2020 Illinois judicial elections#Supreme Court of Illinois
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2020 Illinois judicial elections
| country =
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2018 Illinois judicial elections
| previous_year = 2018
| next_election = 2022 Illinois judicial elections
| next_year = 2022
| election_date = November 3, 2020
| turnout =
}}
{{Elections in Illinois}}
The 2020 Illinois judicial elections consisted of both partisan and retention elections, including those for three seats on the Supreme Court of Illinois and 10 seats in the Illinois Appellate Court.{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_Supreme_Court_elections,_2020|title=Illinois Supreme Court elections, 2020|website=Ballotpedia|language=en|access-date=2020-03-21}}{{Cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_intermediate_appellate_court_elections,_2020|title=Illinois intermediate appellate court elections, 2020|website=Ballotpedia|language=en|access-date=2020-03-21}} Primary elections were held on March 17, 2020, and the general election was held on November 3, 2020. These elections were part of the 2020 Illinois elections.
{{Toclimit|limit=3}}
Supreme Court of Illinois
Justices of the Supreme Court of Illinois are elected by district. Two seats will be holding partisan elections, while another will be holding a retention election. On the Supreme Court of Illinois, seats occupied by previously elected justices will see retention elections, while races with justices not previously elected (whether the seat is vacant or filled by an appointee) will see competitive partisan elections.
The court has seven seats total separated into five districts. The first district, representing Cook County, contains three seats, making it a multi-member district, while other four districts are single-member districts.{{cite web |title=Illinois Constitution - Article VI |url=http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con6.htm |website=www.ilga.gov |publisher=Illinois General Assembly |access-date=22 March 2020}} Justices hold ten year terms.
=1st district=
One of the three seats from the 1st district is up for a partisan election. Incumbent P. Scott Neville Jr. was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2018 to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Charles E. Freeman. This is a regularly-scheduled election (Freeman's term would have ended in December 2020).
==Democratic primary==
{{Election box begin no change | title=Supreme Court of Illinois 1st district Democratic primary{{cite web |title=Election Results 2020 GENERAL PRIMARY |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx?ID=%2bzMIuj2TEvA%3d&OfficeType=yuI6IgKE35vXnKh3kqVQUSlAWHdTwMO5&T=637227259168444239 |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=17 April 2020}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = P. Scott Neville Jr. (incumbent)
|votes = 214,066
|percentage = 26.25
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Jesse G. Reyes
|votes = 165,344
|percentage = 20.27
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Shelly A. Harris
|votes = 123,166
|percentage = 15.10
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Cynthia Y. Cobbs
|votes = 103,497
|percentage = 12.69
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Margaret Stanton McBride
|votes = 101,475
|percentage = 12.44
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Daniel Epstein
|votes = 66,762
|percentage = 8.19
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Nathaniel R. Howse
|votes = 41,205
|percentage = 5.05
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 815,515
| percentage =
}}
{{Election box end}}
====Republican primary====
No candidates were included on the ballot in the Republican primary. While an official write-in candidate did run, he did not receive a sufficient number of votes to win nomination.
Results
{{Election box begin no change | title= Supreme Court of Illinois 1st district Republican primary}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = Richard Mayers
|votes = 22
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 22
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
==General election==
{{Election box begin no change | title=Supreme Court of Illinois 1st district election{{cite web |title=Official Canvass General Election November 3, 2020 |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/2020/ByCandidate/2020GEOfficialVote.pdf |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=9 December 2020 |archive-date=6 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906074148/https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads%2FElectionOperations%2FVoteTotals%2F2020%2FByCandidate%2F2020GEOfficialVote.pdf |url-status=dead }}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = P. Scott Neville Jr. (incumbent)
|votes = 1,765,329
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = Richard Mayers
|votes = 31
|percentage = 0.00
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 1,765,360
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
=5th district=
Lloyd Karmeier, a Republican, retired on December 6, 2019, leaving the seat vacant until the election. This is a regularly-scheduled election (Karmeier's term would have ended in December 2020). Three members of the Illinois Appellate Court from the 5th district chose to run; John B. Barberis Jr, Judy Cates, and David K. Overstreet.{{cite book|editor-last=White|editor-first=Jesse|chapter=Appellate Court Judges|title=Illinois Blue Book 2019-2020|publisher=Illinois Secretary of State|access-date=May 30, 2020|url=https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/illinois_bluebook/appellate.pdf}}
==Democratic primary==
{{Election box begin no change | title=Supreme Court of Illinois 5th district Democratic primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Judy Cates
|votes = 85,117
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 85,117
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
==Republican primary==
{{Election box begin no change | title=Supreme Court of Illinois 5th district Republican primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = David K. Overstreet
|votes = 77,438
|percentage = 76.51
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = John B. Barberis Jr.
|votes = 23,777
|percentage = 23.49
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 101,215
| percentage =
}}
{{Election box end}}
==General election==
{{Election box begin no change | title=Supreme Court of Illinois 5th district election}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = David K. Overstreet
|votes = 388,129
|percentage = 62.52
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Judy Cates
|votes = 232,722
|percentage = 37.48
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 620,851
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Retention elections=
The 3rd district seat was held by Thomas L. Kilbride, a Democrat first elected to the Supreme Court in 2000.
In the 2nd district, Robert R. Thomas, a Republican, was scheduled to have retention election. However, he retired February 29, 2020. On March 1, 2020, Michael J. Burke assumed his seat, and will hold it until a special election in 2022.{{cite web |last1=Eggert |first1=Timmothy |title=Illinois Supreme Court’s history picking of its own replacements |url=https://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/illinois-supreme-court’s-history-of-picking-its-own-replacements-20200228 |publisher=Chicago Law Bulletin |access-date=22 March 2020 |date=28 February 2020}}
To be retained, judges are required to have 60% of their vote be "yes". Kilbride did not reach that mark and only receiving approximately 57% of the vote. He is the first justice of the Illinois Supreme Court to lose retention vote in the history of the state.{{cite web |last1=Tabor |first1=Joe |title=KILBRIDE IS FIRST ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE TO LOSE RETENTION VOTE|url=https://www.illinoispolicy.org/kilbride-is-first-illinois-supreme-court-justice-to-lose-retention-vote/|publisher=Illinois Policy |access-date=14 November 2020 |date=4 November 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Mansur |first1=Sarah |title=Failed retention is first ever in Illinois Supreme Court’s history; Overstreet wins Karmeier seat |url=https://thesouthern.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/failed-retention-is-first-ever-in-illinois-supreme-court-s-history-overstreet-wins-karmeier-seat/article_298ca089-bb43-5402-b8f2-292a863aaedc.html |website=The Southern |access-date=3 December 2020 |language=en |date=4 November 2020}}
| class="wikitable"
! rowspan =2 |District ! colspan=5 | Incumbent |
| colspan="2"|Party
! Name ! In office since ! Previous years elected/retained !Yes !No |
|---|
| 3rd
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | | December 4, 2000 | 2000 (elected), 2010 (retained) | 452,142 (56.52%) | 347,812 (43.48%) |
Illinois Appellate Court
=1st district (1st division)=
Incumbent John C. Griffin was appointed in May 2018 following the retirement of John B. Simon.{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=David |title=Griffin to fill retiring Simon’s seat on 1st District Appellate Court |url=https://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/1st-district-justice-simon-to-retire-cook-co-judge-griffin-to-replace-20180418 |publisher=Chicago Law Bulletin |access-date=22 March 2020 |date=18 April 2018}} This is a special election for a four-year term, as Simon's term would not have ended until 2024. Griffin ran for reelection, but was unseated in the Democratic primary by Sharon Oden-Johnson.
==Democratic primary==
{{Election box begin no change | title=Illinois Appellate Court 1st district (1st division) Democratic primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Sharon Oden-Johnson
|votes = 395,022
|percentage = 52.44
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = John C. Griffin (incumbent)
|votes = 358,226
|percentage = 47.56
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 753,248
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
==Republican primary==
The Republican primary was cancelled. No candidates had filed.
==General election==
{{Election box begin no change | title= Illinois Appellate Court 1st district (1st division) election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Sharon O. Johnson
|votes = 1,603,179
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 1,603,179
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
=1st district (3rd division)=
Incumbent Michael Hyman was appointed in 2018 to fill the vacancy left when P. Scott Neville Jr. resigned this seat to assume a seat on the Supreme Court of Illinois. He was elected outright.
==Democratic primary==
{{Election box begin no change | title=Illinois Appellate Court 1st district (3rd division) Democratic primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Michael B. Hyman (incumbent)
|votes = 273,898
|percentage = 35.51
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Sandra Gisela Ramos
|votes = 207,989
|percentage = 26.96
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Maureen Patricia O'Leary
|votes = 159,423
|percentage = 20.67
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Carolyn Gallagher
|votes = 130,067
|percentage = 16.86
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 771,377
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
====Republican primary====
No candidates were included on the ballot in the Republican primary. While an official write-in candidate did run, he did not receive a sufficient number of votes to win nomination.
Results
{{Election box begin no change | title=Illinois Appellate Court 1st district (3rd division) Republican primary}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Write-in
|candidate = Richard Mayers
|votes = 21
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 21
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
==General election==
{{Election box begin no change | title= Illinois Appellate Court 1st district (3rd division) election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Michael Hyman (incumbent)
|votes = 1,633,319
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 1,633,319
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
=5th district=
Incumbent Mark M. Boie was appointed on May 1, 2019.
==Democratic primary==
{{Election box begin no change | title=Illinois Appellate Court 5th district Democratic primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Sarah Smith
|votes = 84,509
|percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 84,509
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
==Republican primary==
{{Election box begin no change | title= Illinois Appellate Court 5th district Republican primary}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Mark M. Boie (incumbent)
|votes = 52,619
|percentage = 54.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Katherine Ruocco
|votes = 44,011
|percentage = 45.55
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 96,630
| percentage =
}}
{{Election box end}}
==General election==
{{Election box begin no change | title= Illinois Appellate Court 5th district election}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Mark M. Boie (incumbent)
|votes = 367,036
|percentage = 59.86%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Sarah Smith
|votes = 246,166
|percentage = 40.14%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 613,202
| percentage = 100%
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = Illinois Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Retention elections=
To be retained, judges are required to have 60% of their vote be "yes".
Lower courts
{{see also|2020 Cook County, Illinois elections#Judicial elections}}
Lower courts also saw judicial elections.