Ukena, Ceckowski win 19th subcircuit seats

Democrat Jay Ukena and Republican Valerie Boettel Ceckowski have won election for judge in two new subcircuits created in the 19th Judicial Circuit Court.

With all precincts counted, unofficial results in the 1st Subcircuit show Ukena, a Waukegan Township attorney, received 18,508 votes to defeat Circuit Judge George Bridges in the 1st Subcircuit, covering the Waukegan area. Bridges received 12,560 votes.

Ukena was making his first run for the judiciary while Republican Bridges has been a sitting judge since 1995. Bridges will continue serving as a circuit court judge.

Covering the Gurnee area in the 2nd Subcircuit, unofficial results show Ceckowski, a circuit judge, with 18,896 votes. She was opposed by Gurnee attorney David Weinstein, who received 18,445 votes.

Weinstein, a Democrat and former assistant public defender now in private practice, was making his first run for the bench while Ceckowski became a judge in 1997.

The vote totals do not include late absentee or provisional ballots.

This is the first time in Lake County that selected circuit judges will not be elected countywide. Instead, they will be elected from subcircuits drawn to divide the county into districts. As current circuit judges leave the bench, their seats will be moved into subcircuits. And, eventually all circuit judges will be elected in specific districts.