With 97 percent of votes counted, Iris Martinez has won the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk race, receiving 71.6 percent of the vote to beat her opponent, Barbara Bellar, who received 28.4 percent of the vote.

Martinez will become the first Latina Cook County Circuit Court Clerk.

Martinez is currently an Illinois State Senator representing the 20th District, where she has served as the Assistant Majority Leader and the Majority Caucus Whip. She has occupied that office since 2003, and her current term ends in 2023. According to Illinois constitutional procedures, her state legislative vacancy will be filled by her party, the Democratic Party.

Martinez campaigned on government reform and ending the “neglect, mismanagement, and corruption that has plagued the office of the Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court for decades.” She supported banning political contributions from employees and vendors doing business with the office, digitizing the office’s operations and addressing the current backlog of cases.

Bellar is a licensed physician and attorney and army veteran who previously ran for Illinois legislature positions. Bellar ran on increasing efficiency and transparency of the office, and was a pro-life and Second Amendment candidate.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @delaneygnelson

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