Lake County Ceremony, School Tour, Ordering Vital Records, Solicitor Registration, Statement of Economic Interests, Hint of History, Friday Night Hours

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News from the Lake County Clerk

May 2017

Planning a Lake County Ceremony?

Marriage and Civil Union License

Per the poem, couples traditionally collected five items for their ceremony to ensure happiness and long life together.

Something old represents continuity,
Something new offers optimism for the future,
Something borrowed symbolizes borrowed happiness,
Something blue stands for purity, love, and fidelity, and
A sixpence in your shoe is a wish for good fortune and prosperity, although this remains largely a British custom.

To have a ceremony in Lake County, couples must:

  • Appear in-person and together at our office
  • Be 18 years of age or older
        (16 and 17-year-olds may marry with written parental consent)
  • Be single and free to marry
  • Present valid identification with name as it will appear on the license
  • Proof of age
  • Obtain license at least one day before ceremony
  • Provide ending date and place of previous legal relationship
        (If date is within 6 months, must provide a certified copy of the order)

Fees

  • $35 for license
  • $10 first certified copy
  • $4 each additional copy

 Acceptable forms of identification and more information


Office Tour by Howe Elementary Students

Howe Elementary School

We welcomed 70 fifth graders from Howe Elementary School to our office for a visit. The students learned about property taxes, examined interesting historical birth and marriage records, and used real voting equipment to choose their favorite car and ice cream flavor.

We loved having them here.

To arrange a tour of the clerk's office for your school or youth group, contact Linda Musak at lmusak@lakecountyil.gov or 847.377.2312.


Avoid the Online Vital Record Ordering Scam

County Clerk Wyckoff advises against using expensive online services that offer to act as agents for expediting your vital certificate applications as you can obtain the same record from our office at a much lower cost.

Those entitled to obtain certified or genealogical copies should order Lake County birth, death, marriage, or civil union records safely and securely from our office. Some online vendors charge ten times more than our published fees and ultimately send your order to us to be fulfilled. Protect your wallet and identity by ordering directly from us.

Here's more information...


Solicitor Registration

Spring is the time for daffodils, warmer weather, and sales people at your front door. Solicitors seeking door-to-door purchases or orders are required to comply with a County Board adopted ordinance when working in unincorporated Lake County.

Each solicitor must:

  • Appear in person and register annually with our office. Registration is free.
  • Work only between the hours of 11 am and 7 pm.
  • Carry his/her own Certificate of Registration bearing the sales person’s name, employer’s name, manufacturer’s name, type of business, and an embossed seal.
  • Observe “No Solicitation” signs.
  • Respect occupant’s request if asked to leave.

Residents should ask to see the vendor’s certificate and report any violations to the Lake County Sheriff’s office (847.549.5200) where fines and penalties can be enforced.

This ordinance applies only to unincorporated Lake County and provides exemptions for religious groups, candidates, and minors under the age of eighteen who participate in fundraising activities. If you live within municipal or village borders, check with your local officials for your specific ordinances.

Solicitor Registration Information and Application


Congratulations to the Winning Candidates in April’s Election

Per The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act, any local government official who has the authority to authorize expenditures of public funds, execute contracts, and issue licenses or permits is required to file a Statement of Economic Interests. The winning candidates in April’s election must comply with this law and submit their forms to our office by May 31 to avoid any penalties and late fees.

Notification has already been sent to the newly elected officials offering the option of filing a paper form or online.

More information on filing


Hint of History

Memorial Day began as Decoration Day in 1868 and paid tribute to Civil War soldiers by adorning their graves with flowers. Currently, we know this American holiday as a time to remember all the U.S. military men and women who gave their lives while protecting our freedom.

To honor today’s heroes, attendees at the recent Zion Senior Resource Day wrote thank you cards to the WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans scheduled to be on the next Lake County Honor Flight. These heartfelt messages were distributed during the troop’s in-flight mail call while returning home from Washington, D.C. 

Words cannot describe our gratitude to all the veterans.

Zion Senior Resource Day

Office Hours for May 2017

Our office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm.

On Fridays not before a holiday weekend, we offer extended evening hours. Here's our schedule for May 2017:

May 5, 12, 19    Friday - 8:30 am to 7 pm
May 26             Friday - 8:30 am to 5 pm
May 29             Monday - Closed for Memorial Day holiday observance


Carla N. Wyckoff, Lake County Clerk
18 N. County Street, Room 101
Waukegan, IL 60085
847.377.2400

CountyClerk@lakecountyil.gov

LakeCountyClerk.info