Cook County Circuit Court Judge John J. Mahoney will appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot for retention.

Voters will decide whether to keep Mahoney on the bench with a simple "yes" or "no" vote. In a retention election, no opponent appears on the ballot.

Mahoney won his 2020 retention with 60.1% "yes" votes, 987,759 to 654,857, according to Injustice Watch. That was the narrowest margin of any Cook County judge to keep their seat in the previous 30 years at the time.

The 2026 race marks Mahoney's second retention election since he was first elected to the bench in 2014. He is assigned to the Fifth Municipal District at the Bridgeview Courthouse, Courtroom 205L, at 10220 S. 76th Ave. in Bridgeview, according to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Illinois Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit (retention)
  • Current assignment: Fifth Municipal District, Bridgeview Courthouse
  • Education: Bachelor of arts in political science, DePaul University (1981); J.D., Illinois Institute of Technology (1984)

Experience and public service

Before taking the bench, Mahoney served as counsel at Peoples Energy Corporation from 1991 to 1997, according to BallotReady. He also worked as an assistant state's attorney at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office beginning in 1991, according to the Illinois State Bar Association.

Mahoney went on to supervise the Public Corruption and Financial Crimes Unit at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office from 1997 to 2014, according to BallotReady. He held that role until his election to the circuit court bench in 2014.

Endorsements and ratings

Mahoney's bar association ratings have shifted between elections.

  • Illinois State Bar Association — Rated "Highly Qualified" for election to the Cook County Circuit Court 4th Subcircuit in 2014, according to the Illinois State Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association — Not recommended for retention in 2020. The association cited concerns from attorneys about "arrogance and a lack of sensitivity to diversity issues," according to Injustice Watch

No 2026 endorsements or bar ratings were included in the reviewed candidate packet.

Candidate information in this profile is drawn from the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Illinois State Bar Association, Injustice Watch and BallotReady. No candidate questionnaire responses were available for this profile.