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Kathryn Maloney Vahey
Kathryn Maloney Vahey (Democratic Party) is a judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. Vahey assumed office in 2018. Vahey's current term ends on December 2, 2030.
Vahey ran for re-election for judge of the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. Vahey won in the retention election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Kathryn Maloney Vahey earned a B.A. in elementary education from Canisius College in 1992, an M.A. in Spanish language and culture from Middlebury College in Madrid, Spain, and a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Maloney’s career experience includes working as a assistant public defender with the Cook County Public Defender’s Office.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Cook County, Illinois (2024)
Cook County Circuit Court, Kathryn Maloney Vahey's seat
Kathryn Maloney Vahey was retained to the Cook County Circuit Court on November 5, 2024 with 77.6% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
| ✔ | Yes |
77.6
|
1,104,747 | ||
No |
22.4
|
319,154 | |||
Total Votes |
1,423,901 | ||||
|
|
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Vahey in this election.
2018
General election
General election for Cook County Circuit Court
Kathryn Maloney Vahey won election in the general election for Cook County Circuit Court on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kathryn Maloney Vahey (D) | 100.0 | 1,328,540 | |
| Total votes: 1,328,540 | |||
 = 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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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Cook County Circuit Court
Kathryn Maloney Vahey defeated Oran Whiting and John Maher in the Democratic primary for Cook County Circuit Court on March 20, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kathryn Maloney Vahey | 43.7 | 277,361 | |
| Oran Whiting | 35.3 | 224,272 | ||
| John Maher | 21.0 | 133,546 | ||
| Total votes: 635,179 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Lisa Copland (D)
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.[2]
The chief judge of each circuit court is selected by peer vote; he or she serves in that capacity indefinitely.[2]
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.[3][2]
Midterm vacancies are filled by Illinois Supreme Court appointment.[2]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:[2]
- 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
Kathryn Maloney Vahey did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
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
