Karen Yarbrough DEMDemocrat

Karen Yarbrough was an American politician who served as the Cook County Clerk from 2018 until her death in 2024. Yarbrough served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013, and as Cook County Recorder of Deeds from 2012 to 2018. She briefly served as the interim chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois after long-time chair Michael Madigan resigned from the position in February 2021. Elected to the office of Cook County Clerk on November 6, 2018, she was the first woman and African American to hold the position. She held the position until her death in April 2024.