Cook County Circuit Court Judge Chris Stacey faces a retention vote on the Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot. The nonpartisan question asks voters whether Stacey should remain on the Cook County Circuit bench.

Stacey has served as a circuit court judge since Dec. 7, 2020, according to the Circuit Court of Cook County. His full legal name is Christ Stanley Stacey.

In a retention election, voters do not choose between candidates. They vote "yes" or "no" on whether a sitting judge should keep the seat.

Candidate information

  • Full legal name: Christ Stanley Stacey
  • Office: Illinois Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit
  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in economics, University of Wisconsin (1979); J.D., The John Marshall Law School (1982)

Experience and public service

Before joining the bench, Stacey spent more than three decades in private legal practice at several firms and as a solo practitioner. According to BallotReady profile data, his career includes:

  • Extern judicial clerk for the Honorable Charles P. Kocoras, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (1981–1982)
  • Litigation attorney at Louis G. Davidson & Associates, Ltd. (1983–1985)
  • Litigation attorney at James L. Pittman & Associates, Ltd. (1985–1987)
  • Litigation attorney at Kocsis, Mohr & Gaertner (1988–1997)
  • Attorney at Law Office of Chris S. Stacey (1997–present)
  • Circuit court judge, Cook County Circuit (Dec. 7, 2020–present)

On the issues

Criminal justice and public safety: Stacey said on his campaign website that the constitution requires equal justice for all. He said his career has focused on fighting for equality, dignity and respect for everyone regardless of background.

No additional issue responses from Stacey were available through BallotReady at the time of publication.

Endorsements

During his 2020 campaign for the Cook County Circuit Court (Mason vacancy), Stacey received the following endorsements and ratings. No 2026 retention-specific endorsements were available at the time of publication.

  • Chicago Bar Association, Chicago Council of Lawyers, and Illinois State Bar Association — all three bar associations rated Stacey "Qualified" or higher for the 2020 Cook County Circuit Court election, according to WTTW News, which compiled ratings from the three groups for all judicial candidates on the ballot that year
  • Chicago Tribune Editorial Board — endorsed Stacey for the Mason vacancy in the 2020 primary, according to a Chicago Tribune editorial. The board called him "an experienced private practice attorney with excellent demeanor and strong command of the law." The Tribune noted Stacey was the only candidate in that race rated highly by the Chicago Bar Association.

Issue responses are from BallotReady questionnaire data and the candidate's campaign website. Endorsement ratings are attributed to their original sources.