Aaron Ammons was elected Champaign County Clerk in 2018. Prior to that he was an Urbana Alderman and co-founder of a grassroots organization, Champaign Urbana Citizens for Peace & Justice. Aaron worked at the University of Illinois for 17 years and served as President of SEIU 73 Chapter 119. He served as a Trustee for the State University Retirement System for 6 years and he is married to State Representative Carol Ammons (103rd District). Aaron is passionate about family, Democracy, voting rights, citizenship, economic and social justice, gardening, fishing, and basketball.
Calling ALL artists in Champaign County! Our beloved I Voted sticker needs to be updated and what better way to make it happen than by inserting art into democracy. We want you to design the next I Voted sticker. A winner will be selected from each category and the winning designs will be made into stickers and used in the 2022 Elections!
Submissions are due April 18th! More details below.
The theme for 2022 is “This is what democracy looks like.” You are not required to incorporate the words of the theme into the work, just the concept.
*if you are under 18 and submitting your entry digitally, you also need to submit a parental release form. Download it here, have them sign it, and scan and email it to elections@champaigncountyclerkil.gov
Here are the rules of the I Voted Sticker Contest:
USE OF THE WINNING DESIGN
K-5th Grade Submissions
All Other Groups
JUDGING PROCESS
CONTEST JUDGES
*Judges will be listed here as they are confirmed
Owning a mobile home or a mobile home park in Champaign County comes with legal requirements. If the information below does not answer your questions, please email the Taxes Division at propertytaxes@co.champaign.il.us.
As a mobile home owner you are required to register your home. Registration must be up to date with the current owner or resident within 10 days upon inhabiting. Failure to register your mobile home is a Class A Misdemeanor.
Register your mobile home by completing the Mobile Home Registration form and returning it to the Clerk's Office. You can email it to propertytaxes@co.champaign.il.us or mail it the Clerk's Office at the address listed below.
Mailing address for the form: Champaign County Clerk, Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 E Washington St, Urbana, IL 61820
If you move your mobile home, you must update the information with us at the Clerk's Office. In order to do that you must complete the Mobile Home Registration form and return it to the Clerk's Office. You can email it to propertytaxes@co.champaign.il.us or mail it the Clerk's Office at the address listed below.
Mailing address for the form: Champaign County Clerk, Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 E Washington St, Urbana, IL 61820
Mobile homes DO pay property taxes! Technically the tax is called a privilege tax but it functions as a property tax. Property tax bills are sent by the Champaign County Treasurer/Collector in March/April every year and have one installment due in June. Paying this on time is very important. Failure to pay property taxes can result in increased fees and eventually a loss of the home. If you didn't receive your property tax bill by mid-May, contact the Treasurer/Collector's Office at treasurer@co.champaign.il.us or 217/384-3743.
If you need your mobile home property tax bill sent to a different address, you need to update the Mobile Home Registration form. You can email it to propertytaxes@co.champaign.il.us or mail it the Clerk's Office at the address listed below.
Mailing address for the form: Champaign County Clerk, Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 E Washington St, Urbana, IL 61820
Mobile homes have three possible exemptions: senior citizen, disabled person, and disabled veteran. To apply for a exemption, complete the Mobile Home Registration form. You can email it to propertytaxes@co.champaign.il.us or mail it the Clerk's Office at the address listed below.
Senior Citizen & Disabled Person exemptions can receive 20% off the total property tax bill for the mobile home. Senior citizens must be at least 65 years of age and provide ID verifying age. Individuals with disabilities will need to provide a claim number. For senior citizen and disabled exemptions the individual applying must be the title holder and living in the mobile home. Once the exemption has been verified, it does not need to be applied for year after year.
Disabled Veterans can receive 100% off the total property tax bill for the mobile home. They must be the title holder and living in the mobile home. Disabled veteran status must be verified with discharge papers or a veteran's assistance letter of benefits. Once the exemption has been verified, it does not need to be applied for year after year.
Mailing address for the form: Champaign County Clerk, Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 E Washington St, Urbana, IL 61820
Transferring the title of a mobile home involves multiple government offices. Please follow the steps outlined below.
1. All property taxes on the mobile home must be paid - current tax year and any delinquent. The process cannot go forward with any outstanding taxes.
2. Acquire a Certificate of Taxes Paid from the Treasurer/Collector's Office, verifying that all taxes are paid.
2. The title must be signed by the buyer and the seller.
3. Take the signed title and Certificate of Taxes Paid to the DMV and have the title transferred.
Information for Mobile Home Park Owners and/or Managers will be coming soon!
On January 1st, 2022 the Clerk and Recorder's Office will officially merge and you will find Record of Deeds information here!
Property fraud is a legitimate concern for property owners. Below are different ways the Recorder's Office can help you protect your property.
The Recorder's Office offers a free service called Property Fraud Alert. Property Fraud Alert monitors documents filed with the Champaign County Clerk & Recorder's Office and will alert you if anything is filed with your name on it. Sign up for Property Fraud Alert here.
The deed to your property is securely stored by the Recorder's Office and we are happy to provide a free copy of it to the property owners upon request. You should never be paying a service or company for a copy of your deed. If you receive an unsolicited letter from a company offering to provide you with your deed and other legal documents, it is definitely a scam.
Illinois General Assembly (Public Act 100-276) authorizes County Recorders to protect owners of real property from fraudulent filings by establishing a process to review and refer to the circuit court documents suspected to be fraudulent. This process is outlined in the Fraud Referral and Review Process pursuant to Illinois Statute (55 ILCS 5/3-5010.5).
The Recorder shall use the following criteria, found in Illinois law (55 ILCS 5/3-5010.5), to consider whether a filing may be fraudulent and subject to review by the Circuit Court.
(1) whether the owner of the property or his or her designated representative has reported to the recorder that another individual is attempting or has attempted to record a fraudulent deed or other instrument upon the property;
(2) whether a law enforcement official has contacted the recorder indicating that he or she has probable cause to suspect title or recording fraud;
(3) whether the filer's name has a copyright attached to it or the property owner's name has nonstandard punctuation attached to it;
(4) whether the documents assert fines that do not exist or have no basis under current law or that require payment in gold or silver;
(5) whether the documents are maritime liens, or liens under the Federal Maritime Lien Act or the Preferred Ship Mortgage Act, or not authorized by the United States Coast Guard;
(6) whether the documents are land patents not authorized and certified by the United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management;
(7) whether the documents are representing that the subject of the lien is releasing itself from a lien held by another entity, with no apparent cooperation or authorization provided by the lienholder;
(8) whether the documents are protesting or disputing a foreclosure proceeding that are not filed within the foreclosure suit and with the court presiding over the matter;
(9) whether the documents are Uniform Commercial Code filings referencing birth certificates or other private records that are not in compliance with Section 9-501 of the Uniform Commercial Code;
(10) whether the documents are re-recording deeds to re-notarize or attach notary certification if prior notarization already appears unaltered on the document of record;
(11) whether the documents are asserting diplomatic credentials or immunity, non-United States citizenship, or independence from the laws of the United States;
(12) whether the documents are claims that a bank cannot hold title after a foreclosure;
(13) whether the documents are deeds not properly signed by the last legal owner of record or his or her court appointed representative or attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney;
(14) whether the documents are manipulated or altered federal or State legal or court forms that release a lien;
(15) whether a document is not related to a valid existing or potential adverse transaction, existing lien, or judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction;
(16) a document that is not related to a valid existing or potential commercial or financial transaction, existing agricultural or other lien, or judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction;
(17) whether the document is filed with the intent to harass or defraud the person identified in the record or any other person;
(18) whether the document is filed with the intent to harass or defraud any member of a governmental office, including, but not limited to, the recorder's office, local government offices, the State of Illinois, or the Federal government; and
(19) whether the documents are previous court determinations, including a previous determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that a particular document is fraudulent, invalid, or forged.
If the Recorder determines, after review by legal staff and counsel, that a deed or instrument that is recorded may be fraudulent, unlawfully altered, or intended to unlawfully cloud or transfer the title of any real property, the Recorder shall record a Notice of Referral, identifying the document, corresponding document number in question, and the date of determination.
The Recorder shall notify any parties within the reviewed document of his determination to seek review. The Recorder shall use county property tax records to identify and provide notice to the last owner of record by telephone, if available, and certified mail when a deed or instrument has been referred for review and determination.
Any person, entity, or legal representative within the reviewed document shall confirm in writing his or her belief that a document or documents are suspected to be fraudulent and may request that the Recorder refer the case for review to the Circuit Court. Upon request, the Recorder shall bring a case to the circuit court by filing a petition for review therein. Notice of the hearing shall be provided by the Recorder to the filer, or the party represented by the filer, of the suspected fraudulent document, and the last owner of record, as identified in the referral.
If clear and convincing evidence shows the document in question to be fraudulent, the circuit court shall rule the document to be fraudulent and the Recorder shall forward the judgment to all the parties identified in this subsection. Upon receiving notice of the judgment of fraud, the Recorder shall, within 5 (five) business days, record a new document that includes a copy of the judgment in front of the Notice of Referral that shall clearly state that the document in question has been found to be fraudulent and shall not be considered to affect the chain of title of the property in any way.
If the circuit court finds the document to be legitimate, the Recorder shall, within 5 (five) business days after receiving notice, record a copy of the judgment.
A decision by the circuit court shall not preclude the State's Attorney or the Sheriff from proceeding with a criminal investigation or criminal charges.
The Recorder shall send a notice, by regular mail, the order of the Circuit Court to all parties within the reviewed document.
Nothing in this Section precludes a private right of action by any party with an interest in the property affected by the review and referral, or the filer of the document or documents suspected to be fraudulent. Nothing in this Section requires a person or entity who may have had a fraudulent document or encumbrance filed against his or her property to use the fraud review and referral process created by this Section.
The Recorder shall retain any filing fees associated with filing a deed or instrument that is determined to be fraudulent, unlawfully altered, or intended to unlawfully cloud or transfer the title of any real property under this Section.
The Recorder shall provide public notice 90 days before the establishment of the fraud referral and review process authorized hereunder. The notice shall include a statement of the Recorder's intent to create a fraud referral and review process and shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the County and, if feasible, posted on the Recorder's website and at the Recorder's office.
There are many ways to search the records of the Recorder of Deeds website. Here's a quick breakdown.
Direct Search gives you the ability to search records, for free, filed with the Champaign County Recorder of Deeds Office. Search results will include basic information about the document, acquiring an image of the document is at a modest cost.
There is a 10-day delay on documents being filed with the Clerk & Recorder's Office and being available on Direct Search.
Tapestry is a web-based search program. It has pay-as-you-go access or account payment plans.
Access Tapestry here.
Benefits of Tapestry:
Cost of Tapestry:
Helpful Hints for Using Tapestry:
Laredo offers 24 hour access to the records held by the Champaign County Clerk & Recorder's Office.
Benefits of Laredo:
Cost of Laredo:
| Minutes per Month | Cost per Month |
|---|---|
| 0-250 | $75 |
| 251-500 | $125 |
| 501-1000 | $200 |
| 1001-2000 | $300 |
| 2001 and up | $400 |
To Sign Up for Laredo:
Monarch is a unique service of Fidlar, the company who provides our recording software. Using Monarch, you can obtain copies of documents from our office in bulk. For example, if you wanted to have a copy of all the deeds filed in one month in our office, Monarch would be your most cost effective solution.
You can find out more about Monarch at the Fidlar website.
It's easy to file your documents with the Clerk & Recorder's Office! The easiest being filing your documents electronically. Electronic recording is convenient and secure.
E-recording has several benefits including:
If you would like to file your documents in-person, the Clerk & Recorder's Office is open Monday-Friday, excluding major holidays, 8AM-4:30PM, on the 2nd Wednesday of the month we open at 9am.
MyDec is the online service of the Illinois Department of Revenue to process deeds, PTAX 203 forms, and revenue stamps. MyDec is a free and optional service. It is anticipated that at some point in the future, all property transactions will be processed through MyDec so we are recommending people sign up and start to take advantage of the website. Sign up here for MyDec.
The Clerk & Recorder's Office also accepts e-filings from these agencies.
Real estate documents (Deeds, mortgages, releases, etc.) presented for recording in the State of Illinois must:
All documents recorded in the State of Illinois must have included within the text a complete name and address of preparer, as well as, a complete name and address of where to return the document. Documents must have original signatures, and correct payment by check or cash.
Deeds: Must also have a complete name and address of where the tax bill is to be sent. All deeds require a State of Illinois PTAX declaration form or letter of exemption which is signed and dated.
Assignments and Releases: Require an associated document number.
In Illinois, the transfer of real estate from one entity to another is subject to the Real Estate Transfer Tax. While there are some exemptions to this law, most transactions will have to be accompanied by a PTAX 203 form from the Illinois Department of Revenue. The Department also has PTAX 203-A, PTAX 203-B, and PTAX 203-NR for unique circumstances, including exempt transactions.
Any deed brought to our office for recording must have one of the above forms accompanying the filing or the deed must cite an exemption from submitting the form.
The Department of Revenue website has more detailed information about the Real Estate Transfer tax and the forms to report it.
Complete statutory requirements for document filings may be found in 55 ILCS 5/3-5018.
Plat requirements are numerous. We recommend contacting your surveyor for all pertinent information.
Document Recording Fee:
Uniform Commercial Code Filings (UCC) are $33. Releases are $13.
State Tax Liens and Releases are $11
Federal Tax Liens and Releases are $18.
Government bodies are exempt from paying the Rental Housing Support fee of $10, reducing their fees by that amount.
Copies of documents are $.50 per page.
Certified copies are $12 for the first four pages and $1 for additional pages.
Copies of plat maps are $1.50.
Copies of plats with all covenants are $10.00.
You can find more information on how the fees are broken down and what they fund here.
Vote centers are being used nationwide to make voting more accessible, convenient, and efficient.
Champaign County voters have demonstrated they want vote centers through the voting trends of the last 10 years. In 2020, voting in-person on election day was the least used form of voting. Voting by mail and voting early were the preferred choices and now the continuing vote by list is available in Illinois. Sign up once for vote by mail and you will automatically be sent a ballot for every election you are eligible to vote in. The regular vote by mail list still exists if you prefer to sign up for vote by mail one election at a time.
A vote center is a polling place that any registered or eligible to be registered voter in Champaign County can use. The use of vote centers is partnered with the expansion of vote by mail because the more people voting by mail, the fewer people we have physically using polling places. This creates a very expensive voting system for fewer and fewer voters. This is not a responsible or necessary use of taxpayer money.
Vote centers allow for a fiscally responsible way to provide in-person voting for those that want it while expanding vote by mail access to voters requesting it. Vote centers also provide an opportunity for elections to be equally accessible to voters of all abilities. By focusing on a set number of vote centers the Clerk's Office can provide better training and resources to election judges.
In addition to all vote centers being available for all voters in Champaign County, vote centers will offer a more flexible and convenient voting opportunity. This applies to all areas of the county. A single day of voting doesn't work for the schedules of most voters anymore and vote centers are a way to increase access, equity, and flexibility for all voters.
In the vote center model, the majority of sites will open before Election Day for early voting. Some will be open for 14 days, some 3 days, and a few more for 1 day. When the early voting schedule is set, you will be able to find it here.
Not at all. It is the same process as voting at any precinct-based polling location.
All vote centers will print ballots on demand as voters are checked in. The Clerk's Office tested this in the 2021 Consolidated Primary and General and it worked very well. It also significantly reduces the paper waste from an election because we are no longer printing large quantities of ballots for the polling places.
The Clerk's Office will utilize the same procedure for election judges, both county parties submit their judge lists to the Clerk's Office and additional judges sign up directly with the Clerk's Office. Both parties will be represented as election judges at vote centers, as they would be at precinct-based polling locations.
Since taking office in 2018 Clerk Aaron Ammons has been committed to improving the accessibility of elections in Champaign County. Voters of all abilities should have the choice to vote independently and in private. On this webpage you will find information about all of the accessibility options offered by the Clerk's Office for voting in Champaign County.
The Clerk's Office is always trying to improve accessibility so please consider completing our short survey after you have voted. Your feedback helps us make improvements for all voters in Champaign County.
The Clerk's Office is currently investigating ways to make vote by mail more accessible to those with vision or motor disabilities and plans to offer a revised system for requesting and completing a ballot for the 2022 elections.
The ExpressVote is a highly adaptive machine that uses touch-screen technology to produce a paper ballot for voters. ExpressVote is used to assist voters in filling out their paper ballots. Once the paper ballot is completed to the voter's satisfaction, it will be inserted into a tabulator, just as any other paper ballot would. At least one ExpressVote machine will be available at all polling places in future elections to assist voters with disabilities in Champaign County.
The ExpressVote also has:
Check out our video on how the ExpressVote works and give it a try next time you vote in-person.
If you are vision impaired and would like to use the ExpressVote, at the voting location at Brookens a reader pen will be available for anyone who wants to verify the content of their printed ExpressVote ballot before casting it. Simply ask an election judge when are done voting to use it.
The Clerk's Office is reliant on other organizations and government entities to house our in-person voting locations and therefore we cannot always ensure they are completely ADA compliant. We do have them professionally evaluated on a regular basis and below you can find information on our more compliant and accessible early voting locations. These locations are also open for voting on Election Day. For the complete early voting schedule, please click here.
| Location | Address | Compliance Level | Notes |
| Brookens Administrative Center | 1776 E Washington St, Urbana, 61802 | Compliant | This location will have a lower ballot box so voters using wheelchairs can cast their ballot themselves. It also has a reader pen available for low or no vision voters. |
| Ayers-Broadlands Fire Department | 104 W State St, Broadlands, 61816 | Compliant | |
| Carpenters Local 243 | 402 S Duncan Rd, Champaign, 61821 | Compliant | |
| Champaign Public Library | 200 W Green St, Champaign 61820 | Compliant | |
| Champaign-Ford Regional Office of Education | 3358 Big Pine Trail, Champaign, 61822 | Mostly Compliant | Accessible parking will be designated on the side of the building and a call button will be available to provide assistance entering the location if needed. |
| Church of the Living God | 312 E Bradley Ave, Champaign, 61821 | Compliant | |
| Crystal Lake Boathouse | 206 W Park St, Urbana, 61801 | Mostly Compliant | Parking lot has a slant and door has a 90 degree opening. |
| Douglas Center Annex | 804 N 5th St, Champaign, 61820 | Compliant | |
| Gathering Place | 220 S Marshall, Rantoul 61866 | Compliant | |
| Good Shepherd Lutheran Church | 2101 S Prospect, Champaign, 61820 | Mostly Compliant | Clerk's Office will add a temporary rubber map at entry way to address gap. Door is heavy, Clerk's Office will add exterior door call device. |
| EH Mellon Admin Center | 703 S New St, Champaign, 61820 | Compliant | |
| Holy Cross Parish Center | 405 W Clark St, Champaign 61820 | Compliant | |
| Illini Union | 1401 W Green St, Urbana 61801 | Compliant | Look for signage to direct you to the voting room. Use the far left doors of the entrance in the circle drive. Those doors are automatic. |
| Ivesdale Fire Department | 406 Third Street, Ivesdale, 61851 | Mostly Compliant | |
| Lake of the Woods Pavilion | 1702 E Prairie View Rd, Mahomet, 61853 | Mostly Compliant | Parking Lot is not marked properly |
| Leonhard Recreation Center | 2307 Sangamon Dr, Champaign 61821 | Compliant | *NOT AVAILABLE FOR JUNE ELECTION* |
| Meadowbrook Community Church | 1902 S Duncan Rd, Champaign 61822 | Compliant | |
| Mt Calvary Missionary Baptist Church | 1601 W Bloomington Rd, Champaign 61821 | Mostly Compliant | |
| Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church | 808 E Bradley Ave, Champaign, 61820 | Mostly Compliant | |
| Parkland College, Student Union | 2400 W Bradley Ave, Champaign, 61821 | Compliant | |
| Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 149 | 1005 N Dunlap Ave, Savoy, 61874 | Mostly Compliant | |
| Rantoul Youth Center | 1306 Country Club Ln, Rantoul 61866 | Mostly Compliant | |
| River Valley Church of Christ | 17 Owlcreek Lane, Fisher 61843 | Mostly Compliant | |
| Savoy Recreation Center | 402 Graham, Savoy 61874 | Mostly Compliant | Door is heavy, Clerk's Office will add exterior door call device. |
| St. Matthew Lutheran Church | 2200 Philo Rd, Urbana 61802 | Compliant | |
| Tolono Public Library | 111 E Main St, Tolono 61880 | Compliant | |
| Windsor Road Christian Church | 2501 Windsor Rd, Champaign 61822 | Mostly Compliant |
In addition to the ExpressVote we also have these adaptive devices:
The option still exists for a voter to have two election judges, one from each political party, read the ballot out loud and complete it for the voter. Just ask when you check in to vote.
Curbside voting is an option available on Election Day to voters who cannot physically enter an ADA accessible polling location. Documentation from a doctor is required to qualify for curbside voting. For more information contact the Elections Division at elections@champaigncountyclerkil.gov or 217/384-3724.
Champaign County GIS Consortium has an excellent mapping service. Users can overlay districts, search addresses, and more. Click here to access the interactive mapping tool.
3. Scroll through the list and select the layers you want to be visible in the map.
4. Use the + & - to zoom in and out on the map.
5. Left click, hold it, and drag to move the map around.
Coming soon.
Coming soon.
