The Ballot Brief
Winnebago County, Illinois

Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit, 2nd Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Doherty

Robinson was on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Winnebago 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

Scott Robinson is on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy in the 2nd Subcircuit of the 17th Judicial Circuit (the seat vacated by the Hon. Doherty). The 17th Judicial Circuit covers Boone and Winnebago counties, but this subcircuit seat is elected only by voters inside its own subcircuit boundaries (this county list cannot narrow which part; check your sample ballot or county clerk). Listed from the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list.

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. 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 › Winnebago County › Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit, 2nd Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Doherty

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
Winnebago 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.

Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit, 2nd Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Doherty
No report found yet

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

Scott Robinson

Scott Robinson

Republican

Top priorities

From the campaign site

  • Bringing fairness, integrity and a deep respect for the law to the circuit court
  • Drawing on his experience and personal background to serve residents with compassion
Biography

Robinson was appointed to the 17th Judicial Circuit by the Illinois Supreme Court in November 2024, per the campaign site. He graduated with honors from Northern Illinois University and earned his law degree with honors from the University of Illinois College of Law, then worked at small law firms and served as an assistant state's attorney in Ogle County and later Winnebago County, per the campaign site. He also taught at Hononegah High School in Rockton for nine years before returning to the law, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Next on the ballotWinnebago County Board District 1

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Voting info and more

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit, 2nd Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Doherty in 2026?

One candidate was tracked for Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit, 2nd Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Doherty on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Scott Robinson. Candidate information follows official Winnebago County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit, 2nd Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Doherty 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 Winnebago 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 Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit, 2nd Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Doherty 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 Winnebago 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 Winnebago County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Winnebago County ballot

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

Also on the November 3 ballot
Winnebago County Board District 4Winnebago County Board District 5Winnebago County Board District 6See all 29 Winnebago County races
Candidate profiles
Scott Robinson, full profileOfficial Illinois election office