Kempton, Illinois Public Records

Public safety in Kempton, Illinois, is a collaborative effort between the Kempton Police Department and the Ford County Sheriff's Office. The Kempton Police Department, stationed within the village, is responsible for maintaining law and order, responding to emergency calls, and investigating local incidents. Residents can contact the police department to inquire about arrest records, criminal histories, and ongoing investigations, as part of the department's commitment to transparency and accountability.

Kempton voters are served by the Ford County Clerk, who serves as the election authority for all of Ford County. The Ford County Clerk's office is located at 200 W. State Street, Room 101, Paxton, IL 60957, phone (217) 379-2641, website: www.fordcountyil.com. Illinois residents can register to vote online through the Illinois State Board of Elections at www.elections.il.gov using the Online Voter Registration system. Voter registration deadlines in Illinois are 16 days before an election for online or mail registration, though grace period and same-day registration are available at election authority offices, early voting sites, and polling places with proof of residency. Acceptable identification for voter registration includes an Illinois driver's license or state ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Kempton, as a small village, holds municipal elections for Village President and Village Board of Trustees on a schedule set by local ordinance, typically during consolidated election dates in April of odd-numbered years. The next Kempton municipal election would likely occur in April 2025 or April 2027 depending on the village's election cycle. However, many very small Illinois villages occasionally have uncontested races or even difficulty filling all board positions. County and state election information, including candidate lists and local ballot measures, is available through the County Clerk's office. Kempton residents can find their assigned polling location by using the polling place lookup tool at www.elections.il.gov or by contacting the County Clerk. In the November 2024 presidential election, Ford County reported approximately 52-55% voter turnout, consistent with rural Illinois patterns. For the November 3, 2026 general election, Kempton and Ford County voters will decide several important races. In 2026, Illinois voters will elect a U.S. Senator (Dick Durbin's seat is up for election), all U.S. House members (Kempton falls in Illinois's 16th Congressional District), Illinois state legislators including State Senate and State House representatives, and various county offices such as County Clerk, Sheriff, Treasurer, and other county positions depending on term schedules. Absentee voting in Illinois is available without requiring an excuse; any registered voter may request a vote-by-mail ballot by submitting an application to the County Clerk. Applications can be submitted online, by mail, or in person, and must be received by the County Clerk no later than five days before the election. Early voting in person is also available at designated locations beginning 40 days before an election. Public election records in Illinois include voter registration lists (available to candidates and political committees under restricted use provisions), campaign finance disclosure reports (available through the Illinois State Board of Elections for state races and through county clerks for local races), candidate filing documents, and precinct-level election results, all of which are public records accessible through the County Clerk or State Board of Elections.