Illinois Voters Weigh 60 Cook County Judges
Voters across Illinois decided judicial retention races on November 3, 2026, with Cook County drawing attention for 60 Circuit Court judges on the ballot.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Illinois voters cast ballots in judicial elections during the 2026 midterm elections on November 3, 2026. Cook County's 60 Circuit Court judges faced retention votes, and judges must earn at least 60% of the vote to keep their seats.
Why it matters
Judicial retention votes let residents confirm or reject sitting judges, a process that shapes who decides cases in the state's courts. Injustice Watch publishes a nonpartisan guide to help Cook County voters evaluate judicial candidates.
Sixty Cook County Circuit Court judges appeared on the 2026 retention ballot, with a 60% vote threshold required for each to keep their seat. Final retention results for individual judges are not included in the source material.
The players
Injustice Watch
Injustice Watch is a Chicago-based nonprofit newsroom that focuses on the Illinois criminal justice system and publishes nonpartisan voter guides on judicial candidates.
The details
Illinois judges at all three court levels face a retention vote in nonpartisan elections, which asks voters whether to keep sitting judges for another term. Injustice Watch, based in Chicago, compiles a four-page voter guide on Cook County judicial candidates, a practice it began in 2018 and produces every two years.
Timeline
1964: Illinois adopted the judicial retention voting system.
2018: Injustice Watch started producing judicial voter guides.
November 3, 2026: Illinois voters cast judicial ballots in the midterm elections.
Legal Context
Illinois adopted judicial retention voting in 1964, and it remains one of eight states that hold retention elections for Circuit Court judges. The 2026 Cook County ballot continues that framework, in which judges face voters rather than running in partisan contests.
Cook County voters who cast ballots on November 3, 2026 determined whether each of the 60 Circuit Court judges would keep their seat, since a judge needs at least 60% of the vote to be retained. Residents who want to review candidates can consult Injustice Watch's nonpartisan voter guide.
The takeaway
Voters who want to understand the judges on their ballot can review nonpartisan guides before future elections. Retention votes give residents a direct role in deciding who stays on the bench.
Further reading
For more on how the courts operate, explore Criminal Justice coverage on Illinois judicial elections.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Northwestern.
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