Cook County Circuit Court Judge Krista D. Butler faces a retention vote on the November general election ballot. Retention races ask a simple question: should the judge keep her seat? Butler first won election to the bench in 2020, filling the 1st Subcircuit Brooks vacancy.

The race is nonpartisan.

In a retention election, voters mark "yes" or "no" on whether a sitting judge should remain in office. If a judge does not receive enough "yes" votes, the seat becomes vacant. Butler is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Illinois Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit (retention)
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in psychology, DePaul University; J.D., Illinois Institute of Technology (1993)
  • Bar admissions: Supreme Court of the United States, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Supreme Court for the State of Illinois, and the State of Illinois, according to Butler's response to the Committee for Retention of Judges

Experience and public service

Butler has served as a Cook County Circuit Court judge since her election in 2020, according to BallotReady.

She also listed experience as an attorney at the State Government of Illinois, according to her Committee for Retention of Judges questionnaire. The questionnaire does not specify the duration or nature of that role. Butler earned her law degree in 1993, giving her more than three decades in the legal profession before and during her time on the bench.

Butler reported membership in the Illinois Judicial Council, the Illinois Judges Association, the Cook County Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, according to the same questionnaire.

Bar association ratings

During her 2020 campaign for the 1st Subcircuit Brooks vacancy, Butler was rated "Not Qualified" or "Not Recommended" by all three major bar associations. The Chicago Bar Association, the Chicago Council of Lawyers and the Illinois State Bar Association each gave her those ratings, according to WTTW News.

No 2026 retention ratings were available in the materials reviewed for this profile.

On the issues

No issue positions or policy responses from Butler were available in the reviewed materials for this profile.

Candidate profile information is drawn from Butler's response to the Committee for Retention of Judges, BallotReady election data and WTTW News reporting. Voters can find additional information through the Committee for Retention of Judges.