Ashton, Illinois Public Records

The Ashton Police Department, located at 108 S. Main St, Ashton, IL 61006, is responsible for law enforcement in the village. Residents can report crimes, access crime statistics, and learn about the department's services through the village's website: https://www.ashton-il.gov/police-department

Ashton voters participate in elections administered by the Lee County Clerk, who serves as the County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds, with offices located at 112 West Second Street, Dixon, IL 61021 (phone: 815-288-3349, website: www.leecountyil.com/clerk). Illinois residents, including those in Ashton, can register to vote online through the Illinois State Board of Elections website at www.ova.elections.il.gov, which allows new registrations and address updates up to 16 days before any election (Illinois has a 27-day registration deadline for by-mail or in-person registration at county offices, but online registration extends to 16 days prior). To register, applicants must provide an Illinois driver's license or state ID number, the last four digits of their Social Security number, and their current residential address; Illinois offers Election Day registration at polling places and early voting sites for those who miss pre-election deadlines. Ashton holds municipal elections for Village President (mayor) and Village Board of Trustees on a consolidated election schedule, typically in April of odd-numbered years; the next Ashton municipal election is scheduled for April 2025, with candidate filings and local ballot questions coordinated through the Lee County Clerk's office. For polling place information, Ashton voters can use the Illinois Voter Information lookup tool at www.elections.il.gov to enter their address and find their assigned precinct, polling location, sample ballot, and early voting options. In the November 2024 general election, Lee County reported approximately 62-65% voter turnout among registered voters, consistent with presidential election cycles in rural Illinois counties. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election (Illinois General Election), Ashton and Lee County voters will decide several significant races: the Illinois Governor's race (gubernatorial elections occur in midterm years), all 118 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives, portions of the Illinois Senate (serving staggered four-year terms), Lee County offices including Sheriff, County Clerk, County Treasurer, and possibly County Board members depending on district cycle. U.S. Senate seats from Illinois are not up in 2026 (next Illinois Senate race is 2028). Voters will also decide on Illinois's 37th and 74th State House districts (which cover parts of Lee County), and potentially county-wide ballot measures or referenda if placed by petition or County Board action. Illinois allows any registered voter to request vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots without providing an excuse; requests can be submitted online through the Lee County Clerk's election portal or by completing a written application available at www.elections.il.gov. Vote-by-mail applications must be received by the County Clerk no later than five days before Election Day, and completed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 14 days after to be counted. Illinois provides extensive early voting, typically beginning 40 days before an election at designated sites in Dixon and potentially other Lee County locations. Public election records in Illinois include voter registration lists (available for purchase by candidates and political committees under strict use restrictions), campaign finance disclosures filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections (searchable at www.elections.il.gov for state and county candidates), candidate statements and nominating petitions filed with the County Clerk, and precinct-level election results published by the County Clerk after certification. The Lee County Clerk's website posts unofficial election results on election night and certified results following the official canvass, providing transparency for all races affecting Ashton voters.