Springfield Conference, Online Genealogy Search, Ordering Genealogy Copies, Election Workers Needed, Tax Liens, Change in Friday Evening Hours, Community Forum Interview, National Voter Registration Day, Christopher Columbus Observance, October Office Hours

Lake County, Illinois sent this bulletin at 10/07/2019 09:50 AM CDT

October 2019

Springfield Conference in September

In September, Clerk Robin O’Connor and Chief Deputy Todd Govain attended the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders Annual Meeting and Conference held in Springfield, Illinois. Topics of cybersecurity, new election legislation, technology solutions, and grants were presented by prominent representatives from Homeland Security, Illinois State Board of Elections, the Public Access Bureau, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD).

"It was a very informative and valued event which deepened my appreciation for the challenges many Illinois counties will face as technology gets more sophisticated. The conference provided many tools and relevant information that county clerks and recorders need to provide safe, trusted elections and secure services for our citizens," says O'Connor.

Online Genealogy Records Search

Our birth, death, and marriage online record index was compiled from microfilmed and paper indexes of the very oldest Lake County records prior to January 1, 1916. Records newer than January 1, 1916 are not included in this index.

To begin your search, select a record type and enter a last name (at least 5 letters are required if searching a partial name). The first name and date/year are optional. If more than 20 records are found, only the first 20 will be shown.

Ordering Genealogical Copies

To qualify for genealogy status:

Marriage and birth records must be at least 75 years old.
Death records must be at least 20 years old.

Genealogy copies are

Not certified,
Labeled "For Genealogical Purposes Only," and
Are $4 per copy.

To order a genealogical record found in your search, fill out the form by clicking on the appropriate link below. Send the completed form to the Clerk's office along with your payment and appropriate identification. If payment is made by credit card, additional charges will apply. Our contact information is indicated on each form making it easy to mail your request to us. Please include the record number on the form.

Note: there may be duplicate entries for the same record as the early records were handwritten, and many are difficult to read. In these cases, there may be duplicate entries for different possible interpretations.

Didn't find what you are looking for? Review our website's listings of many other helpful references and online resources.

Or, contact our Vital Records Department by emailing or calling 847.377.2400.

Election Workers Get Paid!

For the March 2020 General Primary Election, almost 2000 workers will be needed to staff Lake County's Election Day voting sites for processing voters and ensuring the proper, lawful conduct of the election.

Pay is based on Election Day assignment - $$$$.
Work in your precinct or another Lake County voting site.
Only Lake County registered voters may apply.
English/Spanish speaking applicants encouraged.
Required training is free and begins in November 2019.

To apply or get more information, contact the Lake County Clerk’s Election Judge Department:

Call 847.377.2408
Visit ElectionJudge.info
Email ElectionJudge@lakecountyil.gov

2018 Taxes are Being Added to Existing Tax Liens on Delinquent Properties

If you still owe property taxes from previous years and those taxes have been sold, there is a tax lien on your property. The time may have already run out for you to pay your current year’s taxes (tax year 2018) separately from the prior years’ sold taxes. From September 25^th to November 15^th, tax lien holders have the option of buying the current outstanding taxes and adding them to their existing tax lien at a 12% annual penalty.

This is called “subtaxing.” By law, tax liens have to be paid in full in one payment, regardless of how many years that lien covers. So once the 2018 taxes are subtaxed on a property, they can no longer be paid separately. Property tax information, including sold and unsold taxes due, is available at tax.lakecountyil.gov.

Community Forum TV Interview

Watch Dr. Wadell Brooks, Sr., host of the Community Forum TV show, interview Lake County Clerk O'Connor and Chief Deputy Govain about their backgrounds, roles, and Lake County Clerk offerings.

National Voter Registration Day, September 24

Across the nation, citizens celebrated National Voter Registration Day, September 24. In Lake County, 638 people celebrated the day and applied to vote or updated their voter registration record to bring our county total to almost 460,000 registered voters. The majority of these new applications were submitted online through the Illinois State Board of Elections website (ova.elections.il.gov).

Check your voter registration record to be sure it shows your current name and address. If you need to register for the first time or update your record, you can register online, by mail, or in person. Visit our voter registration web page for details.