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Ohio judicial elections

From Ballotpedia

TheOhio judicial elections consist of apartisan primary and eitherpartisan general election or anonpartisan 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 theOhio Supreme Court and theOhio 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 theOhio Courts of Common Pleas,Ohio County Courts, andOhio Municipal Courts must participate in partisan primaries and nonpartisan general elections.[1][2]

Ineven-numbered years, Ohio voters elect justices and judges to theOhio Supreme Court,Ohio District Courts of Appeal,Ohio Courts of Common Pleas and theOhio County Courts. Inodd-numbered years, Ohio voters elect judges to theOhio Municipal Courts.

Ohio is one of five states that usesnonpartisan elections,partisan elections, andretention elections to determine whether judges should remain on the bench, depending on the court. To read more about how states use judicial elections to select judges across the country,click here.

Supreme CourtDistrict Courts of AppealCourt of Common PleasCounty CourtsMunicipal Courts
Partisan elections - Six-year termsPartisan elections - Six-year termsNonpartisan elections - Six-year termsNonpartisan elections - Six-year termsNonpartisan elections - Six-year terms

Elections

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

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 theSupreme 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 inOhio:

  • 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 theOhio and have practiced law in the state ofOhio 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 theOhio and have practiced law in the state ofOhio 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 theOhio and have practiced law in the state ofOhio for at least six years or have served as a judge on a court anywhere in the United States.[5]

See also

OhioJudicial SelectionMore Courts
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Courts in Ohio
Ohio District Courts of Appeals
Ohio Supreme Court
Elections:2025 •2024 •2023 •2022 •2021 •2020 •2019 •2018 •2017
Gubernatorial appointments
Judicial selection in Ohio
Federal courts
State courts
Local courts

External links

Footnotes

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Judicial elections by state
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