In Virginia, clerks of Circuit Court are elected for eight-year terms and have a range of duties, including making sure the public has access to Circuit Court systems. Deidre D. Martin is the incumbent and is running unopposed for the office of Clerk of Circuit Court for Cumberland County.

Martin has served as Clerk since 2018, after being appointed and then winning the position in a special election that had seven candidates and many write-ins.

Martin was the only candidate certified by the Virginia Department of Elections this year, though voters can write in other candidates’ names if they choose.

Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire based on over 200 responses we received to a voter survey. Martin answered these questions by email in August.

Can you explain what the job of clerk of court is and why you are running?

Deidre D. Martin: I am running for re-election. The Clerk of Court is responsible for over 800 duties in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I love my job and enjoy helping my citizens with their needs.

Has your position ever been contested? Why do you think there aren’t more candidates for these positions in central Virginia?

Martin: I do not have opposition this election year. I did the first time I ran. There were seven candidates the first time I ran in 2018.

What are the biggest challenges facing the office?

Martin: The biggest challenges occur when the state law changes rapidly and the way things need to be done change because of that, without time to install new systems and/or forms etc. for those changes. The Supreme Court is a great asset for the Courts and works diligently to help with all new laws and law changes. 

Do you have any certifications or qualifications you want voters to know about?

Martin: I am a Master Clerk of the Court through the Virginia Circuit Court Clerk’s Association. I also am a Certified Court Manager through the National Center for State Courts. 

More about Cumberland County’s Clerk of Circuit Court

• Deidre D. Martin’s campaign contributions from the Virginia Public Access Project
• A news article about Deidre D. Martin’s candidacy in the 2018 special election in the Farmville Herald
• A news article about the results of the 2018 special election in the Farmville Herald

As you get ready to vote, here are some key dates and links from the Virginia Department of Elections:

• Sept. 22: First day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office.
• Oct. 16: Deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration. You can also register after this date, and on election day, but you will vote with a provisional ballot, could take longer for officials to count because they will verify your eligibility.
• Oct. 27: Deadline to apply for a ballot to be mailed to you. Your request must be received by your local registrar by 5:00 p.m.
• Oct. 28: Voter registration offices open for early voting.
• Nov. 4: The last day of in-person early voting at your registrar.
• Nov. 7: Election Day

Need to know if you’re eligible to vote? Here are resources from the Virginia Department of Elections.