Amid competitive races for governor and elsewhere on the ballot, Cook County voters also took to the polls to select permanent replacements for 10 vacant Cook County Circuit Court judgeships and 17 open posts on the county’s various judicial subcircuits, as voters cast ballots in the county’s primary election on Tuesday, June 28.
The elections were to fill vacancies left in the county’s judiciary in the wake of other judges’ decision to retire or to take other spots within Illinois’ state courts.
The election results were unofficial tallies posted June 28 and 29 by the Cook County Clerk’s Office – which counts ballots in suburban Cook County – and the Chicago Board of Elections. The results are incomplete tallies, as results from some precincts have not yet reported, according to the election authorities.
COOK COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
In contested balloting, in the Democratic Party primary:
In the race to fill the vacancy of retired Circuit Judge Margaret Brennan, Lisa Michelle Taylor, a civil defense attorney with the firm of Schwartz Gilligan, held a narrow advantage over Chicago Alderman Howard B. Brookins Jr. According to tallies, Taylor had 189,116 votes to Brookins’ 177,976. Brookins had been endorsed in the race by the Cook County Democratic Party.
In the contest to fill the vacancy of Circuit Judge John P. Callahan, Judge Tracie R. Porter appeared poised for an easy win over opponents Suzanne T. McEneely and Mary McMahon. Porter had been appointed to the Cook County courts in 2021 by the Illinois Supreme Court to temporarily fill a different judicial vacancy.
Porter had 217,998 votes, compared to 114,754 for McMahon, who was in second place.
For the judgeship vacated by Judge Diane Gordon Cannon, Cook County Judge Diana Lopez was comfortably ahead over opponents Monica Somerville and Mable Taylor. Lopez had 254,286 votes, compared to the 79,789 cast for next closest opponent Somerville. Lopez had been appointed to the court in 2021. She was endorsed by the Cook County Democrats.
In the race to replace Judge Michael B. Hyman, Thomas Nowinski, chief of staff to Cook County Circuit Clerk Iris Martinez, appeared poised for an easy win. He had 228,210 votes, compared to 159,057 for opponent Carmen Quinones. Nowinski was endorsed by Cook County Democrats.
In the contest to fill the vacancy of Judge Cheryl Ingram, Elizabeth “Beth” Ryan held the edge over opponent Yolanda Harris Sayre. Ryan has worked as a personal injury attorney since 2011, but previously clerked for Judge Martin Agran in Cook County courts’ Chancery Division.
Sayre was endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party in the race.
To replace Judge Pamela Leeming, voters appear overwhelmingly to have selected Cook County Judge Rena Van Tine. According to unofficial tallies, Van Tine had 291,653 votes, compared to 81,773 for opponent Wende Williams. Van Tine was appointed to the court by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2001, and again in 2021 to fill a countywide vacancy. She is the first female Indian-American judge in Cook County. Van Tine was endorsed by the Cook County Democrats.
In the race to replace Judge Daniel Lynch, Michael Weaver held the edge. Weaver is a partner in the commercial litigation firm of McDermott Will & Emery. He appeared poised to defeat opponents Deidre Baumann and Paul Joyce. Weaver had 168,317 votes, compared to 129,120 for Baumann, the next closest opponent. Weaver was endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party.
And in the race to fill the vacancy left by Judge Kathleen McGury, voters appeared to have selected Cook County Judge Ruth Isabel Gudino. Gudino had secured 241,002 votes, compared to 146,231 for opponent Chelsey Robinson. Gudino was appointed to the court in 2021 by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill a judicial vacancy.
According to a report published by Injustice Watch, Gudino had been accused of inappropriate touching and making demeaning comments to colleagues while she worked as an assistant Cook County State’s Attorney. Gudino has denied the allegations, and a report from the State’s Attorney’s office called the allegations “unsubstantiated.”
Gudino was endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party.
In the contest to replace Judge Joan M. O’Brien, Cook County Judge Araceli De La Cruz held the edge over two opponents. De La Cruz was appointed to the court in January 2022. According to unofficial tallies, De La Cruz had collected 207,099 votes, compared to 134,895 for next closest opponent Jacqueline Griffin. De La Cruz was endorsed by the Cook County Democrats.
And, in the race to fill the vacancy of Judge Sharon M. Sullivan, Cook County Judge Thomas More Donnelly was poised to claim an easy win over his two opponents. Donnelly was rated as highly qualified by the Illinois State Bar Association, and was endorsed by the Cook County Democrats.
Donnelly was appointed to the court first in 2001 as an associate judge, and then as a circuit judge in 2021.
According to unofficial tallies, Donnelly held 235,708 votes to 111,644 for next closest opponent Claudia Silva-Hernandez.
No Republican candidates have declared for any of the open countywide Circuit Court judge positions.
COOK COUNTY SUBCIRCUITS
Presumptive winners in the Democratic races for Judicial Subcircuit races, according to unofficial tallies, include:
In the First Subcircuit: Maria Barlow
Fourth Subcircuit (two seats): Nick Kantas and ShawnTe Raines-Welch
Fifth Subcircuit (two seats): David L. Kelly and Timothy W. Wright III
Sixth Subcircuit (two seats): Charles Beach (unopposed) and Kerrie Maloney Laytin
Seventh Subcircuit: Marcia O’Brien Conway
Eighth Subcircuit (two seats): Bradley R. Trowbridge and Stephen Swedlow
Ninth Subcircuit (two seats): Sanjay Tailor and Barry Goldberg
11th Subcircuit: Aileen Bhandari
13th Subcircuit: Joe Gump held a lead of 10,722 to 10,687 over James “Jack” Costello
14th Subcircuit (two seats): Iris Y. Chavira (unopposed) and Viviana Martinez
15th Subcircuit: Bernadette Barrett
In the county’s lone Republican judicial contest, in the 13th Subcircuit, Gary William Seyring edged out opponents Christine Svenson and Dominic J. Buttita. Seyring will advanced to face the winner of the Democratic primary between Costello and Gump.