Three seats on the Ohio Supreme Court will be up for grabs in the November election. The results will determine the balance of the court and have a huge impact on a wide range of issues that affect the lives of Ohioans, from education and the environment to gerrymandering and elections, as well as civil and reproductive issues.property rights.
In 2021, the state legislature added party labels to previously nonpartisan races.
This year, incumbent Democratic Judge Michael P. Donnelly faces a challenge Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Republican Judge Megan Shanahan.
Incumbent Democratic Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart faces incumbent Republican Supreme Court Justice Joseph Deters, who decided not to seek his current seat and instead ran against Stewart.
Running for Deters’ open seat are Democratic candidate Lisa Forbes for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and Republican candidate Dan Hawkins for Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
Deters decided to run for a full term in the seat challenging Stewart rather than seek a partial term in the seat to which Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him on Jan. 7, 2023. For this reason,Regardless of which candidate wins, Deters’ current seat will be up for re-election in 2026 for a full six-year term.
The Ohio Supreme Court currently has a 4-3 Republican majority. If all three Republicans are elected, Republicans will hold all but one of the seats on the court, for a 6-1 majority. On the other hand, if all three Democrats win the election, Democrats will have a 4-3 majority. The Ohio Supreme Court has been under Republican control since 1986.
Democrat Jennifer Brunner’s term will raise in 2026. The terms of Republican Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, Republican Judge Pat DeWine and Republican Judge Pat Fischer will raise in 2028.
The Ohio Supreme Court can decide many crucial issues, such as reproductive rights, gerrymandering, education vouchers, home rule, and environmental issues.
“If legislation is passed on this, it could go all the way to the Supreme Court and have a real, tangible impact on every single one of our lives,” said Elisabeth Warner, spokeswoman for the League of Women Voters of Ohio.
Even though 57% Ohio voters approved the amendment Last year, the court decided to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution, but it will inevitably rule on abortion access.
“There are still a lot of anti-abortion laws in place, so the Supreme Court will have to decide that,” Warner said.
Ohio’s anti-abortion laws were not automatically implemented invalidated when Last year’s amendment passed, so abortion advocates are working to repeal those laws.
The Franklin County Court of Common Pleas recently issued an order temporarily halting Ohio’s 24-hour waiting period and requirement for at least two in-person visits before an abortion can be performed.
Another trial is currently underway in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court over whether Ohio the ban on abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy is unconstitutional after voters approved the amendment last year.
These lawsuits will likely head to the Ohio Supreme Court — meaning seven justices will ultimately decide to what extent reproductive rights are protected.
“Ultimately, the Ohio Supreme Court will decide what voters put into the Ohio Constitution,” he said. Catherine Turcer, Common Cause Ohio executive director. ““This is interpreted by the Ohio Supreme Court.”
The Ohio Supreme Court has issued a ruling many rulings on the reapportionment of constituencies before and the case is likely to go to court again — especially in delicate of an amendment to this year’s ballot that would establish a citizens’ commission to redraw electoral districts.
The case against education vouchers is already underway and will likely go to a higher court.
Even boneless chicken wings have landed in front of seven Ohio judges. The court recently issued a national decision headlines from them 4-3 rules that boneless chicken wings may contain bones — appearing at some point “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”.”
Turker and Warner criticized the 2021 law that requires parties affiliation listed on the Ohio Supreme Court ballot candidates. More than a million Ohio voters did not cast ballots in two Supreme Court races in the 2020 election.
“We shouldn’t really think about Democrats and Republicans because ultimately it’s about the judge being independent and impartial,” Turcer said.
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