65 Cook County jurists to seek retention in November

A total of 65 Cook County jurists, including six justices of the Appellate Court and 58 Cook County Circuit judges, have filed to be on the retention ballot this November, according to records obtained by FWIW from the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.

Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis has also filed for retention, according to the Secretary of State. Justices serving on both the Appellate Court and the Supreme Court must stand for retention every 10 years. Justice Theis was first elected to the Supreme Court in 2012.

The six Appellate Court justices filing for retention are, in alphabetical order:

• Maureen E. Connors,
• Mathias William Delort,
• Nathaniel Roosevelt Howse, Jr.,
• Terrence J. Lavin,
• Jesse G. Reyes, and
• James Fitzgerald Smith.

Circuit Court judges must seek retention every six years. Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans is among those who have announced their plans to seek retention this year. The 58 Circuit Court judges filing for retention are (also in alphabetical order):

1. James L. Allegretti
2. Robert "Bob" Balanoff
3. Steven James Bernstein
4. Kathleen Marie Burke
5. Charles Patrick Burns
6. Bonita Coleman
7. Ann Finley Collins
8. Alison C. Conlon
9. Eulalia "Evie" De La Rosa
10. Daniel Patrick Duffy
11. Jerry A. Esrig
12. Timothy C. Evans
13. Rossana P. Fernandez
14. Carolyn J. Gallagher
15. Daniel J. Gallagher
16. Aleksandra "Alex" Gillespie
17. Sophia Hall
18. Carrie E. Hamilton
19. Maureen O'Donoghue Hannon
20. Edward Harmening
21. William H. Hooks
22. Arnette R. Hubbard
23. D. Renee Jackson
24. Daryl Jones
25. Linzey D. Jones
26. Thomas J. Kelly
27. Susan Kennedy Sullivan
28. John Patrick Kirby
29. Steven A. Kozicki
30. Geary W. Kull
31. Matthew Link
32. Anna Maria Loftus
33. John Fitzgerald Lyke, Jr.
34. Freddrenna M. Lyle
35. Thomas V. Lyons
36. Terry MacCarthy
37. Daniel Malone
38. Leroy K. Martin, Jr.
39. Mary Kathleen McHugh
40. Clare Elizabeth McWilliams
41. Mary Lane Mikva
42. Raymond W. Mitchell
43. Patrick T. Murph
44. Leonard Murray
45. Brendan A. O'Brien
46. Kevin M. O'Donnell
47. Susana L. Ortiz
48. Jesse Outlaw
49. Daniel James Pierce
50. Patrick Joseph Powers
51. Marguerite Ann Quinn
52. Sandra Gisela Ramos
53. Eve Marie Reilly
54. Jim Ryan
55. Catherine Ann Schneider
56. Patricia "Pat" Spratt
57. William B. Sullivan
58. Thaddeus L. Wilson

If history is any guide, a few judges who file for retention may withdraw from the ballot prior to the November election. And there is no requirement that any of these judges fully serve out the new terms to which they are elected, assuming they are retained.

The retention ballot is a straight 'yes' or 'no' proposition. For each judge seeking retention, voters are asked, 'shall judge x be retained in office.' To be retained in office, a judge must receive 'yes' votes from more than 60% of those voting on the question (or, as it sometimes phrased, 60% + 1). This requirement applies to judges of all Illinois courts, including justices of the Appellate and Supreme Courts.