Will County, Illinois

Circuit Court, 12th Judicial Circuit, 1st Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Carlson

2 candidates are tracked for Circuit Court, 12th Judicial Circuit, 1st Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Carlson on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Amy Christiansen and JohnPaul Ivec. Candidate information follows official Will County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Amy Christiansen and JohnPaul Ivec are on the November 3, 2026 ballot to fill a vacancy in the 1st Subcircuit of the 12th Judicial Circuit (the seat vacated by the Hon. Carlson). The 12th Judicial Circuit covers Will County, 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. The sitting officeholder, Amy Christiansen, is on the ballot.

Illinois › Will County › Circuit Court, 12th Judicial Circuit, 1st Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Carlson

Amy Christiansen

Democratic Incumbent

Biography

Amy Christiansen was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2024 to fill this Twelfth Circuit First Subcircuit vacancy, created by Judge David Carlson's retirement, per the Office of the Illinois Courts. She previously served as an Assistant Public Defender in the Will County Public Defender's Office since 2005. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Amy Christiansen.

JohnPaul Ivec

Republican

Top priorities

A fair, impartial and accessible judiciary
Keeping the community safe by holding criminals accountable

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Ivec has more than 30 years of courtroom experience, including service as a prosecutor with the Will County State's Attorney's Office and as a clerk with the Illinois State Appellate Public Defender, per the campaign site. Ivec holds a law degree from the University of Michigan and studied comparative criminal procedure at Oxford University, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Circuit Court, 12th Judicial Circuit, 1st Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Carlson in 2026?

When is the Circuit Court, 12th Judicial Circuit, 1st Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Carlson 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 Will 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.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Will County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Illinois election office, or see the full Will County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Will County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

Circuit Court, 12th Judicial Circuit, 5th Subcircuit, Vacancy of Hon. Petrungaro Illinois Senate District 14 Illinois Senate District 15 See all 37 Will County races

Candidate profiles

Amy Christiansen, full profile JohnPaul Ivec, full profile Official Illinois election office