MANSFIELD — Mansfield attorney Kelly Badnell will be Richland County’s next probate court judge.

Badnell received 61 percent of the vote, according to final, unofficial vote totals from the Richland County Board of Elections. Badnell had 29,729 votes while her opponent, Kirsten Pscholka-Gartner had 18,765.

“I’m certainly very happy and excited. I’m thankful that the voters came out and supported me,” Badnell said.“I certainly look forward to serving the constituents of Richland County.”

 “I want to thank my family — my husband and children who supported me — and the Richland County Republican Party, especially Marilyn John, who gave me great help during the campaign,” she added.

Badnell will be sworn in as judge in February 2021. She said one of her primary goals for the court would be to digitize old records and create a system that would allow people to file electronically with the court, rather than coming in or mailing documents.

“Certainly the current situation with the pandemic, it would be easier for people,” she said. “We also need to give access to the courts and be able to look at things electronically.

“It makes it much easier for not only attorneys but people in general to be able to go and look and see what’s going on with their case.”

Badnell also said she would work to build the skills for guardianship in attorneys and other community members.

“It’s something we need to foster in people, certainly foster it in attorneys because they have the knowledge and understanding, but I think also we could to look for other people in the community who might be willing to work as guardians as well and try to foster those programs, teaching people about it,” she said. “Letting them know the need is there might get more people interested.”

Badnell ran unopposed in the Republican primary. She has more than 25 years of civil and criminal litigation experience. 

She began her legal career as a former assistant prosecuting attorney and has worked in private practice in Mansfield since 1998 at Badnell Dick Co. L.P.A. 

According to her website, Badnell has represented clients in legal matters including personal injury, insurance defense and coverage issues, workers’ compensation claims, intentional tort litigation, mandamus actions and declaratory judgment actions. 

She has also represented clients in wrongful death suits and minor settlements — both matters handled by probate court.

Badnell credited her years in practice and experience running a private law practice for giving her an edge over her opponent. 

Pscholka-Gartner said she had no regrets about her campaign, but wished she’d been able to do more in-person campaigning.

“I’m happy about the race I ran,” she said. “It was a different race with the pandemic and so we had to make some calls with what we thought was safe and appropriate to do.”

Pscholka-Gartner said she’ll continue to serve as chief magistrate at the Richland County Domestic Relations Court. She didn’t rule out running for office again in the future.

“I might. I’ll leave that open,” she said.