2 candidates are tracked for Circuit Court, 9th Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. Cavanaugh on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Carissa Bryant and Chad M. Long. Candidate information follows official McDonough County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
Carissa Bryant and Chad M. Long are on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy on the 9th Judicial Circuit Court (the seat vacated by the Hon. Cavanaugh). The 9th Judicial Circuit covers Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Knox, McDonough and Warren counties; every voter there votes on this seat. Illinois circuit judgeships are decided in contested partisan elections, unlike judicial retention questions. Listed from the Illinois State Board of Elections' certified 2026 general election candidate list.
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.
Illinois › McDonough County › Circuit Court, 9th Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. Cavanaugh
Republican
Carissa Bryant is a lifelong McDonough County, Illinois resident and a partner at her law firm in Carthage, working with counties across the Ninth Judicial Circuit, per her campaign website. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, per the same source.
Independent
Chad M. Long has more than 17 years of combined experience as an attorney and associate judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, per his campaign site. He serves on the Galesburg Community Foundation board and is a past chairman of the Carl Sandburg College Foundation and Discovery Depot Children's Museum boards, per his campaign site.
Who is running for Circuit Court, 9th Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. Cavanaugh in 2026?
2 candidates are tracked for Circuit Court, 9th Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. Cavanaugh on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Carissa Bryant and Chad M. Long. Candidate information follows official McDonough County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
When is the Circuit Court, 9th Judicial Circuit, Vacancy of Hon. Cavanaugh election in Illinois?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Illinois are on the Illinois election hub at theballotbrief.com.
How do I see my exact McDonough 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.
Candidate roster from official McDonough County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Illinois election office, or see the full McDonough County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
6 tracked races in McDonough County, Illinois. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.