Except as provided in section 22-417, (1) each county having a population of more than three thousand five hundred inhabitants and having more than one thousand two hundred tax returns in any tax year shall have an elected county assessor and (2) each other county shall have an elected county assessor or shall have the county clerk serve as county assessor as determined by the registered voters of the county in accordance with section 32-519.

The county assessor shall work full time and his or her office shall be separate from that of the county clerk except in counties which do not elect a full-time assessor.

For purposes of sections 23-3201 to 23-3210, county assessor shall mean a county assessor or a county clerk who is the ex officio county assessor. For the performance of the duties as county assessor, the county clerk shall receive such additional salary as may be fixed by the county board.