Clerk / Recorder

Welcome to the main page of the Effingham County, Illinois Clerk and Recorder’s office.

My hope is that you find the information on our site useful and easy to access. In the event that you want to contact my office please use one of the contact methods listed on this page. “You are always welcome in the County Clerk/Recorder’s office” is a slogan that I adopted from the former County Clerk. This slogan relates that we are here to serve the citizens of Effingham County.  We are a busy office with many duties. Duties of the county clerk’s office range from administering elections to conducting a great deal of the county’s taxation duties.

Functions

Clerk to the Board - The County Clerk is the keeper of all county records.   As Clerk to the County Board the County Clerk attends the monthly meetings of the Board and records the minutes. The records of actions of the County Board are kept in the County Clerk’s office. The County Clerk is the keeper of the official seal of the County of Effingham. This seal is used to certify certain records of the County Board and of the County Clerk’s office. 

Vital Records – Birth, Marriage, and Death records are kept in the County Clerk’s office. These records go back to 1916 when they were first required to be kept in the State of Illinois and beyond. 

Recording – In Effingham County the County Clerk also serves as the County Recorder. The basic function of the Recorder’s Office is to file any transaction of property within the County.

Elections – The County Clerk is also the Election Authority. The Election Authority oversees all Elections that occur within Effingham County. The integrity of Elections is protected by the Election Authority by following the guidelines as set forth in the Illinois State Statutes (10ILCS).

Taxes – The County Clerk calculates and extends tax rates on all real estate in the county from levies filed by schools, municipalities, fire, park, and other districts. 

The County Clerk also collects delinquent tax payments and provides many other services.