While the presidential race and elected representatives at the state and federal level will dominate headlines, there are dozens of judges on Illinois ballots this November as well.
Illinois voters will be tasked with choosing their circuit and appellate court judges, and whether to keep those already on the bench in place, and voters in two districts will be asked to conform the election of two members of the state’s Supreme Court to 10-year terms.
With the sheer number of judgeships on the ballot this November, it can be overwhelming to try to figure out which candidates to vote for, but fortunately for Illinois residents, there are a slew of resources available to help.
Here is a primer on what judges will be on the ballot, and how to research those members of the judiciary when you cast your vote.
What judges will be on the ballot?
Illinois voters are asked to vote for judges at three different levels of the state’s court system.
The highest court in the land is the state’s Supreme Court, comprised of seven justices representing five different districts. One of those districts, which covers Cook County, sends three justices to the court, and Justice Joy Virginia Cunningham is running for a full 10-year term this November.
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The fourth district in western Illinois is also voting on a seat, with Justice Lisa Holder White running unopposed.
The next level down is the appellate court system, which is also divided into five districts. There are multiple elections in this area of the judiciary, as there are in the next level down, which is known as the circuit court. This level is essentially the “front line” of the legal system, according to experts, and there are a slew of vacancies and retention votes there, based on counties.
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Supreme Court and appellate court justices serve 10-year terms, while circuit court judges hold six-year terms.
How can I research judges?
Voters in Cook County can turn to a few different resources, including a massive guide published by Injustice Watch. The interactive guide provides information on 75 circuit court judges and two appellate court judges that are running for retention or election to full terms in the area.
The guide pulls ratings and data from different bar associations, and even highlights potential controversies and key rulings from judicial candidates.
The best part is that you can print off a list of the judges that will be on your ballot and bring them into the voting booth with you.
The Chicago Bar Association also rates judges in Cook County, using a scale that has three categories: Highly Qualified, Qualified, or Not Recommended, using feedback from attorneys within the judicial system.
Outside of Cook County, there are several other resources available, including the guide from the Illinois State Bar Association, which offers reviews of candidates from members of the ISBA, and also advisory polls of non-ISBA members.
Judges are then given a grade of Highly Recommended, Recommended or Not Recommended.
Several suburban counties also have rankings of their own, including the Lake County Bar Association and the DuPage County Bar Association.
