This year’s report highlights the growing pressures on municipal clerks as their workloads expand, resources remain tight, and public expectations evolve. While clerks are highly experienced—with more than half of respondents having spent more than a decade in local government—their ability to maintain efficiency and transparency is being tested by outdated processes and resource shortages. This long tenure also indicates the need for strong mentorship and knowledge transfer initiatives within local government to prepare a new generation of municipal clerks.
Public engagement remains a challenge, with many municipalities struggling to connect with residents despite advances in digital tools. And while technology adoption is improving, gaps in integration, usability, and support prevent clerks from fully leveraging modern solutions.
To meet these challenges, local governments should invest in clerks as strategic partners, modernize public meeting processes and technology, and implement mentorship and professional development opportunities to ensure the sustainability of the profession and the effectiveness of local governance.
This year’s survey saw broad participation from clerks across the United States and Canada. In total, 457 clerks participated in the survey.
The survey responses indicate that most participants represent small to mid-sized municipalities, with about 35% of respondents working in municipalities with populations between 10,000 – 50,000 residents. 22% of respondents work in municipalities with populations between 3,000 – 10,000, while 16% serve communities with fewer than 3,000 residents. On the larger end of the spectrum, 14% of respondents work in cities with populations exceeding 100,000, and 12% serve municipalities with populations between 50,000 – 100,000.
Experience levels among survey respondents reflect a highly seasoned workforce. 52% of respondents have worked in municipal government for over 10 years, while an additional 23% have 6-10 years of experience. Notably, less than 5% of respondents have less than one year of experience in the profession.
Additionally, the survey data reveal that more than half of city clerks have worked in only one municipality throughout their careers, while 24% have worked in two municipalities and 21% have worked in three or more municipalities.
This suggests that city clerks build long-term careers in local government, accumulating vast institutional knowledge along the way.
