Until last year the system for electing judges in Cook County was so bewildering that only legal scholars understood it. So it was changed. Now even the experts are confused.
Part of the confusion of the judicial election process–new or old–stems from the system’s size. It’s enormous; more than 300 courtrooms are overseen by about 365 judges all over the county. Of those judges, 175 are full circuit-court judges, elected by the voters, with a salary of $81,000 and first crack at choice courtroom assignments. The system’s 190 associate judges, in contrast, make $76,000 and are appointed to their slots by the full judges.
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“Supposedly associate judges are appointed on the basis of their experience,” says Rich Means, state chairman of the Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent Precinct Organization, which monitors the election of judges. “Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a lot of political contacts. This is, after all, Cook County.”
“Running for judge can be the most difficult election of them all,” says Marc Samuel Blesoff, a member of the Oak Park Village board of trustees and judicial candidate in the March election. “First of all there are so many candidates it’s nearly impossible to generate much interest in any one race. Secondly, you don’t have your bread-and-butter issues, like schools or taxes. All you can do is say that you will be fair and honest and that you will respect the law. And make sure that everyone you know gets out and votes.”
The legislators created 15 districts; eventually 165 judges will be elected from these districts, 88 will be elected county-wide, and 130 associate judges will be appointed by the full judges.
“The slating meeting was held in a room at the Ambassador Hotel,” says Gardner. “There was Ann Stepan, committeeman of the 43rd Ward, Ed Rosewell of the 46th, Mike Volini of the 48th, and representatives from the 44th and 49th wards. My speech was simple: I told them that they didn’t owe me anything, but that they had an obligation to put forth the best candidate.”
