Elections News
Elections
Republicans can't challenge gerrymandered Democratic district maps, IL Sup Ct rules
Illinois' Democrat-dominated state Supreme Court sided with Democrats in ruling Republicans waited too long to challenge state legislative district maps, which GOP said Dems used to "rig" election results. A dissenting justice blasted the court's handling of the case, saying it indicated the court wasn't "neutral"
Elections
Pritzker again pours money into the race for control of Wisconsin's state Supreme Court
Wisconsin state campaign finance records show Illinois billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker donated $1.5M to support the campaign of Democratic Judge Susan Crawford in the race for control of Wisconsin's state Supreme Court. Democrats have, at the same time, criticized Republicans for attempting to "buy" the seat
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Elections
IL high court questions if GOP gerrymandering suit is 'timely;' GOP: 'Unquestionably' so
Democrats have yet to respond to a Republican lawsuit seeking to toss out Democrats' partisan gerrymandered Illinois state legislative maps. But the Democrat-dominated Illinois Supreme Court moved on its own to ask both sides to present arguments if the challenge to the maps was "timely."
Elections
Pritzker donating big money again in hot Wisconsin state Supreme Court race
Billionaire IL Gov. JB Pritzker has so far donated $500K in the contest, amid a flood of outside money coming in the race to determine control of the key swing state's top court. In 2023, Pritzker also donated more than $1M in Wisconsin, despite also supporting a law prohibiting outside groups from donating in Illinois judicial races
Elections
GOP with early lead in race for Wisconsin state Supreme Court, poll says
A new poll shows conservative former Wisconsin Attorney General Dan Schimel with 40% vs 35% for liberal judge Susan Crawford. The race is among the most hotly contested and anticipated races in 2025. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has invested heavily in Wisconsin state politics, including in a 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court contest.
Elections
Not 'free and equal:' IL GOP asks court to toss out gerrymandered state House map
Republicans have asked the Illinois Supreme Court to uphold the legislative district mapmaking principles spelled out in its own prior rulings and knock out a map so gerrymandered that Republicans say Democrats can win a supermajority even if they lose the statewide popular vote, trampling voting rights
Elections
SCOTUS weighing challenge to IL two-week-long mail-in vote counting system
The U.S. Supreme Court has directed the state of Illinois to respond to a petition for appeal filed by Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Bost, who has argued lower courts wrongly denied him the ability to sue the state for requiring mail-in ballots to be counted up to two weeks after Election Day, which he says violates federal law
Elections
O'Neill Burke reverses Foxx prosecution policies in first actions as new Cook County top prosecutor
New Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke announced prosecutors are required to ask judges to keep people charged with a host of violent and heinous crimes in jail while they await trial. Reports also indicated O'Neill Burke would more aggressively prosecute shoplifting
Elections
Controversial Cook County judge loses retention bid, unofficial vote totals show
According to unofficial vote totals, Cook County Judge Shannon O'Malley - formerly known as Phillip Spiwak - appears to have fallen short of retaining his seat on the county court. O'Malley famously changed his name to sound Irish in an apparent bid to win election, and has been accused of living outside the county
Elections
77 of 78 Cook County judges poised to retain seats on bench; O'Malley falling short
Of three Cook County judges touched by scandal in recent weeks, voters appeared poised to grant two - Kathy Flanagan and E. Kenneth Wright - new six-year terms on the bench. Judge Shannon O'Malley, however, appeared to be falling short of the required 60% "Yes" vote threshold, according to incomplete results
Elections
'Being safe is not a privilege:' O'Neill Burke wins State's Attorney's race, vows to 'set new standard'
Eileen O'Neill Burke won the race for Cook County State's Attorney. During her campaign, the former judge pledged to undo many of the policies put in place by outgoing State's Attorney Kim Foxx, who has been heavily criticized for being soft on crime and helping to fuel Chicago's and Cook County's crime problems
Elections
Glaub becomes first GOPer to run for countywide Cook judge since 2010, challenges DeCastro
Forty judgeships are on the ballot in Cook County this fall, but only five of those races are contested. Four of those contests are centered in judicial subcircuits based in Cook County's northwest suburbs. All other races feature Democrats running unopposed.
Elections
Scandal-struck prominent Cook County judges draw negative election recommendations from legal groups
The Illinois State Bar Association particularly recommended voters not support the retention bids this fall for Cook County Judges E. Kenneth Wright, Kathy Flanagan and Shannon O'Malley, aka Philip Spiwak. Other judges drawing negative reviews included Lisa Ann Marino and Ieshia E. Gray.
Elections
Rev. Jesse Jackson endorses Republican Fioretti for Cook County State's Attorney
Jackson particularly said he believes Fioretti has been more committed to the cause of civil rights than Democratic nominee, retired IL Appeals Court Justice Eileen O'Neill Burke. Jackson's attack mirrors that used against Burke in the Democratic primary by allies of outgoing Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx
Elections
Niles voters can't decide if village ethics board members should be elected: Appeals panel
Members of ethics board aren't 'officers' along lines of trustees or mayor
Elections
Third District Appellate race shines light on Democrat Will County judge's past run-ins with law
Will Co. Judge John Anderson is running against DuPage Co. Judge Kenton Skarin for a seat on Illinois' Third District Appellate Court. Skarin has launched a website listing Anderson's 33 traffic citations, arrests and convictions dating back to the late 1980s, mostly for excessive speeding. Anderson admits to a 'challenging' past, but says it is part of a redemption story.
Elections
Cook County judge seeking retention said woman who stabbed lover to death should have avoided jail pre-trial
Judge Ramon Ocasio, who is currently serving by assignment on a state appeals court, said the man was already dead, so the woman no longer posed a threat to public safety and should be set free under the SAFE-T Act. Ocasio is asking Cook County voters to send him back to the bench this fall
Elections
Democrats can't persuade Cook County elections board to ignore Springfield judge, kick Republican from ballot
Republican candidate Ron Andermann can advance to face Democrat Nicolle Grasse in the race for 53rd House District seat. Democrats had argued the Cook County Electoral Board could ignore a Springfield judge's ruling that a new state ballot access law could not be constitutionally enforced in 2024
Elections
IL Dems can't overturn court order stopping them from using ballot access law to block GOPers from running in Nov.
The Illinois Supreme Court could not come up with a four-member majority to overturn a Springfield judge's ruling that a new "anti-slating" law supported by Gov. Pritzker and his fellow Democrats was unconstitutional. The decision means Dems can't block Keeven, other GOP legislative candidates from the fall ballot
Elections
Appeals court: GOP congressman, voters can't sue IL for counting mail-in votes 2 weeks after Election Day
A divided federal appeals panel sided with the state and Democrats in tossing out a lawsuit challenging Illinois law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted up to 14 days after Election Day. A dissenting judge said the U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, who led the lawsuit, was wrongly denied the chance to have his case heard