Free Investigative Databases Searches - Search for Anyone, Find Anyone, Investigate Anyone
ARTICLE VI THE JUDICIARY. SECTION 12. ELECTION AND RETENTION
(a) Supreme, Appellate and Circuit Judges shall be
nominated at primary elections or by petition. Judges shall
be elected at general or judicial elections as the General
Assembly shall provide by law. A person eligible for the
office of Judge may cause his name to appear on the ballot as
a candidate for Judge at the primary and at the general or
judicial elections by submitting petitions. The General
Assembly shall prescribe by law the requirements for
petitions.
(b) The office of a Judge shall be vacant upon his
death, resignation, retirement, removal, or upon the
conclusion of his term without retention in office. Whenever
an additional Appellate or Circuit Judge is authorized by
law, the office shall be filled in the manner provided for
filling a vacancy in that office.
(c) A vacancy occurring in the office of Supreme,
Appellate or Circuit Judge shall be filled as the General
Assembly may provide by law. In the absence of a law,
vacancies may be filled by appointment by the Supreme Court.
A person appointed to fill a vacancy 60 or more days prior to
the next primary election to nominate Judges shall serve
until the vacancy is filled for a term at the next general or
judicial election. A person appointed to fill a vacancy less
than 60 days prior to the next primary election to nominate
Judges shall serve until the vacancy is filled at the second
general or judicial election following such appointment.
(d) Not less than six months before the general election
preceding the expiration of his term of office, a Supreme,
Appellate or Circuit Judge who has been elected to that
office may file in the office of the Secretary of State a
declaration of candidacy to succeed himself. The Secretary of
State, not less than 63 days before the election, shall
certify the Judge's candidacy to the proper election
officials. The names of Judges seeking retention shall be
submitted to the electors, separately and without party
designation, on the sole question whether each Judge shall be
retained in office for another term. The retention elections
shall be conducted at general elections in the appropriate
Judicial District, for Supreme and Appellate Judges, and in
the circuit for Circuit Judges. The affirmative vote of
three-fifths of the electors voting on the question shall
elect the Judge to the office for a term commencing on the
first Monday in December following his election.
(e) A law reducing the number of Appellate or Circuit
Judges shall be without prejudice to the right of the Judges
affected to seek retention in office. A reduction shall
become effective when a vacancy occurs in the affected unit.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
