Another Cook County judicial vacancy becomes unopposed

According to the Illinois State Board of Elections website, Assistant State's Attorney Sarah W. Cunningham has withdrawn from the race for the countywide Egan vacancy, leaving Judge Daniel J. Kubasiak (the judge appointed to this vacancy by the Illinois Supreme Court and subsequently slated by the Cook County Democratic Party) as the sole candidate for this vacancy.

Four candidates filed for this vacancy originally. Joanne F. Rosado filed for the Egan vacancy and the "A" vacancy in the 11th Subcircuit, withdrawing from this race and choosing to pursue the race in the 11th Subcircuit. Richard J. Ryan also filed and withdrew from this race.

Assured now of the Democratic nomination, Judge Kubasiak (like all countywide judicial candidates) faces no Republican opposition in November 2014.

Also withdrawing from their judicial races recently are Pat Flanagan, who had filed for the Doody vacancy in the 15th Subcircuit, and Richard George Karwaczka, who had filed as a Republican for the Iosco vacancy in the 13th Subcircuit.

Two Republicans remain in the race for Iosco vacancy, John Curry and Gary W. Seyring. A Democrat has filed in this race as well, Caroline Kennedy-Elkins, but her right to run as a Democrat is being challenged before the Cook County Board of Elections on the grounds that she allegedly signed a petition for Karwaczka. This may seem harmless enough, and possibly may even appear to be a civil and neighborly thing to do, but the objector's allegation is that a person wishing to run as the candidate of a particular party is no longer a "qualified primary elector" of that party under §7-10 of the Illinois Election Code, 10 ILCS 5/7-10, if he or she signs a nominating petition for a candidate running in the other party's primary.

Section 7-10 provides, "A 'qualified primary elector' of a party may not sign petitions for or be a candidate in the primary of more than one party."

I do not presume to predict an outcome in this case or even whether the Cook County Electoral Board will even reach the merits of this objection. I can report, however, that the issue is being briefed and there is high-powered legal talent on both sides in this case, Adam W. Lasker for the objector and Thomas A. Jaconetty for the candidate.

Flanagan's withdrawal from the race for the Doody vacancy in the 15th Subcircuit leaves three candidates remaining in the race for the Democratic nomination, Judge Diana Embil, Patrick Kevin Coughlin, and John S. Fotopoulos. A Republican candidate, Karla Marie Fiaoni, also filed for this vacancy, but an objection was filed to her candidacy. At the initial status hearing before the Electoral Board on December 17, Fiaoni's attorney Adam W. Lasker advised that Fiaoni planned to withdraw from the race. This has not yet happened, however.