Down at the bottom of my candidate ballot are the names of four judges and one want-to-be.

The aspirant is listed first.  He is Michael J. Burke, running for the Appellate Court.

There is no Democrat on the ballot.

Below are incumbent judges running for retention.  If they get 60% of the vote running against themselves, basically, they get another term in office.

First is Crystal Lake’s Sue Hutchinson, running for another ten years on the Appellate Court.

Next there are three Circuit Court judges who currently serve McHenry County.

The 22nd Circuit Court Chief Judge Michael Sullivan is listed first.

Second is Sharon Prather.

Third on the list is Michael Caldwell.

In the eastern part of McHenry County Circuit Court Judge Michael Feetterer, appointed to replace retiring Judge Joe Condon is on the ballot for the first time.

Democrats did not put up an opponent.

Judges can be defeated for retention. I’ve seen it in Boone County when Circuit Court Judge David Babb, elected as a Republican, ran as a Democrat for Appellate Court Judge.

He lost.

When he ran for retention in Boone County, there were “Dump Babb” signs at intersections throughout the county.

He failed to obtain the required 60% vote for retention and lost his job.

There are at least two lessons to be learned:

• Judges get retained unless there is an organized opposition.
• Judges probably shouldn’t switch parties, especially if they have been elected representing the majority party in a jurisdiction.