Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Robert Balanoff
Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!
2026
Robert Balanoff is a judge for the 1st Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. His current term ends on December 7, 2026.
Balanoff ran for re-election for the 1st Subcircuit judge of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. He won in the retention election on November 8, 2022.
Biography
Balanoff earned a B.S. in economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He went on to concurrently earn both an M.B.A. and a J.D. from DePaul University.[1] Prior to his judicial election in 2004, Balanoff worked as an attorney for 22 years. He specialized in matters regarding bankruptcy, probate, real estate and social security disability.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2022)
Cook County Circuit Court 1st Subcircuit, Robert Balanoff's seat
Robert Balanoff was retained to the 1st Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court on November 8, 2022 with 74.6% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
74.6
|
827,700 | ||
No |
25.4
|
282,525 | |||
Total Votes |
1,110,225 | ||||
|
|
2016
Judges of the Illinois Circuit Court stand for retention after their first full term. To be retained, a judge must receive at least 60 percent of the vote.[2][3] Robert Balanoff was retained in the Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Robert Balanoff Retention Election with 72.38 percent of the vote.
| Illinois Cook Circuit Court, Robert Balanoff Retention Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Robert Balanoff | 72.38% | |
| Source: Illinois Board of Elections, "Elections Results, General Election 11/8/2016," accessed November 28, 2018 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Partisan elections
There are 513 judges on the Illinois Circuit Court, each elected in partisan elections to six-year terms. Upon the completion of these terms, judges who wish to continue serving must compete in uncontested, nonpartisan retention elections.[4]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[4]
The circuit courts are also served by 391 associate judges, who are limited in that they may not preside over cases in which the defendant is charged with a felony (an offense punishable by one or more years in prison). Associate judges are appointed to four-year terms by circuit judges.[5][4]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[4]
- a U.S. citizen;
- a circuit/county resident; and
- licensed to practice law in Illinois.
2010
- See also: Illinois judicial elections, 2010
Balanoff was retained in 2010, receiving 74.5% of the vote.[6][7]
Balanoff was recommended for retention by the Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County.[8]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Robert Balanoff did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Illinois State Bar Association, "Judicial Evaluations - How it works," accessed November 19, 2019
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Illinois," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Illinois, "About the Courts in Illinois," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Cook County Clerk, "General Election – Combined Summary Report," November 2, 2010
- ↑ Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County sample ballot (dead link)
- ↑ Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County, "Report on the Judges Seeking Retention on the November 2, 2010 Ballot in Cook County," archived January 30, 2012
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of Illinois, Northern District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois
State courts:
Illinois Supreme Court • Illinois Appellate Court • Illinois Circuit Court
State resources:
Courts in Illinois • Illinois judicial elections • Judicial selection in Illinois
