Ava George Stewart, a Chicago attorney, is running as a Democrat for Circuit Court Judge in Cook County's Hooks Vacancy. The general election is Nov. 3.
Cook County Circuit Court judges hear criminal, civil, family and probate cases across suburban and Chicago courthouses. Stewart is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit (Hooks Vacancy)
- Residence: Chicago's Near Northside, where Stewart said she and her husband, Alistair, have lived for over 20 years
- Education: Bachelor's degree in history and sociology, Northwestern University (1989); master's degree in managerial communications, Northwestern University (1998); juris doctor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2003)
Experience and public service
Stewart has been a solo practitioner since 2005, running a firm focused on criminal and civil cases, according to Injustice Watch. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law since 2018, according to BallotReady.
Before opening her own practice, Stewart worked in Chicago's Municipal Prosecutions Division from 2003 to 2005, according to BallotReady. She served as a chief in the Lake County State's Attorney's Office from 2021 to 2023.
Earlier in her career, Stewart served as executive director of nonprofits including Chicago Youth Centers and WINGS, according to BallotReady.
Stewart said on her campaign website that she has held several civic and leadership roles. Those include elected member, secretary and treasurer of the Illinois State Bar Association Board of Governors for Cook County. She also served as a member of the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, board president of Women Everywhere and board member of Chicago's Green City Market. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., according to her campaign website.
Endorsements
Stewart has received endorsements from the following organizations, according to BallotReady and the WTTW 2026 Primary Election Voter Guide:
- Alliance of Illinois Bar Associations (rated Qualified overall)
- Black Men Lawyers' Association (Highly Recommended)
- Chicago's LGBTQ+ Bar Association, known as LAGBAC (Highly Recommended)
- Cook County Democrats
- Chicago Federation of Labour
- IUOE Local 150
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134
Candidate information in this profile is drawn from producer-reviewed sources including BallotReady election data, Injustice Watch, the WTTW voter guide and the candidate's own campaign website. Statements attributed to the candidate reflect her claims and have not been independently verified by the Park Ridge Wire.
