Fifth District Appellate Court Justice Barry Vaughan submitted more than 2,500 signature petitions with the Illinois State Board of Elections this morning to maintain his role serving central and southern Illinois residents on the court.
“I’m blown away by the number of people who signed my petition for judge,” Vaughan stated in a press announcement. “Knowing that thousands of Illinoisans listened to why I’m running to continue serving on the bench is extremely humbling and reminds me why I’m so passionate about being a judge—to make sure everyone is given a fair shake.”
Vaughan’s campaign not only gathered over 2,000 signatures more than required, signatures were gathered by Vaughan, his team, and volunteers, "even while other campaigns struggled to get on the ballot and had to pay circulators," the release states.
The district spans 48 counties, and voters from every county across the district signed Vaughan’s petitions, the release states.
“Over the past two months, I’ve heard directly from thousands of southern and central Illinois’ residents that with Chicago politicians and even judges attempting to impose their personal political beliefs on Illinoisans, it’s never been more important to have strict constructionist judges who will uphold the law and keep liberal politics out of our courtrooms," Vaughan stated. "That’s why I’m running.”
Vaughan has served as a judge for nearly 20 years in his 30-plus-year legal career. He served 18 years in the Second Circuit before being nominated to the Fifth District Appellate Court by Supreme Court Justice David Overstreet and unanimously approved by the Illinois Supreme Court.
Vaughan also is a past president of the Fairfield Lions Club, the Hamilton County Rotary Club, the Wayne County Bar Association, and the Hamilton County Fair Association. He has been married for 32 years to his wife, Kimberly, and they have three children—Grant, Landon, and Kylee.