Cook County Circuit Court Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez faces a retention vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in the Illinois general election. Retention races are nonpartisan.
Molina-Gonzalez is the first Puerto Rican judge to hold a countywide judicial seat in Cook County, according to Wikipedia. She serves in the Fourth Municipal District in Maywood, according to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Illinois Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit (retention)
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio, according to a profile published by the Illinois Courts
- Education: Bachelor's degree from Ashland University, where she said she majored in criminal justice and sociology, according to the Illinois Courts profile; juris doctor from Ohio State University, Michael E. Moritz College of Law (2001)
Experience and public service
Before her appointment to the bench, Molina-Gonzalez worked as a prosecutor in Cook County, according to Wikipedia. She was appointed a circuit court judge in July 2019 and elected to the position in 2020.
Molina-Gonzalez is of Puerto Rican descent and moved to Chicago after law school, according to the Illinois Courts profile.
She is certified for the Nov. 3 ballot, according to BallotReady election data.
