A close-up of a judge’s gavel in his hand in the courtroom.
If you're planning on voting in the 2024 Illinois Primary Election, you will be tasked with voting in a variety of races involving judges in the state's court system.
In Illinois, judges are elected to numerous levels in the court system, and while it can be overwhelming when looking at a ballot, there are many groups that can help refine your thinking.
The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) released their 2024 Primary Election Cook County Judicial Evaluations and Advisory Polls. The evaluations rank judicial candidates on a scale of “not qualified” to “highly qualified.”
The candidates are also evaluated by ISBA Judicial Evaluations Committee (JEC) members based on “detailed information supplied by candidates, a background check by trained lawyers/investigators and interviews of each candidate,” according to the evaluation.
The rankings reflect the committee’s opinion of whether candidates have the necessary qualifications for judicial service, not a reflection of the candidates’ abilities as lawyers or judges, according to the ISBA.
Candidates who did not participate in the evaluation process were marked as “not recommended.”
Why does voting for a judge matter?
Local
Judges are elected to judge and rule over cases in specific districts or circuits, not over the entire state. Judges are voted on during the primary election, along with the 2024 presidential candidates and Illinois state representative candidates.
Voting for judges allows voters to help guide who is ruling in cases and what consequences for crimes could look like.
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The judges at the different levels of the court system are based on where you live, so the person you choose will be determining the criminal justice system outcomes in your residential area.
Vacancies and rankings per candidate
There are 45 judicial races on the ballot for the 2024 primary elect
For this election cycle, judges will be voted on to fill:
- One full term on the Illinois Supreme Court
- Four positions on the Illinois Appellate Court
- 11 countywide circuit court seats
- 29 subcircuit court seats
Out of 69 candidates, the ISBA ranked:
- 13 candidates as “highly qualified”
- 42 candidates are ranked as “qualified”
- Nine candidates are listed as “not qualified”
- Five candidates did not participate in the evaluation and were ranked as “not recommended”
Where can I go to see the rankings on each candidate?
The ISBA uploads their candidate qualification rankings on their website every election cycle.
For a more in-depth analysis of just Cook County, Injustice Watch has compiled information on each candidate, including their backgrounds, any controversies, ratings, fundraising and more.
Want to vote for a judge but don’t know how voting works?
Check out NBC Chicago’s guide to voting in the primary election this year.
