You’re standing in the voting booth, feeling good. You’ve picked your president, your senator, and that one local rep whose flyers have been clogging your mailbox for a month. Then you flip the page. Or you scroll down on the touch screen. Suddenly, you’re staring at a list of thirty names you’ve never seen in your life.
They’re all running for judge.
Some are Democrats. Some are Republicans. Some are just "retention" candidates, which sounds more like a dental procedure than a career move. Most people just guess. Or they skip it. Honestly, it’s kinda the most dangerous part of the ballot to ignore. These are the people who decide who goes to jail, who keeps their kids, and whether that local tax hike is actually legal.
If you want to know who the judges running for election in illinois actually are and why your ballot looks like a phone book, let’s break it down.
Why is the Illinois Judicial Ballot So Long?
Illinois is one of the few states that uses a "hybrid" system. It’s weird. Basically, the first time someone wants to become a judge, they have to run in a partisan election. They pick a team—Red or Blue—and they campaign just like a politician.
But once they're in? They don't have to run against anyone ever again. Instead, they face "retention."
This is where the ballot gets massive. Every six or ten years, depending on the court level, that judge’s name pops up with a simple question: "Should Judge X be retained in office?" There is no opponent. It’s just them versus a "Yes" or "No" vote. To keep their job, they need a 60% "Yes" vote. That sounds like a lot, but in reality, judges almost never lose retention unless there’s a massive scandal.
The 2026 Landscape: Who is Actually Running?
For the 2026 cycle, the action is spread across three levels: the Supreme Court, the Appellate Court, and the Circuit Courts.
The General Primary is set for March 17, 2026, and the General Election is November 3, 2026.
The High Stakes: Supreme and Appellate Vacancies
At the top of the food chain, we’re looking at several key vacancies. These aren't just "seat fillers." These judges set precedents for the whole state.
- 1st District (Cook County): The vacancy left by Honorable Thomas E. Hoffman is a big one.
- 3rd District: Look for the seat previously held by Justice M. McDade. Candidates like Margaret "Peggy" O'Connell and John Pavich have already signaled they're in the mix.
- 5th District: The retirement of Thomas M. Welch opens up another critical spot in the southern part of the state.
The Local Level: Circuit Court Chaos
This is where the names get really local. Cook County is famous for its subcircuits—basically tiny judicial neighborhoods. In the 18th Circuit, for instance, we already see incumbents like Christina Kye and Terra Costa Howard defending their territory.
But here is the thing: many of these races are decided in the primary. If you live in a heavily Democratic or Republican area, whoever wins in March is basically the judge. Period. If you wait until November to care, you've already missed the boat.
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How to Tell if a Judge is Actually Good (Without Going to Law School)
You can't sit in every courtroom and watch these people work. You have jobs. You have lives. Fortunately, lawyers are basically professional critics, and they spend a lot of time rating these candidates.
Use the Bar Association Ratings
Groups like the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) and the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) do the legwork for you. They interview the candidates, check their references, and give them a rating:
- Highly Qualified (The valedictorians)
- Qualified (They know their stuff)
- Not Recommended (Usually a red flag for "lazy," "biased," or "refused to participate")
If you see "Not Recommended," it’s usually because the judge didn't want to show their homework or the legal community thinks they're a disaster. In the 2024 cycle, the Chicago Council of Lawyers found four judges "Not Qualified" for various reasons ranging from "bad temperament" to "poor courtroom management." You can bet more will pop up in 2026.
The Secret "Retention" Strategy
When you get to the retention section, don't just vote "Yes" for everyone because they sound nice. Check the news. In 2026, several judges are retiring specifically to avoid the retention filter or because they’ve hit their term limits under proposed new rules.
Historically, voters have used the retention vote to oust judges who are seen as too soft or too harsh. It’s your one chance to fire someone who has a "job for life."
Common Misconceptions About Illinois Judges
"They’re non-partisan." Nope. Not the first time. In Illinois, they run as Democrats or Republicans initially. Does that mean they rule based on party? Ideally, no. But the money for their campaigns often comes from party-aligned donors.
"I should only vote for the ones I recognize." Actually, name recognition in judicial races is often a trap. Sometimes people run because they have a "famous" political last name even if they’ve never argued a case in their lives.
"The Supreme Court doesn't affect me." Tell that to someone whose property taxes were decided by a 4-3 ruling or a worker whose compensation was capped. The Illinois Supreme Court is arguably more powerful than the Governor when it comes to the nitty-gritty of your daily life.
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What You Should Do Right Now
Don't wait until you're in the booth with a pen in your hand and a line of impatient people behind you.
- Download a Sample Ballot: By February 1, 2026, full candidate rosters will be available. Go to the Illinois State Board of Elections website and grab your specific ballot.
- Check the "Alliance" Ratings: Look for the "Alliance of Bar Associations." It’s a group of about a dozen different bar associations (including minority and specialty bars) that give a broad perspective on whether a candidate is fair.
- Look for Vacancy Fillers: Sometimes the Supreme Court appoints someone to fill a seat temporarily. These people are called "Appointed." They have to run in the next election to keep the seat. They usually have a head start, but they aren't guaranteed to win.
- Mark Your Calendar: March 17, 2026. That’s the primary. If you’re a registered voter in Illinois, that’s when the real decisions for judges running for election in illinois happen.
The system is complicated on purpose, but that doesn't mean you have to be a victim of the complexity. A little bit of Googling before you leave the house makes the difference between a fair court and a political one.
Check your registration status today at the Illinois State Board of Elections portal to ensure you're ready for the March primary.