November 13, 2024
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2022 Primary Election: Buick leads Oncken for 23rd Judicial Circuit Court bench

By Kelsey Rettke
Election 2024
A joint poll of the Illinois and DeKalb County bar associations shows a sitting DeKalb County judge Marcy L. Buick (right), a Republican, is recommended by area lawyers over her Primary Election challenger, Republican Riley N. Oncken (left). The pair are facing off in the Republican contested primary race for the 23rd Judicial Circuit Court bench, and a chance to be on the November ballot. (Photo of Oncken provided by Riley Oncken, photo of Buick by Mark Busch)

A joint poll of the Illinois and DeKalb County bar associations shows a sitting DeKalb County judge Marcy L. Buick (right), a Republican, is recommended by area lawyers over her Primary Election challenger, Republican Riley N. Oncken (left). The pair are facing off in the Republican contested primary race for the 23rd Judicial Circuit Court bench, and a chance to be on the November ballot. (Photo of Oncken provided by Riley Oncken, photo of Buick by Mark Busch) (Shaw Local News Network)

Voters flocked to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots for which Republican should be on the November ballot for the 23rd Judicial Circuit Court bench: sitting judge Marcy Buick or area lawyer Riley Oncken.

As of 10:30 p.m., with all precincts reporting, unofficial election results showed Buick with a lead over Oncken. Results aren’t finalized Tuesday, however, and election officials will still need to tally the estimated 700 mail-in ballots still outstanding. Ballots postmarked by Tuesday will still be counted in the final tally.

Polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Results won’t be certified for two weeks after the election.

According to unofficial results, 4,418 votes were cast for Buick, while Oncken received 3,723 votes.

Buick, a sitting DeKalb County judge, was appointed to her role about a year ago to serve the 23rd Judicial Circuit Court, which serves DeKalb and Kendall counties. Buick was sworn on July 9, 2021, as the new 23rd Judicial Circuit Court Judge, taking over for predecessor Robbin Stuckert, the first woman judge in DeKalb County who retired as the circuit court and presiding judge.

Buick, a lawyer born and raised in DeKalb, was appointed to the bench almost a decade ago by Judge Kurt Klein, who retired in 2012. She received her undergraduate degree in 1986 from the University of Illinois in Urbana and her law degree in 1990 from Northern Illinois University. She was appointed associate judge on Sept. 28, 2011. Buick also is a member of the steering committee of the Family Violence Coordinating Council for Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties.

Buick presides daily over bond hearings and felony cases in DeKalb County court.

Oncken has lived in Sycamore since 2003 with his wife and four daughters.

Oncken announced his candidacy in February. According to a news release from Oncken’s campaign, Oncken has worked as a general practice attorney in the area since 2004. He has lived in DeKalb County since he began law school at Northern Illinois University three years earlier.

In addition to private practice, Oncken served as a conflict assistant public defender for DeKalb County from 2013-2019, handling cases involving juvenile abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, misdemeanors and felonies. Oncken previously served as a Republican on the DeKalb County Board from 2008 to 2012 and from 2013 to 2015.

It’s not Oncken’s first time vying for the bench. He’s also put his name in the hat for a recent associate judge vacancy after the appointment of judge Philip G. Montgomery to the 23rd Judicial Court in March.

DeKalb County judges Montgomery and Joseph C. Pedersen are running unopposed and will be on the November ballot. Pedersen received 7,520 votes, while Montgomery received 7,522 votes.