Thompsonville, Illinois Public Records

Illinois residents can register to vote online through the Illinois State Board of Elections at www.elections.il.gov, or by submitting a paper registration form to the Franklin County Clerk. Online registration requires an Illinois driver's license or state ID card. The registration deadline falls 16 days before any election, applying to online and by-mail registration (both must be received by this deadline), while in-person registration closes the same day. The state offers same-day voter registration during early voting and on Election Day at designated locations, allowing unregistered eligible voters to register and vote simultaneously by casting a grace period ballot. Voters must provide proof of identity and residence. Illinois does not require photo ID to vote; acceptable identification includes driver's license, state ID, employee or student ID, credit card, utility bill, bank statement, or other government document showing name and address. The Village of Thompsonville holds municipal elections for mayor and village trustees (typically six trustees) on a schedule set by village ordinance, generally consolidated with other spring elections in odd-numbered years. Candidate filing for village offices occurs in December preceding the April election, with petitions filed with the Franklin County Clerk, who administers elections on behalf of the village. Information on village candidates, local ballot measures, and sample ballots is available through the Franklin County Clerk's office and at village board meetings. Voters in the community can locate their assigned polling place using the Illinois State Board of Elections' online polling place lookup tool at www.elections.il.gov or by contacting the Franklin County Clerk. Polling places are assigned based on voter registration address and precinct boundaries. Polls are open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Election Day. Early voting is available at designated locations in Franklin County, typically at the Franklin County Clerk's office in Benton, beginning 40 days before an election and running through the day before Election Day. Election records in Illinois are largely public. Voter registration lists are available for purchase by candidates and political committees under Illinois election law (10 ILCS 5/1-8). Individual voter history (showing which elections a person voted in, but not how they voted) is public record. Campaign finance reports for candidates and political committees are filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections and searchable online at www.elections.il.gov, showing contributions and expenditures. Precinct-level election results are certified by the Franklin County Clerk and published after each election. Franklin County reported approximately 14,000-15,000 total votes cast in the November 2024 presidential election, representing roughly 55-60% turnout of registered voters. The ballot will include races for Governor of Illinois (four-year term), all Illinois constitutional officers (Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer), U.S. Representative for Illinois's 12th Congressional District (which includes Franklin County), all 118 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives, approximately half of the 59 Illinois Senate seats, Franklin County Board members, Franklin County Clerk, Franklin County Sheriff, Franklin County Treasurer, and other county offices depending on term schedules. State legislative district boundaries were redrawn following the 2020 Census. Local voters should verify their current legislative districts through the Franklin County Clerk or State Board of Elections. Illinois voters can request vote-by-mail (absentee) ballots for any reason; no excuse is required. Applications for mail ballots can be submitted online at www.elections.il.gov or by contacting the Franklin County Clerk. Mail ballot applications must be received by the Franklin County Clerk no later than five days before Election Day (applications can be submitted in person until the day before the election). Completed mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the Franklin County Clerk within 14 days after the election to be counted. Voters can also return mail ballots in person to the Franklin County Clerk's office or to designated drop boxes. Illinois also offers permanent vote-by-mail status for voters who wish to automatically receive a ballot for every election.