ROCK ISLAND, Illinois — Justice Tom Kilbride wants to keep his seat on the Illinois Supreme Court, as voters will decide on Election Day if he will serve his third term on the state's highest court.
He's represented 21 counties of the state's third district for the last 20 years, which includes Rock Island, Knox and Whiteside. Before then, he worked as an attorney at a private practice in the Quad Cities.
"I had a practice here in the Quad Cities for 20 years, defending real people with real problems, down at the courthouse every day," Justice Kilbride says.
He says the retention vote on the ballot is an important one for all voters to consider. He needs 60 percent or more of approval to keep his seat, otherwise it will be up for grabs in the 2022 election.
"The Illinois Supreme Court sets the level playing field in the courts, for the appellate and trial courts," he says. "We decide what the parameters are and the interpretation of laws and so forth. That affect everyone in every way in their lives."
Former Mayor of Rock Island, Mark Schweibert, says he's supporting Justice Kilbride.
"He has a good grasp from his upbringing and his practice of what (local) people think, what their feelings are and what their needs and expectations are," he says.
Schweibert says in working with Justice Kilbride, both before and during his time on the Supreme Court, he's remained a fair judge.
"I think the most important thing a judge does is be fair and apply the law," Schweibert says. "That's what we expect of them and that's what we've got with Justice Kilbride."
Kilbride is being met with some opposition from Citizens for Judicial Fairness, a coalition seeking a change in power.
"Justice Kilbride has been in (the Illinois Supreme Court) for 20 years; his time is up," Ray LaHood says. "We need to give Supreme Court back to the people."
Coalition Leaders LaHood and Jim Nowlan say in years past, Justice Kilbride voted against different referendum being put on the ballot, including changes to term limits for state representatives and changes to how the state and congressional districts in Illinois are drawn.
"Whether we're in favor of term limits or redistricting, we're upset that Justice Kilbride and the Chicago democratic majority on the Illinois Supreme Court, because they won't let citizens have a say at the ballot box," Nowlan says.
"It's not my personal opinion that plays into any of these cases," Justice Kilbride says. "I didn't take a position and I don't have a position on that."
The two former state and federal leaders are also challenging Justice Kilbride's decision on pension liabilities being incurred on local governments, and funding from Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan.
"Now is the time to send a message to Speaker Madigan that you can't control everything. You control the House of Representatives and you are the Chair of the Democratic party in Illinois," LaHood says. "We want to provide you an opportunity, the people of Illinois, to take control away from Speaker Madigan so he doesn't control the Supreme Court."
Justice Kilbride calls these accusations unfair and accurate.
"Again, that's a stretch in trying to throw mud on me," he says. "These flyers going around and making these complaints... If people wanna sit down and go through these allegations, one by one, I'll happily do that because they're not true."
Both Justice Kilbride and the coalition are making their bid on how the third district is represented on the Supreme Court.
"It's time for some retribution and that's what our coalition is out to achieve," Nowlan says.
"You never know as a candidate how it's onna shake out, but I'm hopeful," Justice Kilbride says. "I'm cautious I guess but we'll see."