While working hard on the campaign, something that often gets missed is the “Why?” A recent article in the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate, a Pioneer Press newspaper, covered this educational topic of our Cook County government quite well.

Why should you elect a 12th Subcircuit Judge? Why do we even vote for judges?

There should be no question as to whom the best candidate for the 12th Subcircuit is, Laura Morask, punch #72. Endorsements from Pioneer’s Parent, The Chicago Sun-Times among many others have been rolling in for Laura.

Voters must choose in local subcircuit races

January 24, 2008

Since the early 1990s, a certain number of judgeships in the Circuit Court of Cook County, have been set aside to be elected from different geographical districts, called “subcircuits,” across the county. It was conceived as a way to get more minorities elected to the bench, since candidates had to live within their subcircuit districts, although additional judgeships would continue to be elected county-wide.

The plan, when the system was started, was to establish 15 subcircuits, with a goal to eventually convert enough county-wide seats to have 11 judges chosen from each subcircuit. That goal is not yet reached, and while an occasional “additional” judgeship is converted to a subcircuit beyond the original three positions, voters these days may only see a subcircuit candidacy on their local ballot when a vacancy occurs — such as when a judge is elected to a higher court, retires or steps down from the bench — and these appear labeled for the judge whose position is available to fill.

Although most of the subcircuits in our area include some Chicago and suburban territories, not every judgeship up in 2008 will appear on both ballots. In some parts of the county, where there are candidates only in one party, the party’s primary election nominee will be the likely winner if uncontested in the general election.

The 9th Subcircuit, serving Evanston and Niles Township areas primarily, and the 11th Subcircuit, running through parts of Des Plaines, Park Ridge, Niles, Norwood Park Township and Chicago’s Northwest Side, have no subcircuit races this year.

10th Subcircuit

Three seats are up in the 10th Subcircuit, serving parts of Chicago’s North and Northwest sides and Maine Township.

For the Kowalski vacancy, there are only Democratic Party candidates: James Edward Snyder and Ursula Walowski from Chicago’s North Side, Gerald Patrick Cleary from Glenview and Stephen F. Sidlowski from Niles.

For the Morrissey vacancy, there are only Democratic candidates: Diana Kenworthy from Chicago’s North Side and John G. Mulroe (Edison Park) and Rosaire Marie Hall (Brynford Park) from Chicago’s Northwest Side.

For the Pucinski vacancy: John Garrett Maher from Chicago’s Northeast Side, Eileen O’Neill Burke from Park Ridge, Joan Ellen Smuda (Norwood Park), Kenneth L. Fletcher (Edison Park) and Thomas Francis Biesty (Edgebrook) from Chicago’s Northwest Side. Fletcher was appointed to the position when Aurelia Pucinski was elected to a higher position, but must run to retain it.

12th Subcircuit

In the 12th Subcircuit, stretching across northern Cook County from New Trier Township and Lake Michigan on the east to Elk Grove and Wheeling townships and part of western Maine Township on the west, there are candidates in both primary races for the Devlin vacancy. This is the only seat up for election this year in this subcircuit.

In the Democratic primary, candidates include: Thomas R. Mulroy from Kenilworth, Michael John Halloran from Glenview, Pamela Elizabeth Loza from Mount Prospect, and Thomas Flannigan from Winnetka.

In the Republican primary, Laura J. Morask from Park Ridge, a Maine Township trustee, and Michaela Nolan Ryan from Wilmette are the candidates.