Cook County Circuit Court Judge Kristyna Colleen Ryan will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot in a nonpartisan retention vote.
In a retention election, voters are asked a single yes-or-no question: should the judge remain on the bench? There is no opposing candidate. Ryan is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.
Ryan has served on the Cook County Circuit Court since 2008, according to her Ballotpedia profile. She has already been retained twice. Voters kept her on the bench in 2014 with 78.3% of the vote and again in 2020 with 78.2%.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Illinois Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit (retention)
- Party: Nonpartisan
- Education: Juris doctor, Illinois Institute of Technology (2000); bachelor's degree in natural resources management and policy, Ohio State University (1995)
Experience and public service
Before joining the bench, Ryan worked as an associate attorney at Childress Duffy, according to her Ballotpedia profile.
She serves as a problem-solving courts judge, presiding over the Mental Health Treatment Court and the Veterans' Treatment Court, according to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
On the issues
No issue responses from Ryan were available for this profile.
Endorsements
The Illinois State Bar Association recommended Ryan for retention in 2014, according to the Illinois State Bar Association.
- Illinois State Bar Association — Recommended (2014 retention)
Editor's note: The ISBA recommendation listed above is from a prior retention cycle. No 2026 endorsement information was available at the time of publication.
This profile was compiled from publicly available sources including BallotReady, Ballotpedia, the Circuit Court of Cook County and the Illinois State Bar Association. No candidate questionnaire responses were available.
