Peoria City Council member Mike Vespa is running for a seat on the Peoria County Court bench.
Vespa announced his candidacy in next November’s election on Tuesday, seeking to become resident judge in the 10th Judicial Circuit.
“I’ve been on the city council for a couple years, and it’s been very rewarding,” Vespa said in an interview with WCBU. “But on the council, I’m one of 11 votes. I think that as a judge, I can make a more significant, meaningful impact on the community, and I very much look forward to that.”
Vespa has served as an at-large council member since his fifth-place finish in the 2023 election. He’s been practicing law for 16 years, and currently is with the Hanauer Law Office; he previously served as a public defender.
“I think I have a lot of experience in a lot of areas of law, and I know I can put that to good use,” said Vespa. “I do care about the Constitution very deeply, and I’ve made speeches to that effect on the council, making sure people’s rights are respected is important.”
A graduate of Bradley University and the Northern Illinois University College of Law, Vespa intends to focus his campaign on transparency and access to justice. He thinks he'd be able to do more for members of the community by serving on the bench.
“As judges, you get to impact people’s lives every single day,” he said. “They come to you with an expectation of being treated fairly, being heard. It’s your duty then to do that, to meet them there.”
Vespa said he will remain committed to his city council duties while campaigning for the judgeship.
“I’m going to keep serving through at least next December, and I look forward to it,” he said. “It’s been a pleasant surprise because it’s been a collegial group and everybody seems to be working in good faith. We might not always agree on how to get there, but I do think the people in the council do have the city’s best interest in mind.”
He said he’s focused on winning, and hasn’t thought about running to stay on the council if that doesn’t happen.
“After that year-long grind of a campaign, I think then launching immediately a council race probably would be a hard pass. I mean, I wouldn’t rule out anything in the future, but this is all hypothetical for me right now,” he said.
