Robert Harris (Illinois)

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Robert Harris

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Democratic Party

Cook County Circuit Court 5th Subcircuit

Tenure

Present officeholder

Term ends

2030

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of Illinois

Law

DePaul University

Robert Harris (Democratic Party) is a judge for the 5th Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. His current term ends on December 2, 2030.

Harris ran for re-election for the 5th Subcircuit judge of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois. He won in the retention election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Robert Harris earned a B.S. in industrial engineering from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law. At the time of his appointment to the bench in 2017, Harris was the public guardian for Cook County. His experience also includes work as a chief deputy, courtroom supervisor, and lead attorney for the Cook County Public Guardian's Office and service as the chair of the Illinois Judicial College Committee on Guardian ad litem Education, a member of the Chicago Bar Association Board of Managers, and a member of the Chicago Bar Foundation Board of Directors.

Elections

2024

See also:  Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2024)

Cook County Circuit Court 5th Subcircuit, Robert Harris' seat

Robert Harris was retained to the 5th Subcircuit of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court on November 5, 2024 with 77.8% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	77.8	1,119,569
			No	22.2	318,840
			Total Votes		1,438,409

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It has been certified. Source 1 Source 2

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Harris in this election.

2018

General election

General election for Cook County Circuit Court 5th Subcircuit

Incumbent Robert Harris won election in the general election for Cook County Circuit Court 5th Subcircuit on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Robert Harris (D)	100.0	62,010

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 62,010 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Cook County Circuit Court 5th Subcircuit

Incumbent Robert Harris defeated Shay Allen and Mary Melchor in the Democratic primary for Cook County Circuit Court 5th Subcircuit on March 20, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Robert Harris	56.6	20,951
	Submit photo	Shay Allen	26.2	9,715
	Submit photo	Mary Melchor	17.2	6,377

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 37,043
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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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.

The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.

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.

Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.

Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:

• a U.S. citizen;
• a circuit/county resident; and
• licensed to practice law in Illinois.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Robert Harris did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

2024 Elections

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External links

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Footnotes

Illinois courts

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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