Cook County Circuit Court Judge Eileen Marie O'Connor faces a retention vote on Nov. 3. North Shore voters in New Trier Township will see the question "Retain O'Connor?" on their ballots.
In a retention election, voters do not choose between candidates. They vote yes or no on whether a sitting judge should remain in office.
Candidate information
- Office: Illinois Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit (retention)
- Election: Illinois General Election, Nov. 3, 2026
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
- Education: Bachelor's degree in finance and business, University of Illinois (2002); juris doctor, Chicago-Kent College of Law (2006)
Experience and public service
O'Connor has served as a Cook County Circuit Court judge since 2020, according to her BallotReady profile. Before taking the bench, she spent more than a decade in private legal practice, including as a partner at O'Connor Law Group, LLC, from 2010 to 2020.
She earlier worked as an associate at First American Bank from 2002 to 2003 and practiced law at two Chicago-area firms: Michael E. Sweeney & Associates from 2006 to 2009 and Ambrose & Cushing, P.C. from 2006 to 2007.
Bar association ratings
When O'Connor first ran for the 6th Subcircuit Pantle vacancy in 2020, the Chicago Bar Association, Chicago Council of Lawyers, and Illinois State Bar Association each rated her "Qualified" or higher for the March 2020 Democratic primary, according to WTTW News.
The Chicago Bar Association, Chicago Council of Lawyers, and Illinois State Bar Association again rated her "Qualified" or higher for the November 2020 general election.
No updated bar association ratings for the 2026 retention election appear in available records.
Candidate information is drawn from BallotReady profile data and WTTW News reporting on bar association ratings. No candidate questionnaire responses were available for this profile. Voters can find more information about judicial retention candidates through the Chicago Bar Association, Chicago Council of Lawyers, and Illinois State Bar Association evaluation guides.
