March 2026 Cook County judicial primary election guide
2026 PrimARY
For the second straight primary season, more than half the races for Cook County circuit judge on the March 17 ballot are uncontested, with just 45 candidates vying for 28 open seats. Read highlights from Injustice Watch’s guide to the March 2026 judicial primary elections.
Recent Reporting
Featured Project
Prosecutors in Cook County — the nation’s leader in known wrongful convictions — have vowed to investigate innocence claims and fix injustices through the Conviction Integrity Unit. But Injustice Watch found its prosecutors repeatedly overlooked strong evidence of people’s innocence, and the group has only grown smaller and weaker with time.
More Projects
Judicial Elections
Injustice Watch provides comprehensive, nonpartisan voter guides for Cook County judicial elections.
The Tenant Trap
This series examines an unfair legal system set up to protect property owners’ rights at the expense of tenants.
Dying on Dart’s Watch
Eighteen people died at the jail in 2023, and half of the deaths featured examples of inadequate supervision and medical care.
The Long Wait
An investigation into the slow and opaque parole process for a small group of people incarcerated for crimes from the 1970s.
Examining issues of equity and justice in the court system
Our in-depth investigative reporting holds power to account.
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Editor’s Pick
Cook County’s longest-serving chief judge is also among its most storied politicians. As he leaves office after 24 years, where does his tenure leave the courts?