On November 3, 2026, Ohio voters will choose the next two justices for the Ohio Supreme Court
"Four things belong to a judge: To hear courteously; to answer wisely; to consider soberly; and to decide impartially." –Socrates
WATCH: A Strong Judicial System
READ: Ohio Supreme Court Election 2026: Don’t Sit This One Out
Meet the Candidates
Jennifer Brunner vs. Colleen O'Donnell
Dan Hawkins vs. Marilyn Zayas
Candidate Videos: “In Their Own Words”
Jennifer Brunner
Colleen O'Donnell
Marilyn Zayas
Dan Hawkins
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Ohioans struggle to find information about judicial candidates. Some of this is because judges can’t make promises about how they are going to rule. Some of this is because judges circumvent accountability by avoiding community discussions, refusing to provide information for voter guides, or opting out of forums.
Here is a handy guide for evaluating judicial candidates.
Why These Seats Matter
"Only a judge can take away your property, your money, your freedom, and even your life."
Think the decisions made by those elected to the Ohio Supreme Court couldn’t affect you? Think again. The court has heard high-profile cases on topics that affect our daily lives such as redistricting maps, gender-affirming care, energy, education, constitutional amendment ballot language on abortion, and crime victims’ rights.
We’ve had some VERY questionable decisions from our state’s highest court in recent years. Here is one powerful example:
The Boneless Chicken Wings Case
Berkheimer v. REKM, L.L.C., 2024-Ohio-2787
“Boneless means you should expect bones.”
In the 4-3 Republican majority decision, the Ohio Supreme Court sided with big business over Ohioans when it ruled that consumers in Ohio cannot expect boneless chicken wings to actually be free of bones, rejecting claims by restaurant patron Michael Berkheimer who suffered serious medical complications from getting a bone stuck in his throat after ordering “boneless" wings. The Court said, “the food item’s label on the menu described a cooking style; it was not a guarantee of actually being without bones.”
The Ohio Supreme Court determines whether utility companies can raise their rates and by how much. The Court is also weighing in on data centers. Communities are concerned about power grid strains, water and electricity consumption, and pollution, just to name a few. The Ohio Supreme Court recently ordered the city of Trenton to let voters decide on a ban on data centers. It also allowed the city of Asheville's referendum against a data center project to move forward.
WATCH: Third Leg of the Stool
Don't Sit This Election Out
If voting for judges didn’t matter, then why did outside groups unaffiliated with any candidate spend nearly $6 million on political advertising to influence voters during the 2024 Ohio Supreme Court election?
See this year’s ads and spending figures at the Brennan Center for Justice’s Buying Time.
We have the power to shape our supreme court!
Make sure you have a plan to vote in the November 3 midterm election and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. Use voteohio.gov to find your polling location, request an absentee ballot, or track your ballot. If you plan to vote in person, you must have an unexpired photo ID.
Get more election related information at vote411.org
Voting questions?
Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE for nonpartisan voting assistance!
