Two contests set up in special judicial filing period vacancies... maybe

Judicial vacancies that occured during last year's 'special judicial filing period' will be filled at the 2024 election, same as vacancies occurring prior thereto.

For those of you who didn't have the 'special judicial filing period' marked off on your calendars at home, that's the festive period of the year described as the three week period prior to the 106th day before the General Primary Election (this year, as you know, on St. Joseph's Day, March 19).

Political people really do count backwards like that.

Anyway, this year, only two additional Cook County judicial vacancies opened up during that brief interval.

Well, actually, only one opened up... in the 3rd Subcircuit... the other was "converted" from an associate judge vacancy and assigned to the new 18th Subcircuit.

Four prospective candidates, two in each subcircuit, were paying careful attention, and managed to circulate nominating petitions and get them filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections before the special judicial filing period closed, as it did, last year on St. Stephen's Day. Or, as some may call it, December 26. Or Boxing Day. It's the same day, however it might be labeled.

Three of these persons will definitely appear on the March primary ballot. The fourth, Lucy Vazquez-Gonzalez, must survive a challenge to her nominating papers before the Cook Couty Officers Electoral Board in order to get her name on the ballot for the Brosnahan vacancy in the 3rd Subcircuit. Martin Douglas Reggi, who sought a vacancy in the old 4th Subcircuit in 2018, is the other candidate to file in that race.

The Cook County Officers Electoral Board is expected to assign the challenge against Vazquez-Gonzalez to a hearing officer at its meeting tomorrow.

In the 18th Subcircuit, in the new vacancy converted from the associate judgeship of Lauren G. Edidin, two associate judges will run against each other. Associate Judge Jeffrey G. Chrones, who is assigned to the Second Municipal District Courthouse in Skokie, will face off against Associate Judge Sunil Bhave, who is assigned to the Traffic Division at the Daley Center.