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The2012 Illinois judicial elections consisted of both partisan andretention elections, including those one seat of theSupreme Court of Illinois for ten seats in theIllinois Appellate Court.[1] Primary elections were held on March 20, 2012, and general elections were held on November 6, 2012.[1] These elections were part of the2012 Illinois elections.
Justices of the Supreme Court of Illinois are elected by district. One seat held a partisan election, while another held a retention election.
The court has seven seats total separated into five districts. The first district, representingCook County, contains three seats, making it a multi-member district, while other four districts aresingle-member districts.[2] Justices hold ten year terms.[2]
In October 2010, DemocratMary Jane Theis was appointed by the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of justiceThomas R. Fitzgerald.[3] Theis successfully ran for election to fill this seat for a full term.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mary Jane Theis (incumbent) | 193,863 | 48.37 | |
| Democratic | Joy Cunningham | 91,639 | 22.87 | |
| Democratic | Aurelia Marie Pucinski | 85,554 | 21.35 | |
| Democratic | Thomas W. Flannigan | 29,708 | 7.41 | |
| Total votes | 537,239 | 100 | ||
No candidates ran in the primary for the Republican nomination. Republicans ultimately nominated James Gerard Riley.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mary Jane Theis (incumbent) | 1,333,122 | 74.72 | |
| Republican | James Gerard Riley | 451,039 | 25.28 | |
| Total votes | 1,784,161 | 100 | ||
The court has seven seats total separated into five districts. The first district contains three seats (making it a multi-member district), while other four districts aresingle-member districts.[2] Justices hold ten year terms.[2]
To be retained, judges were required to have 60% of their vote be "yes".
| District | Incumbent | Vote[5] | Cite | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Name | In office since | Previous years elected/retained | Yes (Retain) | No (Remove) | |||
| 3rd | Republican | Rita B. Garman | February 1, 2001 | 2002 (elected) | 389,891 (82.81%) | 80,929 (17.19%) | [6][7] | |
Illinois Appellate Court justices hold ten-year terms.[2]
A vacancy was created by the death of Robert Cahill.[8] Matthias William Delort was elected to fill the judgeship.[9] This was a regular election, as Cahill's term would have ended in 2012.[8]
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Matthias William Delort | 90,855 | 24.82 | |
| Democratic | Pamela E. Hill-Veal | 83,463 | 22.80 | |
| Democratic | Laura Marie Sullivan | 65,293 | 17.84 | |
| Democratic | Mary Brigid Hayes | 57,909 | 15.82 | |
| Democratic | James Michael McGing | 34,353 | 9.38 | |
| Democratic | Kay Marie Hanlon | 34,215 | 9.35 | |
| Total votes | 366,088 | 100 | ||
No candidates ran in the primary for the Republican nomination.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Matthias William Delort | 1,381,611 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 1,381,611 | 100 | ||
A vacancy was created whenSharon Johnson Coleman stepped down in order to accept a position on theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.[16][17] Nathaniel Roosevelt Howse, Jr. was elected to fill the judgeship.[16] Before being elected to this judgeship, Howse had already been serving on the Appellate Court, having been appointed to a different 1st district judgeship in August 2009, after the retirement of Denise M. O'Malley.[18] This was a regular election, as Coleman's term would have ended in 2012.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nathaniel Roosevelt Howse, Jr. | 242,772 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 242,772 | 100 | ||
No candidates ran in the primary for the Republican nomination.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Nathaniel Roosevelt Howse, Jr. | 1,334,521 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 1,334,521 | 100 | ||
A vacancy was created when Michael Gallagher retired.[19][20]P. Scott Neville Jr. was elected to fill the judgeship.[16] Before being elected to this judgeship, Neville had already been serving on the Appellate Court, having been served as an appointed member of the first district since 2004.[19][21]
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | P. Scott Neville, Jr. | 159,170 | 44.30 | |
| Democratic | Marguerite Quinn | 119,865 | 33.36 | |
| Democratic | Patrick J. Sherlock | 80,256 | 22.34 | |
| Total votes | 359,291 | 100 | ||
No candidates ran in the primary for the Republican nomination.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | P. Scott Neville, Jr. | 1,306,485 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 1,306,485 | 100 | ||
A vacancy was created when Sheila O'Brien retired in 2011.[24][25] Jesse G. Reyes was elected to fill the judgeship.[24]
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jesse G. Reyes | 120,390 | 33.04 | |
| Democratic | William Stewart Boyd | 93,912 | 25.77 | |
| Democratic | Ellen L. Flannigan | 80,668 | 22.14 | |
| Democratic | Rodolfo "Rudy" Garcia | 45,539 | 12.5 | |
| Democratic | Don R. Sampen | 23,873 | 6.55 | |
| Total votes | 364,382 | 100 | ||
No candidates ran in the primary for the Republican nomination.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jesse G. Reyes | 1,317,266 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 1,317,266 | 100 | ||
A vacancy was created whenMary Jane Theis was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court in 2010.[31] Maureen Connors, who had been appointed in October 2010 to fill the judgeship until a permanent occupant would be elected in 2012, was elected to permanently fill the judgeship.[32]
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Maureen Elizabeth Connors (incumbent) | 325,268 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 325,268 | 100 | ||
No candidates ran in the primary for the Republican nomination.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Maureen Elizabeth Connors (incumbent) | 1,316,225 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 1,316,225 | 100 | ||
A vacancy was created when John Tully retired on December 31, 2009.[33][34] Terrance J. Lavin, who had been appointed on February 1, 2010, to fill the judgeship until a permanent occupant would be elected in 2012, was elected to permanently fill the judgeship.[34]
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Terrence J. Lavin (incumbent) | 319,241 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 319,241 | 100 | ||
No candidates ran in the primary for the Republican nomination.[4]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Terrence J. Lavin (incumbent) | 1,280,939 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 1,280,939 | 100 | ||
A vacancy was created when Jack O'Malley retired on December 3, 2010.[35] Joseph Birkett, who had been appointed on fill the judgeship until a permanent occupant would be elected in 2012, was elected to permanently fill the judgeship.[36]
No candidates ran in the primary for the Democratic nomination.[4]
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joe Birkett (incumbent) | 259,025 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 259,025 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joe Birkett (incumbent) | 946,823 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 946,823 | 100 | ||
A vacancy was created whenSue E. Myerscough left her judgeship in the Illinois Appellate Court's 4th district to become a judge of theUnited States District Court for the Central District of Illinois in February 2010.[37] Carol Pope was elected to fill the judgeship.[38] Before being elected to this judgeship, Pope had already been serving on the Illinois Appellate Court's, having been appointed to a different 4th district judgeship in December 2008.[38]
No candidates ran in the primary for the Democratic nomination.[4]
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Carol Pope | 115,826 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 115,826 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Carol Pope | 428,665 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 428,665 | 100 | ||
A vacancy was created when James Donovan retired on December 2, 2012.[39] Judy Cates was elected to fill the judgeship.[40]
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Judy Cates | 52,050 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 52,050 | 100 | ||
Candidates
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Stephen McGlynn | 79,925 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 79,925 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Judy Cates | 283,926 | 52.09 | |
| Republican | Stephen McGlynn | 261,170 | 47.91 | |
| Total votes | 545,096 | 100 | ||
To be retained, judges were required to have 60% of their vote be "yes".
| District | Incumbent | Vote[5] | Cite | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Name | In office since | Previous years elected/retained | Yes (Retain) | No (Remove) | |||
| 1st | Democratic | James Fitzgerald Smith | December 2, 2002 | 2002 (elected) | 1,058,999 (79.81%) | 267,955 (20.19%) | [4][42] | |
| 3rd | Democratic | Tom M. Lytton | December 7, 1992 | 1992 (elected), 2002 (retained) | 521,146 (79.72%) | 132,560 (20.28%) | [14][43] | |
| 3rd | Republican | Daniel L. Schmidt | December 2002 | 2002 (elected) | 524,061 (80.40%) | 127,776 (19.60%) | [4][44] | |
| 4th | Republican | John Turner | June 2001 | 2002 (elected) | 377,311 (82.10%) | 82,273 (17.90%) | [4][45] | |
| 5th | Democratic | Melissa Ann Chapman | September 2001 | 2002 (elected) | 370,011 (73.76%) | 131,601 (26.24%) | [46] | |
Lower courts also saw judicial elections.
