Three local state judges in St. Clair County, Illinois, have filed to run for re-election in a partisan race. Normally incumbent judges who wish to retain their seats don’t do that. Instead they run in retention elections. However, the law requires judges running in retention elections to poll at least 60% “Yes”, and apparently these three judges would rather run in a candidate-versus-candidate election.

The legality of their re-election method is unsettled. This story says a lawsuit will be filed to force them to run in retention elections.