The primary election is May 6, and because there is no Democratic challenger, the Republican winner will run unopposed Nov. 4. Early voting has already begun at the Champaign County Board of Elections office.
Gregory Harvey
Harvey became a magistrate in 2023, a role in which he serves part time along with his private law practice.
If elected, Harvey said his top priorities include keeping a “common sense approach to the law,” being proactive with supervision rather than reactive, and punctuality.
He said this means respecting everyone’s time with court proceedings, the court and probation department being a resource for offenders to use instead of reoffending.
As magistrate, an appointed position overseen by a judge, Harvey said he has learned about court procedures and the importance of each role, with the judge being “a small cog in a well-oiled machine.”
The Champaign County Municipal Court sees around 4,500 cases a year, Harvey said, which can total up to 30-40 cases per day in court.
By working on 50-75 cases at a time through his law firm and part time as magistrate, Harvey said he has learned a lot of time management skills and said “I live and die by my calendar.”
Harvey said he has worked hard to earn his place and will continue working for the vote.
“I want to make it known to every single person [that] nothing is owed to me,” Harvey said. “This is not owed to me, my party or any other party by any stretch of the imagination. That’s why I’m working hard to earn the people’s vote and support.”
Harvey said he is a fifth generation Champaign County resident. He went to Urbana High School before leaving for school and returning later to raise a family and start his career.
Kevin Talebi
Talebi is in his 13th year as county prosecutor and previously served as assistant prosecutor starting in 1998.
If elected, Talebi plans to improve recidivism rates, prevent people from reaching felony-level offenses and ensure the continuation of a fair and impartial platform, he said.
He also plans to work with public safety and rehabilitation principles in criminal cases and hopes to speed up civil cases.
“Many of the complaints I’ve heard and observed through the years both in private practice and in the public sector is that civil cases tend to linger too long,” Talebi said. “The wheels of justice turn but they turn a little too slowly and the parties sometimes feel like their cases aren’t given the priority they deserve.”
As prosecutor, Talebi has worked on six homicides, three attempted murder cases and one school shooting.
He emphasized the power Municipal Court judges wield, being charged with making “the most important decisions in people’s lives.”
Talebi has lived in Champaign County for 27 years with three children being born and raised in Urbana City School District. He said he loves the community and is very proud of his residency.
If voters wonder what kind of judge Talebi would be, he encourages them to look at his record.
“I’m very proud of my record as prosecutor,” Talebi said. “I’m very proud of the work ethic I’ve displayed. I’m proud of the team I’ve assembled at my office and their dedication, and we’ve done in my opinion a very good job of serving this community. So now moving to the role of judge if I’m successful on May 6, it gives me the opportunity to serve the community — just to do it in a different way."
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