And they're off!

Herewith a link to the 2010 Election and Campaign Finance Calendar compiled by the Illinois State Board of Elections.

The silly season is officially underway: Petitions may now be circulated for the 2010 primary.

Candidate filing opens October 26 -- and closes November 2 -- all for jobs that don't start until December 6. That's December 6, 2010.

The primary election is February 2, 2010 -- Groundhog's Day.

If things go according to form, virtually all Cook County judicial races will be decided that day: There will be very few contests in the November election. As a general rule, the nominee of the Democratic Party selected on February 2 will be sworn in as a judge on December 6, 2010.

Here's a link to the 2010 Candidate Guide compiled by the Illinois State Board of Elections.

And here's a link to the current list of judicial vacancies in Illinois. The current Cook County vacancies are:

Countywide Vacancies

Vacancy of the Hon. Richard B. Berland
Vacancy of the Hon. Philip L. Bronstein
Vacancy of the Hon. Francis J. Dolan
Vacancy of the Hon. Marsha D. Hayes
Vacancy of the Hon. Daniel J. Kelley
Vacancy of the Hon. James P. O’Malley
Vacancy of the Hon. Ronald C. Riley

1st Subcircuit

Vacancy of the Hon. Sharon Johnson Coleman
Vacancy of the Hon. John O. Steele

3rd Subcircuit

Vacancy of the Hon. Thomas F. Carmody, Jr.
Vacancy of the Hon. Daniel P. Darcy
Additional Judgeship A

9th Subcircuit

Vacancy of the Hon. Sandra R. Otaka
Additional Judgeship A

11th Subcircuit

Vacancy of the Hon. Barbara Riley

14th Subcircuit

Additional Judgeship A

15th Subcircuit

Vacancy of the Hon. Marcella C. Lipinski
Vacancy of the Hon. Thomas P. Panichi
Vacancy of the Hon. William M. Phelan

Additional vacancies may be added to this list, depending on when they occur.