Mark Church Bio
Mark Church was elected San Mateo County’s Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer in 2010 and assumed office on January 3, 2011. His experience as a Mayor and County Supervisor combined with his legal background make him uniquely qualified to manage the diverse operations of the office. He offers a legacy of leadership, professional experience and knowledge. Mark Church is committed to ensuring that the office continue its tradition of excellence, efficiency and productivity.
Mark Church is a third-generation Californian, born and raised in San Mateo County. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Pacific, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, and holds a Juris Doctor Degree from McGeorge School of Law.
Church served on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors (2001-2011) representing District 1. Prior to that, he served as Mayor and Councilman of the City of Millbrae.
In his role as Chief Elections Officer, he has worked to make elections efficient, transparent, and accessible. Under his leadership, San Mateo County became recognized as a leader in the field of Elections throughout the State of California.
San Mateo County was the first county in the State to conduct a countywide, local consolidated All-Mailed Ballot Election under the authority of AB 2028. The November 3, 2015 All-Mailed Ballot Election was a complete success increasing voter turnout amongst all groups, particularly youth and language minority voters. The election also resulted in significant cost savings for cities, schools and special districts and led to the passage of California’s landmark legislation, the California Voter’s Choice Act (SB 450). The All-Mailed Ballot/Vote Center Election model authorized by the Act will fundamentally change the manner in which elections will ultimately be conducted for all Californians.
San Mateo County also became the first county in the State to develop an Accessible Vote by Mail System (AVBM) to ensure that visually impaired and disabled voters have equal access to the electoral process.
As County Assessor, Church has been at the helm of one of the strongest and most diverse Assessment Rolls in the State of California. The County’s Assessment Roll is the ninth largest in the state with an assessed value of over $200 billion. Over 60 million square feet of new, large scale commercial development is projected over the next five years. In order to meet the increasing demands of this growth, Church has championed the implementation of new and innovative approaches to maximize efficiencies, productivity and customer service.
He led the effort to replace the department’s aging legacy systems and infrastructure with state-of-the-art technologies and tools. Those include the development of a modern Assessor Property Assessment System (APAS), an advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) and a powerful cutting edge responsive Website to serve customer needs 24/7. These technologies allow the public to use their PCs, tablets and mobile devices to access services at their convenience.
In his role as County Clerk-Recorder, he introduced major technology enhancements to improve operations and customer service. The electronic recording system was upgraded and a self-service kiosk was installed, reducing customer wait times and improving efficiency. These systems improve the ease of recording and retrieval of land and vital records by the public.
Church’s customer service philosophy can be summed up with the Department’s motto, “People First.” His fundamental belief is that the sole purpose of government is to serve the people.
The Department’s Strategic Plan 2020 is reflective of that belief and defines the mission, vision and values of the Department. The Plan is the Department’s roadmap for the future and serves as the foundation for all budget and operational decisions.
Mark Church resides with his wife and children in San Mateo County. He is the son of Marvin Church, a former Millbrae Mayor and City Councilman (1958-1966), who went on to serve as San Mateo County Clerk–Recorder and Chief Elections Officer for two decades (1967-1987).