Three Cook County Judges Face Narrow Retention Races Amid Preliminary Results

Preliminary results from the Cook County clerk and the Chicago Board of Elections indicate that all 60 circuit judges currently facing retention votes are on track to hold their positions for another six years. Three judges, however, remain close to the 60% threshold required to stay on the bench as of Wednesday morning. Officials are still counting votes from a small number of city precincts and mail-in ballots, meaning final totals could shift before certification.

The three judges with the tightest margins are Tiesha L. Smith, Ursula Walowski, and Lorraine Mary Murphy. Smith, who serves in the juvenile justice division, holds 61.79% of the vote. Walowski, a criminal court judge, stands at 62.12%. Murphy, who presides over felony cases and a drug treatment court in Skokie, has secured 63.11% of the vote. All three received negative performance ratings from at least one of the 14 local bar associations that review judicial conduct.

Voting patterns suggest that suburban residents were decisive for these three candidates. As of Wednesday morning, all three appeared to fall below the 60% mark among Chicago voters. In the suburbs, where all precincts have reported, each judge won comfortably. Election officials noted that results are subject to change as tabulation continues, with final results potentially taking days or weeks to confirm.

Smith primarily rules on juvenile expungement petitions. The Illinois State Bar Association cited reports of screaming matches in her courtroom, including interactions with minors. The Chicago Council of Lawyers deemed her qualified only after she agreed to take a stress management course. Some lawyers told the group that she adopted a hostile temperament after being reassigned to the juvenile division two years ago. Smith declined to comment on the preliminary numbers.

Walowski has served on the bench for nearly two decades, a longer tenure than most judges on this year's ballot. Injustice Watch reported last month that the Illinois Appellate Court overturned her rulings at least 25 times in the past six years. Appellate judges wrote that she neglected defendants' rights and misjudged evidence in some cases. In 2023, a panel reversed a murder conviction, ruling that she failed to explain a defendant's right to an attorney. Walowski could not be reached for comment but previously attributed some reversals to her efficient handling of high-volume cases.

Murphy received two negative bar ratings, though other associations found her qualified. The Illinois State Bar Association pointed to a lack of impartiality in criminal cases favoring the prosecution and careless preparation of her evaluation questionnaire. Murphy also declined to comment on the preliminary results.

Illinois uses a nonpartisan retention system where voters choose yes or no on keeping a judge in office. Since 2018, only three Cook County circuit judges have lost their seats. Judge Matthew Coghlan was voted out in 2018 following a campaign over his sentencing history. Judge Jackie Portman-Brown lost in 2020 after media footage showed her locking a grandniece in a holding cell. Judge Shannon O'Malley was removed in 2024 after questions arose regarding his residency requirements and past campaign history under a different name.