The Ballot Brief
St. Clair County, Illinois

Judge of the Appellate Court, 5th Judicial District (Welch vacancy)

Sholar was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official St. Clair 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

No Democratic candidate filed. Amy Sholar is the Republican nominee (status Active) for the appellate vacancy left by Justice Welch, per the county clerk's own candidate filing tool. The 5th Appellate Judicial District covers St. Clair County and a multi-county region of southern Illinois. 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 race. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

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Illinois › St. Clair County › Judge of the Appellate Court, 5th Judicial District (Welch vacancy)

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
St. Clair 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, 5th Judicial District (Welch vacancy)
No report found yet

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

Amy Sholar

Republican

Biography

Amy Sholar has served as a Fifth District Appellate Court justice since her 2024 appointment by the Illinois Supreme Court, per the Illinois Courts office. She was appointed Circuit Judge in Madison County in 2021 and elected to that post in 2022, and earlier worked for the Madison County State's Attorney's office, for the City of Alton, and in private practice, per the Illinois State Bar Association's judicial evaluation. No campaign website was found as of September 22, 2026.

Next on the ballotIllinois Senate District 56

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Judge of the Appellate Court, 5th Judicial District (Welch vacancy) in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for Judge of the Appellate Court, 5th Judicial District (Welch vacancy) on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Amy Sholar. Candidate information follows official St. Clair County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Judge of the Appellate Court, 5th Judicial District (Welch vacancy) 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 St. Clair 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, 5th Judicial District (Welch vacancy) 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 St. Clair County and state election office filings, last verified October 19, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your St. Clair County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot
Illinois Senate District 57Illinois House District 109Illinois House District 112See all 32 St. Clair County races
Candidate profiles
Amy Sholar, full profileOfficial Illinois election office