Search Edwardsville People Records
Edwardsville people search records are right at your fingertips because this city is the Madison County seat. All of the key county offices sit in Edwardsville itself, which means you do not need to travel far to get records in person. The Circuit Court, County Clerk, Recorder, Sheriff, and Treasurer are all in the downtown area. With about 26,000 residents and home to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, this city has a solid set of local and county records to pull from. This page covers every major source for finding a person connected to Edwardsville.
Edwardsville Quick Facts
Edwardsville City Records
The Edwardsville City Clerk keeps local records like meeting minutes, ordinances, and business licenses. These can show a person's name if they had dealings with the city government. Since Edwardsville is the county seat, people often confuse city and county offices. The city clerk handles city business. The county clerk handles vital records. They are different offices, even though both are in Edwardsville.
For a people search tied to Edwardsville, the city records are a starting point but not the main source. The county offices have far more data. If you need something specific from the city, file a FOIA request with the Edwardsville clerk. The city must respond in five business days under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140).
Madison County Records in Edwardsville
Because Edwardsville is the county seat, all Madison County offices are right here. That makes it easy for residents to walk in and search records in person. The 3rd Judicial Circuit Court is at 155 N. Main St. Call (618) 296-6205 to reach the court. All civil, criminal, family, and traffic cases for Edwardsville go through this court. Case records are public. Search by name to see lawsuits, criminal charges, and family matters tied to a person.
The Judici court portal gives free online access to many Madison County court records. You can search from home without making a trip. For cases that require filing, the eFileIL system handles most case types. Paper filings are only taken in a few limited situations now.
The Madison County Clerk at 157 N. Main St., Room 102 keeps birth, death, and marriage records. Call (618) 296-6218. A birth certificate costs $15. Death certificates are $21 for the first copy. Marriage licenses run $50. Under the Illinois Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), birth records have access limits. Death and marriage records are easier to get, and older records are open to the public.
The Madison County Recorder at Room 134 has deeds, mortgages, and liens. Call (618) 296-1530. Property records tie a name to a real address, which makes them a strong tool for an Edwardsville people search. The Treasurer, Chris Slusser, at Room 103 keeps tax records. Call (618) 296-6201. The Madison County Treasurer page has free tools for looking up tax bills and property ownership data.
Edwardsville Police Department
The Edwardsville Police Department keeps arrest records, incident reports, and accident reports. These are public records under Illinois law. To get a report, file a written FOIA request with the department. Include the person's name, the date, and what type of report you want. They have five business days to respond.
If a case from Edwardsville went to court, the 3rd Circuit Court has the full file. Criminal charges, sentences, and plea deals are all in the court record. For county-level law enforcement, the Madison County Sheriff at 405 Randle St. in Edwardsville keeps jail records and booking data. Call (618) 692-6087. The Madison County Sheriff website has info on current inmates.
Note: The Sheriff's office and police department are separate agencies with different records, even though both are in Edwardsville.
State Tools for Edwardsville People Search
Several state databases can help you find records on a person in Edwardsville. These tools are free and cover the whole state.
The IDFPR License Lookup shows professional licenses held by Illinois residents. Search by name to see if someone in Edwardsville has a license in nursing, real estate, or dozens of other fields. The tool shows the license type, status, and any discipline actions. With SIUE in Edwardsville, you may find many professionals with state licenses in this area.
The IDOC Offender Search covers current and past state inmates. Search by name to find location, sentence, and release dates. The Illinois Sex Offender Registry shows registered offenders by name or location. The VINE system sends you alerts when an offender's custody status changes. All of these are free and work for Edwardsville searches.
Voter records are public in Illinois too. The Madison County elections office at (618) 296-6218 can tell you if a person is registered to vote in Edwardsville and what address they have on file.
Filing FOIA Requests in Edwardsville
You can request records from any government office in Edwardsville or Madison County through FOIA. Put the request in writing. State your name, how to reach you, and describe the records you need. Be specific. The more detail you give, the faster the office can find your files.
Agencies must respond in five business days. They may extend by five more days for large requests. The first 50 pages of copies are free. After that, black and white copies cost 15 cents per page. If a request is denied, you have the right to appeal to the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor at no cost. This applies to all Edwardsville city offices and all Madison County offices.
Nearby Cities
These cities are close to Edwardsville. People in the Metro East area often live in one city and work in another, so check nearby pages if your search comes up short.
Madison County People Records
Edwardsville is the Madison County seat, and all county offices are right here in the city. The county handles vital records, court cases, property files, tax data, and law enforcement records for all of Madison County. For the full guide to every office and search tool, visit the county page.