Ohio judicial elections
The Ohio judicial elections consist of a partisan primary and either partisan general election or a nonpartisan general election, depending on the court. The primary is generally held in May, while the general election occurs in November. Judges must run for re-election in nonpartisan elections for subsequent terms.
As of January 2022, candidates seeking election to the Ohio Supreme Court and the Ohio District Courts of Appeals must participate in partisan primary and general elections. Formerly, candidates for these offices participated in partisan primary elections and nonpartisan general elections. Candidates seeking election to the the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas, Ohio County Courts, and Ohio Municipal Courts must participate in partisan primaries and nonpartisan general elections.[1][2]
In even-numbered years, Ohio voters elect justices and judges to the Ohio Supreme Court, Ohio District Courts of Appeal, Ohio Courts of Common Pleas and the Ohio County Courts. In odd-numbered years, Ohio voters elect judges to the Ohio Municipal Courts.
Ohio is one of 11 states that uses partisan elections to select judges and does not use retention elections for subsequent terms. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country, click here.
| Supreme Court | District Courts of Appeal | Court of Common Pleas | County Courts | Municipal Courts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partisan elections - Six-year terms | Partisan elections - Six-year terms | Nonpartisan elections - Six-year terms | Nonpartisan elections - Six-year terms | Nonpartisan elections - Six-year terms |
Elections
- Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2024
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
- Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2022
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2022
- Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2020
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2020
- Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2018
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2018
- Ohio local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Ohio judicial elections, 2016
- Ohio judicial elections, 2014
- Ohio judicial elections, 2013
- Ohio judicial elections, 2012
- Ohio judicial elections, 2011
- Ohio judicial elections, 2010
- Ohio County Court judicial elections, 2010
- Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2002-2010
Election rules
Primary election
In Ohio, primary elections serve to nominate a candidate of a political party for election to an office. The winners of each party's primary go on to face each other in the general election. Primaries are held "on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each year except in years in which a presidential primary election is held."[3]
Notes
- Ohio Judicial Conference website posts candidates for all races prior to election.
- The Ohio Judiciary websites posts results the day after the election.
Filing for candidacy
An individual seeking election to a judicial office that has two or more judges of the same court running for election, must designate the specific term of the office to which she/he is seeking. The individual must then list whether or not the office he/she is seeking is for a full term and when that term commences.
Judges at all levels of the courts in Ohio have varying term dates. When running for a position, "Term commencing (date)" or "Unexpired term ending (date)" is listed on the ballot.[4]
Filing deadlines
Candidates must file their declaration of candidacy 90 days before the primary election for party candidates and 1 day before the primary election for any independent candidates.
Candidates seeking election to the Supreme Court of Ohio must file their declaration of candidacy with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Election Division in Columbus, Ohio. Candidates seeking election to a court of appeals must file with the board of elections of the most populous county within the district. Candidates seeking election to a court of common pleas must file with their county board of elections.[5]
There is also a second filing deadline of 90 days before the general election.[6]
Filing fees
Below is a list of the filing fees for individuals seeking election to a judicial office in Ohio:
- The Supreme Court of Ohio justice: $150
- Court of appeals judge: $80
- Court of common pleas judge: $80
- County court judge: $80
- Municipal court judge: $80 [7]
Qualifications of candidates
Supreme court justice
- Candidate must be younger than 70 years of age;
- Candidate must reside in Ohio; and
- Candidate must be admitted to practice as an attorney in the Ohio and have practiced law in the state of Ohio for at least six years or have served as a judge on a court anywhere in the United States.[8][9]
Court of appeals judge
- Candidate must be younger than 70 years of age;
- Candidate must reside in the district to which the candidate wishes to be elected; and
- Candidate must be admitted to practice as an attorney in the Ohio and have practiced law in the state of Ohio for at least six years or have served as a judge on a court anywhere in the United States.[5]
Court of common pleas judge
- Candidate must be younger than 70 years of age;
- Candidate must reside in the same county as the court to which the candidate wishes to be elected; and
- Candidate must be admitted to practice as an attorney in the Ohio and have practiced law in the state of Ohio for at least six years or have served as a judge on a court anywhere in the United States.[5]
See also
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Office of the Ohio Secretary of State: Elections & Voting
- Office of the Ohio Secretary of State: County Boards of Elections Directory
Footnotes
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, “Ohio Candidate Requirement Guide,” accessed December 7, 2021
- ↑ Ohio General Assembly, “(Senate Bill Number 80),” accessed December 7, 2021
- ↑ Ohio Revised Code, "3501.01 Election Procedure - Election Officials Definitions," accessed September 13, 2017
- ↑ Ohio Revised Code, "3513 Primaries; Nominations, accessed May 4, 2014"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Ohio Secretary of State, "2014 Ohio Candidate Requirement Guide," December 24, 2013
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "2014 Ohio Election Calendar," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Revised Code, 3513.10 Filing fees, accessed May 4, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Constitution, Article IV, §6
- ↑ Ohio Revised Code, "Chapter 2701: Courts of Record, General Provisions," accessed May 4, 2014
| |||||||
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio
State courts:
Ohio Supreme Court • Ohio District Courts of Appeal • Ohio Courts of Common Pleas • Ohio County Courts • Ohio Municipal Courts • Ohio Court of Claims
State resources:
Courts in Ohio • Ohio judicial elections • Judicial selection in Ohio