This article was published in partnership with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system, and Signal Cleveland. Sign up for The Marshall Project’s Cleveland newsletter, and follow them on Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and Facebook.
Early voting is now underway in Ohio. Ahead of the upcoming general election on Nov. 5, The Marshall Project and Signal Cleveland published a judge guide designed to help voters make informed decisions about judicial candidates.
The guide was developed in response to residents’ questions about the judicial system and the challenges they face in finding reliable information about judges. We also solicited questions for candidates directly from Greater Cleveland residents.
The Ohio Supreme Court is the highest court in the state system. The seven elected justices decide cases that raise constitutional questions and cases appealed from lower courts about everything from abortion access and the death penalty to the advertising of boneless chicken wings. Six candidates are running for three seats on the court in races that carry partisan labels. Republicans currently have a 4-3 majority on the court.
More: To see the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas candidates, click here.
Six candidates are running for three seats on the Ohio Supreme Court. It’s an important race that could reshape the court, which has had a Republican majority since 1986.
The Ohio Supreme Court is the highest court in the state system. The court’s seven justices consider cases that raise constitutional questions and appeals from lower courts about everything from abortion access, redistricting and the death penalty to the advertising of boneless chicken wings.
The race is partisan, meaning the candidates are identified as Republicans and Democrats.
Lisa Forbes and Daniel Hawkins
Eighth District Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes faces Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Daniel Hawkins to fill a term on the court that will end on Dec. 31, 2026. The seat opened up when Justice Joe Deters decided to run for a full six-year term instead of staying in the seat he was appointed to after Sharon Kennedy’s election to the position of chief justice in 2022.
Justice Michael Donnelly and Megan Shanahan
Justice Michael Donnelly faces a challenge from Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan for a six-year term that starts on Jan. 1, 2025.
Justice Melody Stewart and Justice Joseph Deters
The two current Ohio Supreme Court justices are running against each other for a six-year term that starts on Jan. 2, 2025.
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