About the Alcona County Clerk's Office
The Alcona County Clerk is an elected officeholder. Stephany Eller serves as County Clerk, and the office runs a unified structure that is common in Michigan. That means the same office keeps county records and also works as the clerk for the local division of the circuit court. Brooke Sommer serves as Circuit Court Clerk, and Trena Somers works as Deputy Clerk. The staff share one counter and one phone line in the downtown Harrisville courthouse.
The County Clerk is the county's chief election official and the keeper of its main civil records. The office issues vital-record copies, takes marriage-license applications, files assumed business names, commissions notaries, records military discharge papers, processes concealed-weapons paperwork, and accepts passport applications. Because so much runs through one desk, a single visit can often settle several needs.
Alcona County Clerk
Clerk: Stephany Eller
106 5th St.
PO Box 308
Harrisville, MI 48740
(989) 724-9410
Fax: (989) 724-9419
clerk@alcona-county.net
Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed noon to 1 p.m.)
What the Alcona County Clerk Handles
The County Clerk wears many hats. Part of the job is records, part is elections, and part is court support. The office does not give legal advice, but it does hold and issue a long list of official papers that county residents need for daily life. Most of these services carry a set fee and a standard form.
- Certified birth, death, and marriage records
- Marriage-license applications for local couples
- Assumed business names and co-partnership certificates
- Notary public commissions and bond filings
- Military discharge and DD-214 recording
- Concealed-weapons paperwork and passport applications
The clerk also maintains the county's Qualified Voter File and posts official election results. That elections role sets the County Clerk apart from a plain records shop.
Vital Records at the County Clerk
Vital records are the office's most-requested files. Birth records reach back to 1869, death records to 1869, and marriage records to 1896. Access rules differ by record type. Birth records are restricted, so only the person named on the record or that person's child may order a copy, and a photo ID is required. Death certificates are public and open to anyone. Marriage records are available for residents who applied for the license in Alcona County when they married.
A quick look at the clerk's official birth, death, and marriage records page shows how the county frames these requests. The county vital-records page lists the fees, the date ranges, and the mailing rules in one place. It explains that each certified copy carries a raised seal, which courts and agencies treat as the valid legal proof.
Turnaround is fast. In-person requests usually take about 5 to 10 minutes at the counter. Mailed requests are typically returned within 1 to 3 business days of receipt. Detailed marriage-record steps and the divorce-file split appear on the county marriage and divorce records page.
Note: Michigan vital-record certification follows MCLA 333.2881 et seq., and every certified copy the clerk issues bears a raised seal.
How to Request a Certified Copy
A certified copy proves a birth, death, or marriage for legal purposes. Plain printouts are not accepted the same way. The clerk uses a raised-seal format that agencies, courts, and employers recognize. The request process is short and works the same whether you visit or mail it in.
- Gather the record details, such as the full name on the record and the date of the event.
- Pick up the vital-record request form at the counter or download it from the clerk's website.
- Confirm you are eligible, since birth records are restricted, death records are public, and marriage records are for local applicants.
- Submit the form with payment in person, or mail it with a self-addressed stamped envelope to PO Box 308, Harrisville, MI 48740.
- Collect the raised-seal copy at the counter, or wait for the mailed return within a few business days.
Vital-Record Request Form Fields
The county's downloadable request form spells out exactly what the clerk needs. It has separate blocks for birth, death, and marriage copies, and the birth block asks for the most detail because of the access limits. Filling every field that applies keeps the request from bouncing back.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Yes | Birth, death, or marriage |
| Number of copies | Yes | First copy $15, each extra $5 |
| Full name on record | Yes | Name at birth for birth records |
| Date of event | Yes | Date of birth, death, or marriage |
| Spouse name and sex | Marriage only | Both parties listed |
| Parent names | Birth only | Both parents named |
| Photo ID acknowledgment | Birth only | Eligibility checkbox required |
| Signature and printed name | Yes | Requester certification |
| Daytime phone | Yes | For questions on the request |
| Mailing address | Yes for mail | Include a stamped return envelope |
Alcona County Clerk Fees
Most clerk services carry a flat fee set by the county or by state law. Copy fees are the same across birth, death, and marriage records. Business and notary filings have their own fixed amounts. Paying the correct fee up front keeps the request moving.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| First certified vital-record copy | $15 |
| Each additional copy, same record, same order | $5 |
| Assumed name or co-partnership filing, renewal, or dissolution | $10 |
| Notary commission filing fee | $10 |
| Notary surety bond (purchased separately) | $10,000 |
The clerk also collects a state fee on the notary side. After filing the bond, the applicant sends the signed application to the State of Michigan with a separate $10 check or money order.
Assumed Names and Business Filings
Anyone who owns or runs a business in Alcona County under a name other than their own must file that name with the County Clerk. State law requires the filing on county forms. The office handles assumed names, also called DBAs, and co-partnership certificates for shared ventures.
The clerk's business-name page walks through the rules and links the forms. The assumed-name and co-partnership page explains that the filing fee is $10, that the office issues two certified copies of the certificate, and that the certificate stays valid for five years.
Signature rules differ by type. Assumed-name filings need a notarized signature. Co-partnership filings need every owner's signature, but only one signature must be notarized. Owners should tell the clerk if the main business address changes or the business closes.
Notary Commissions in Alcona County
The County Clerk also starts the notary public process. A notary witnesses signatures and verifies identity on legal papers. Michigan runs the commission through both the county and the state, and the clerk handles the local step.
To qualify, an applicant must be at least 18, a Michigan resident, and a resident of Alcona County. The clerk's notary page lays out the full path in plain steps. The notary public page explains the bond, the filing fee, and the term length.
The applicant buys a $10,000 bond, files it with the County Clerk along with a $10 filing fee, and completes the application. The clerk signs it, and the applicant then mails it to the State of Michigan with a separate $10 payment. The state sends the commission straight to the applicant, and it is valid for six to seven years.
Note: The notary bond protects the public against errors, and it is a separate purchase from the two $10 fees paid to the county and the state.
Alcona County Military Discharge Records
Veterans and their families often need a copy of a military discharge, known as a DD-214. The County Clerk records these papers and helps route access requests. Recording a discharge with the county gives veterans a local, safe copy to fall back on.
The clerk's dedicated page covers how the county handles these records. The military discharge and DD-214 page is the starting point for veterans who filed a discharge with Alcona County. Access is limited to protect the veteran's personal data.
The reviewed county sources do not publish a separate fee schedule for DD-214 handling. Veterans who need a copy should call the clerk's office first to confirm what proof and forms the counter requires.
Elections and the Alcona County Voter File
The County Clerk is the county's chief election official. That role covers far more than records. The clerk maintains the Qualified Voter File, supports township clerks, and posts official results after each vote.
The clerk's election pages hold the voter-facing details. The election and voter information page connects residents with registration guidance, ballot details, and polling facts for Alcona County.
Official results are posted after every county election, so voters can confirm outcomes from the same office that ran the vote. The election role is a reminder that the County Clerk is a hub for civic records, not just personal ones.
The Circuit Court Clerk Role
Michigan's unified clerk structure gives the County Clerk a second job. The office also serves as the clerk for the Alcona division of the circuit court. Brooke Sommer works as Circuit Court Clerk on the same office team, and the same phone line reaches both functions.
That link matters for anyone tracking a court case. Certified case papers, judgments, and filings for the local circuit court run through the clerk's office. Broader case-search options and record types appear on the county court records page, which covers the statewide search path as well.
FOIA Requests Through the County Clerk
The County Clerk is also the intake point for county public-records requests under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act. FOIA covers county government records that are not court files. Court records instead follow Michigan Court Rule 8.119, so the two paths are separate.
Michigan's FOIA policy sits in MCL 15.231, which presumes records are open, while MCL 15.243 lists the exemptions a public body may claim. The county accepts written, faxed, emailed, and even verbal requests.
Requests can be mailed or delivered to the Alcona County Clerk at 106 5th Street, PO Box 308, Harrisville, MI 48740, faxed to (989) 724-9419, or emailed to clerk@alcona-county.net. The county responds within 5 business days and may extend that by 10 more. A deposit may be required when the estimated cost tops $50.
Note: Court case files are not answered through county FOIA, so requests for judicial records should go to the clerk's court side or the statewide case-search system instead.