Cook County Circuit Court Judge Kristal Rivers is on the ballot Nov. 3 in a nonpartisan retention vote. Voters across Cook County, including Park Ridge and Niles, will decide whether Rivers keeps the bench seat she has held since 2014.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Illinois Circuit Court Judge, Cook County Circuit (retention)
  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in political science, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (1993); J.D., Drake University (1996)

Experience and public service

Rivers' legal career dates to 1997, according to BallotReady profile data.

She began as an assistant district attorney at the Dallas County District Attorney's Office from 1997 to 2000. She then opened her own firm, the Law Office of Kristal Rivers, LLC, where she worked as a solo practitioner and managing partner from 2001 to 2010.

Rivers served as an assistant attorney general in the Illinois Attorney General's Office from 2010 to 2014. She has served on the Cook County Circuit Court bench since 2014.

On the issues

No issue positions or questionnaire responses were available for Rivers at the time of publication.

Endorsements

No endorsements were available for Rivers at the time of publication.