Chambana Sun

Susan Mantell, Chairwoman of the Champaign County Republicans, recently called for Aaron Ammons’ removal as Champaign County Clerk, citing repeated failures in election management. Pointing to issues such as voting delays, the distribution of ballots to non-residents, and a disputed cyberattack claim, Mantell argued that Ammons has eroded public confidence in the electoral process, making him unfit for the role.

“Aaron Ammons is the most incompetent County Clerk in America,” Mantel told the Chambana Sun. “Ammons’ repeated failures to properly count votes, continued distribution of mail-in ballots to non-residents, inability to prevent voting delays, and lying about a cyber attack have destroyed Champaign County voters’ confidence in our elections. Our democracy demands free, fair, and efficient elections so that every legal vote can be counted. He cannot do the job - Ammons must be replaced.”

According to Illinois Public Media, on Election Day, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons reported that a cyberattack affected local voting operations, causing connectivity and server disruptions. Ammons attributed the issues to an attack on their voting systems vendor, VR Systems, suggesting it was part of a broader effort to undermine the election. However, cybersecurity experts, including officials from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), questioned this claim, noting that VR Systems had not received any communication from Ammons’ office during the event. 

In a November 5 post to social media platform X, Kevin Lighty of WCIA 3 reported on Champaign County clerk Aaron Ammons' statements regarding complications at Champaign County polls. 

“I’ve sent numerous messages and calls to our vendor who is in control of this and have not received response,” Ammons said, according to the post. “I’ve also spoken with the states attorney to see if we can get an injunction to extend the voting hour today, I think we will be able to do that.”

WAND-TV News reported that in March 2020, Ammons was reprimanded for counting early ballots before the legally allowed time, violating Illinois state law. State Board of Elections officials reported that Ammons' actions compromised the election's integrity. Despite the reprimand, the early votes were still included in the official count, as no evidence suggested tampering with the results. Ammons acknowledged the mistake and committed to ensuring stricter adherence to election laws in the future.

In October 2020, Illinois Republicans accused Ammons of election misconduct, claiming that his handling of the 2020 general election raised transparency and procedural concerns, as reported by Illinois Public Media News. Criticisms include issues with the voting process, such as alleged breaches in ballot security and the late delivery of some absentee ballots. Ammons has refuted these claims, asserting that his office acted within legal bounds and that the criticisms are politically motivated.

Susan Mantell, a resident of Sidney was first elected to the role of Chairwoman of the Champaign County Republicans in 2024. As Chair, she is focused on boosting Republican voter turnout, growing the Party’s membership, and communicating the Party’s positions on issues that matter to Champaign County voters.