practical, everyday sense to this county position, expeditiously and effectively performing tasks on behalf of all Orange County residents.”

How she would help residents: “I would like to improve the online user experience by implementing an option for live chat to assist the user with their basic questions. From what I’ve experienced, many user questions are standard and can be answered via chat, eliminating call volume and wait times.”

Hugh Nguyen

His background: Nguyen, 54, lives in Santa Ana with his family and has worked for the county for 28 years. After starting in the Clerk-Recorder’s Office in 1994, he worked his way up to the executive level, then shifted gears in 2006 and became assistant clerk for the Board of Supervisors. He was appointed clerk-recorder in 2013, and has since been elected twice to four-year terms.

Why he’s running: “I want to continue to serve the public in this capacity and will provide cost effective services with high levels of customer satisfaction. I am running for re-election because of my leadership and over 22 years experience at the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Office.”

How he would help residents: Nguyen won several awards for his creative program offering outdoor marriage services during the pandemic, and he recently lowered passport photo fees by $3, he said. He pledged to keep fees for document recording and marriage ceremonies low, to serve the public at branch offices and on Saturdays, and to expand online services.

Steve Rocco

His background: Rocco listed himself on the ballot as an educational publisher and writer, but did not provide any other information. He served a four-year term as an Orange Unified School District trustee after being elected in 2004, and has since run for offices including Santa Ana City Council, county supervisor and the county Board of Education.

Rocco could not be contacted by email or phone and did not respond to the questionnaire left at his home by the Register.

If no one candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in June, the top two votegetters will proceed to a runoff in November.

Related Articles