Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough hospitalized for 'serious medical condition'

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough is in the hospital being treated for a medical condition her spokesperson described as serious but did not elaborate upon on Tuesday, citing the family’s wishes for privacy.

The 73-year-old Maywood Democrat “has been hospitalized with a serious medical condition and is currently undergoing medical treatment,” said Sally Daly, the deputy clerk of communications, in an emailed statement. “Her family is requesting privacy, and we ask for prayers for the Clerk and her family at this difficult time.”

Daly did not share when Yarbrough was hospitalized or what the condition is. Chief Deputy Clerk Cedric Giles is managing the office’s day-to-day responsibilities in the meantime, Daly said.

Yarbrough is the first Black person and first woman to serve as Cook County clerk. She has served in elected office for over two decades, including as the Cook County recorder of deeds and a state representative.

She’s also active in Democratic Party politics, working for both the Cook County Democratic Party and Democratic Party of Illinois. She is a Democratic committeeperson representing west suburban Proviso Township for the Cook County party, where she is also the treasurer. She’s a member of the state central committee for the Illinois party.

Yarbrough has said helping people is what she finds most exciting about elective office and her party positions.

“I think people get energy from other people,” Yarbrough told the Sun-Times in a 2020 interview.

Ashley Rezin/Sun-Times

But her tenure has not been without criticism.

Yarbrough has been scrutinized for her close party ties. A government watchdog accused Yarbrough of “an illegal patronage employment system,” leading to a federal monitor being ordered for the clerk’s office.

She has previously said the allegations against her are “purely personal” and last year a judge released her from court oversight of hiring and promotions in her office.

She told the Sun-Times in 2020 that she doesn’t blur the lines.

“I walk the line,” Yarbrough said. “I know what my job is, I do my job, and I don’t mix the politics with my job.”

But she clearly relishes her political roles.

When the Democratic National Convention had to go virtual in 2020 during pandemic lockdown, Yarbrough was a source of energy on Illinois delegation Zoom calls, offering enthusiastic waves and cheers for her fellow Democrats.

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“I think we all want what Karen’s having,” then Mayor Lori Lightfoot joked during one of the calls.

Yarbrough’s duties as clerk include overseeing elections and safeguarding birth, marriage and death certificates and other public county records.

She normally presides over Cook County’s first marriage of the year, carrying on the tradition that started during David Orr’s time as county clerk. But she missed this year’s ceremony because she was out sick, her spokesperson said at the time. It is not clear if her current health issues are related to the January illness.

During her 2022 reelection campaign, Yarbrough touted her efforts to modernize the voting process in the clerk’s elections unit by adding new touch screen equipment and introducing a new voter registration and election management system.

She trounced Republican challenger Tony Peraica, 71.6% to 26.3%.

Lou Foglia; Brian Rich/Sun-Times-file

in her role overseeing elections in suburban Cook, Yarbrough worked with community colleges to engage young voters and advocated for voting rights of the incarcerated by supporting legislation to make Cook County Jail a polling place in Illinois. She also expanded the number of languages ballots are printed in from five to 12.

“We’re committed to making sure everybody has access to the ballot, and if they can see that ballot in their own native tongue, that goes a long way,” Yarbrough said.

She told the Sun-Times at the time the “guiding mission of her office was accuracy, efficiency and advocacy.”