COLUMBUS — Republican candidates swept Ohio’s Supreme Court races on Tuesday night, maintaining the high court’s current Republican majority.
Ohio voters elected Republican Associate Justice Sharon Kennedy to the Chief Justice role and re-elected Ohio Supreme Court Associate Justices Pat DeWine and Pat Fischer, who are both Republicans. All of these justices will serve six-year terms.
As of 11 p.m., Kennedy received 56.6 percent of the statewide vote while her opponent, Democrat Jennifer Brunner, received 43.3 percent, according to unofficial vote totals from the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.
Republican Pat DeWine received 56.8 percent of the vote while his opponent, Democrat Marilyn Zayas, received 43.1 percent.
And Republican Pat Fischer received 57.4 percent while his opponent, Democrat Terri Jamison, received 42.5 percent.
Kennedy will take over current Republican Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor’s job when she retires at the end of 2022. Then, recently re-elected Gov. Mike DeWine will likely appoint a Republican justice to serve in Kennedy’s vacant associate judge seat, leaving the court with a 4-3 Republican majority.
While Brunner lost the Chief Justice election, she will still serve on the court as an associate justice until her current term ends in 2026.
As a community development group committed to growing Mansfield, NECIC sees civic engagement as vital for a healthy community. Rooted in the North End, their efforts benefit North Central Ohio and beyond. They promote informed voter turnout for a thriving society. Explore at www.necic-ohio.org.