The Ballot Brief
Kankakee County, Illinois

Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade)

Helland and O'Connell were on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Kankakee County election filings. Certified results will appear here once the election office certifies the count. Illinois certifies the general election by December 4, 2026; county canvasses are due November 24. Official results: www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx.

About this race

Jason A. Helland is the Republican nominee and Margaret "Peggy" O'Connell is the Democratic nominee for the appellate vacancy left by the Hon. Mary W. McDade, per the county clerk's own master specimen ballot. The 3rd Appellate Judicial District covers Kankakee County and a multi-county region of northern Illinois; the same two nominees also appear on La Salle County's ballot for this seat. This contest is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

What this office does

Appellate or supreme court justice. Appellate judges review decisions of trial courts for legal error rather than retrying facts. A state supreme court is the final word on state law and the state constitution. Candidates may describe their experience and judicial philosophy but may not promise outcomes in particular cases.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Illinois › Kankakee County › Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade)

Who won? The official answer comes December 4.

Illinois makes results final in three steps.
✓
Done · Nov 3
Votes were cast and counted
Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.
2
Happening now · by Nov 24
Kankakee County double-checks its count
The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.
3
Next · Dec 4
Illinois makes it official
The State Board of Elections certifies the result. The winner appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 5, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races. Official running count: Illinois official results.

Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade)
No report found yet

Reports are checked daily until Illinois certifies on December 4; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.

Jason A. Helland

Republican

Biography

Jason A. Helland appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade), per the county clerk's certified November 3, 2026 candidate list.

Margaret "Peggy" O'Connell

Democratic

Biography

Margaret "Peggy" O'Connell appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade), per the county clerk's certified November 3, 2026 candidate list.

Next on the ballotJudicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol (21st Judicial Circuit)

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade) in 2026?

2 candidates were tracked for Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade) on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jason A. Helland and Margaret "Peggy" O'Connell. Candidate information follows official Kankakee County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade) election in Illinois?

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Certified results will appear on this page as the election office certifies them. Illinois certifies the general election by December 4, 2026; county canvasses are due November 24. Official results: https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotals.aspx. Voting rules for Illinois are on the Illinois election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Kankakee County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Who won the Judge of the Appellate Court, 3rd Judicial District (vacancy of Hon. Mary W. McDade) race?

Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; Illinois certifies on December 4. We do not call races.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Kankakee County and state election office filings, last verified October 24, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Illinois election office, or see the full Kankakee County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Kankakee County ballot

30 tracked races in Kankakee County, Illinois. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on the November 3 ballot
Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge William S. Dickenson (21st Judicial Circuit)Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Lindsay Parkhurst (21st Judicial Circuit)Illinois Senate District 15See all 30 Kankakee County races
Candidate profiles
Jason A. Helland, full profileMargaret "Peggy" O'Connell, full profileOfficial Illinois election office