Henry to resign as Clerk of Court; was first Black countywide elected official

Henry said the decision to resign, effective Dec. 31, was difficult but the right one.

“I am proud to have been able to serve the public and improve the service by offering multiple cashiers, making forms available online, supporting the record-sealing and expungement clinics as well as shortening the process of jurors that serve in the municipal court to name a few,” Henry said. “This position has been a dream opportunity for me and words cannot expressed my gratitude to the citizens of Clark County as well as my team that worked hard to make it a history-making reality.”

Henry’s term expires at the end of 2025. Once she steps down, Municipal Court judges will appoint an interim replacement, said Clark County Democratic Party Chair Austin Smith.

The Democratic Party will then meet in January to appoint a replacement for the rest of 2025, Smith said. A clerk will be elected to a new term by county residents in the November 2025 election.

Henry threw her hat into the ring to be appointed clerk when former clerk Guy Ferguson died, as she had experience in both the municipal and common pleas courts. She was owner and deputy registrar of the Ohio License Bureau South for 20 years, and she also served as deputy clerk of the Clark County Common Pleas Court.

Henry won her seat in November with an overwhelming majority of 66% of the vote.

She told the News-Sun previously that she ran the court through a customer service lens.

Smith commended Henry for her service to the county.

“Sheila has provided decades of service to this community and we are thankful for the work that she has done to carry on Guy Ferguson’s legacy,” Smith said. “We are happy that she is entering this period of retirement and where she can begin to focus on her family and we thank her for her service. We’re excited to have a dedicated public servant fill her shoes after her.”