RACINE — Lawyers in Racine County are favoring Circuit Judge Toni Young in her re-election contest with challenger Jessica Lynott.
In a poll released Tuesday by the Racine County Bar Association, Young was selected as most qualified in the April 2 race by 46% of lawyers who responded.
Another 35% selected Lynott as most qualified, while 12% said that the two candidates were equally qualified. Another 7% chose “other” or a write-in.
In the only contested judge’s race locally this spring, voters countywide will choose between Young and Lynott to serve in Branch 3 of the circuit court for a six-year term at a salary of $164,487 a year.
Young received her law degree from Western Michigan University and has been a member of the bar since 2009. She has worked as a bankruptcy attorney, as a guardian ad litem, and as a public defender.
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Last year, Gov. Tony Evers appointed Young to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Racine County Circuit Judge Maureen Martinez.
Young, a Racine native, became the first Black judge to serve in Racine County.
Lynott grew up in Marathon, received her law degree from Kent College of Law in Chicago and is a member of the bar. She has worked since 2017 as an assistant district attorney for Racine County.
The bar association conducts and publishes a poll of its members before any local judicial election.
Eighty-nine lawyers responded to the poll about the Young-Lynott race.