Democrat Sarah Smith was elected circuit judge in Madison County for judge Barbara Crowder's seat.
Smith defeated Edwardsville attorney Mark D. Rabe with a margin of 55.3 to 44.7 percent.
Smith is currently an associate judge and will take the bench as circuit judge following Crowder’s retirement next month.
Rabe congratulated Smith in a post on his campaign's Facebook page late Tuesday night.
"Thank you to everyone who supported me and my campaign, and especially to the thousands who voted for me. The voters have decided. Congratulations to Sarah Smith," he wrote.
Smith received more than $196,878 since she formed her campaign committee in July 2017. Much of her campaign contributions came from the plaintiffs bar, with some of the biggest campaign contributions coming from asbestos firms.
Rabe formed his campaign committee on Sept. 12 and received approximately $6,600.
Smith was appointed associate judge in 2015. She presides over the child support accountability court and oversees the domestic violence accountability court, as well as divorce cases and other family matters.
Smith is a lieutenant colonel with the Army National Guard and has more than 22 years of military service. She is the highest-ranking JAG officer in Illinois, and was selected to serve as the state’s first Military Judge for the Illinois Army National Guard.
Rabe announced his candidacy on the Republican ticket for circuit judge in December 2017.
Rabe worked as an in-house attorney for Boeing, where he handled commercial work, bankruptcy, and business defense, among others.