Rock Island County, Illinois

Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge John L. McGehee (14th Judicial Circuit)

McGehee was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Rock Island 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 John L. McGehee faces a yes/no retention vote to remain in office as Judge of the 14th Judicial Circuit, per the county's certified sample ballot; retention requires a 60% yes vote under Illinois law.

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, John L. McGehee, 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 › Rock Island County › Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge John L. McGehee (14th 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.

Happening now · by Nov 24

Rock Island County double-checks its count

The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.

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 John L. McGehee (14th 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.

John L. McGehee

NonpartisanIncumbent

Biography

John L. McGehee currently serves as a circuit judge in the 14th Judicial Circuit and is Presiding Judge of the Civil Division in Rock Island County, per Rock Island County government. He was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as a resident circuit judge in the 14th Judicial Circuit effective May 1, 2019, after serving as Rock Island County State's Attorney since 2012 and, before that, 23 years in private practice as a partner at a Rock Island law firm, per the Illinois State Bar Association. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Next on the ballotIllinois Senate District 36

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge John L. McGehee (14th Judicial Circuit) in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge John L. McGehee (14th Judicial Circuit) on the November 3, 2026 ballot: John L. McGehee. Candidate information follows official Rock Island County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Judicial Retention, Circuit Court Judge John L. McGehee (14th 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 Rock Island 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 John L. McGehee (14th 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 Rock Island 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 Rock Island County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Rock Island County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot

Illinois Senate District 47 Illinois House District 71 Illinois House District 72 See all 23 Rock Island County races

Candidate profiles

John L. McGehee, full profile Official Illinois election office