The Ballot Brief
Kankakee County, Illinois

Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol (21st Judicial Circuit)

Sabol was 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

Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol faces a yes/no retention vote to remain in office as Judge of the 21st Judicial Circuit, per the county clerk's own master specimen ballot; retention requires a 60% yes vote under Illinois law. This contest is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Michael Sabol, is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

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 › Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol (21st Judicial Circuit)

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.

Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol (21st Judicial Circuit)
No report found yet

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

Michael Sabol

NonpartisanIncumbent

Biography

Sabol is the sitting Judge of the Circuit Court, 21st Judicial Circuit, standing for retention, per the county clerk's own master specimen ballot. No campaign website was found as of September 22, 2026.

Next on the ballotJudicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge William S. Dickenson (21st Judicial Circuit)

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol (21st Judicial Circuit) in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol (21st Judicial Circuit) on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Michael Sabol. Candidate information follows official Kankakee County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol (21st Judicial Circuit) 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 Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge Michael Sabol (21st Judicial Circuit) 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 Lindsay Parkhurst (21st Judicial Circuit)Illinois Senate District 15Illinois Senate District 17See all 30 Kankakee County races
Candidate profiles
Michael Sabol, full profileOfficial Illinois election office