Meet Mickey:
Putting Erie County First

Michael “Mickey” Kearns currently serves as Erie County Clerk. As an experienced elected official, Mickey has a proven track record of putting people before politics. In his role as Erie County Clerk, he prioritizes excellent customer service, efficiency and strong leadership. Mickey has always made it his mission to stand up for taxpayers.

After earning his B.A. in Political Science from Canisius College, Michael “Mickey” Kearns entered public service as a sanitation worker for the City of Buffalo. He credits this period of his life for teaching him the value of hard work, honesty and dedication to one’s family, friends, neighbors and community.

He went on to work in the private sector at one of Buffalo’s largest law firms, during which time he balanced a full course load in paralegal studies at Erie Community College. After serving a two-year term as Chief of Staff to a Buffalo Council Member, Mickey returned to the private sector and worked his way up the ladder to Vice President of Kearns & Associates. There, he guided not-for-profits, parishes, educational institutions and healthcare providers, while seeing first-hand the struggles that small business owners face and the importance of not-for-profits in the communities they serve.

Despite having a successful career in the private sector, Mickey decided that he could no longer sit on the sidelines and watch a government that he felt was no longer serving the people it worked for. In 2005, he ran for Buffalo Council Member for the City of Buffalo. As a City of Buffalo Common Council Member, Mickey developed a reputation for tackling difficult issues head-on, and provided an independent voice for constituents on all ends of the political spectrum.

In March of 2012, Mickey was elected in a special election to the New York State Assembly. As a member of the NYS Assembly, Mickey amassed an impressive record of accomplishments. Most notably, he took on corruption in Albany when he challenged former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. As someone whose brother has special needs, Mickey understands the importance of standing up for those who cannot stand on their own. Mickey was successful in his fight against Governor Cuomo’s plan to close down the Western New York Children’s Psychiatric Center. In every position he serves, he continues to be a voice for people who need it the most.

His latest endeavor as Erie County Clerk has been the filling of a lawsuit against Governor Cuomo’s “Green Light Bill,” which grants drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. Among Mickey’s major ongoing initiatives are his S.A.L.U.T.E.S. Program, Clerks Wellness Collaborative (CWC), and ALERT Program to fight “Zombie Homes.” In a short time as Erie County Clerk, he also stopped oppressive creditors from recording Confessions of Judgment, dramatically cut down wait times at the DMV and implemented an appointment system in an effort to improve the process to obtain a pistol permit.

Mickey Kearns is not your average politician. He always goes above and beyond to serve his constituents and make a difference in the community. A lifelong resident of Erie County, Mickey’s roots are important to him and for this reason, he will never stop fighting for the citizens of Western New York.