VoteForJudges.org
Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice launched VoteForJudges.org more than a decade ago in an effort to educate voters about judicial elections in Cook County. Today, the website is sponsored by the Committee to Elect Qualified Judges, a political action committee dedicated to informed judicial voting.
The Committee to Elect Qualified Judges is a non-partisan organization.
Our Mission
Chicago Appleseed believes that all persons should have equal access to justice and fair treatment under the law. Having fair, qualified judges is critical to ensuring that the rights of everyone, including the most vulnerable are protected.
Want to support our mission? Click here to see how you can get involved.
Get Informed
The Cook County judicial system includes judges that sit on the Illinois Supreme Court, the Illinois Appellate Court, and trial courts, called the “Circuit Court”. Your ballot may include judges from any of these courts. The Circuit Court includes both criminal and civil courts (like domestic relations or landlord-tenant courts) across Chicago and the rest of Cook County. Countywide judges are elected by the voters of the entire Cook County. Once elected, the judges can be assigned to any division of the Circuit Court.
In addition, judges can be elected through subcircuit elections. The 15 subcircuits are geographic areas within Cook County. Subcircuit candidates are selected by the voters of that subcircuit only. Once elected, however, the judges from the subcircuits have the same powers as judges elected countywide, and can also be placed in any division of the Circuit Court, as well. Subcircuit elections happen at the same time as countywide elections and your ballot will include a subcircuit election, if you have one.
Both countywide and subcircuit judicial candidates are chosen for the ballot in a partisan primary, but run without party designation on the ballot in the general election. These judges sit for a six year term (Illinois appellate judges and Supreme Court Justices sit for a ten year term). At the expiration of the term, a judge wishing to remain on the bench is listed on the general ballot, again without party designation, and voters cast a yes or no vote on each judicial retention candidate. Any judge receiving a 60% “yes” vote “wins” their election and retains their position as judge.
The Alliance of Bar Associations is a group of 12 bar associations that collaboratively evaluate judicial candidates. The Alliance simplifies the vetting process because candidates need only submit one set of materials and sit for one set of interviews rather than having to submit separate materials and sit for separate interviews with each individual bar association. Although they receive substantially similar information, each bar association in the Alliance issues its own recommendation as to the candidates fitness to serve on the bench.
| Alliance of Bar Associations Members | Website |
|---|---|
| AABAR: Arab American Bar Association of Illinois | www.arabbar.org |
| AABA:Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area | www.aabachicago.org |
| BWLA:Black Women Lawyer's Association of Greater Chicago | www.bwla.org |
| CCL:Chicago Council of Lawyers | www.chicagocouncil.org |
| CCBA:Cook County Bar Association | www.cookcountybar.org |
| DSL:Decalogue Society of Lawyers | www.decaloguesociety.org |
| HBA:Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois | www.hellenicbar.org |
| HLAI:Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois | www.hlai.org |
| ISBA:Illinois State Bar Association | www.isba.org |
| LAGBAC:Lesbian and Gay Bar Association | www.lagbac.org |
| PRBA:Puerto Rican Bar Association | www.prbalawil.org |
| WBAI:Women's Bar Association | www.wbaillinois.org |
Chicago Appleseed, with the assistance of pro bono professionals, works to identify barriers for unrepresented parties and inequities for everyone when accessing the courts in Cook County.
Few people anticipate ever needing to be in a court, and very few know what to expect when they are called to court–whether for a divorce or child support manner, a criminal charge, or eviction–especially if they are unable to afford their own attorney. Our work focuses on improving court processes for the those with and without representation.
Our advocacy makes the courts more fair and therefore, more effective. We operate with paid staff and a pro bono corps of professionals who conduct both national and local research, in an effort to develop proposed solutions that reach our objectives. Working diligently together, we devise strategies for implementing these solutions.
Visit http://www.chicagoappleseed.org/ for more information.