September 23, 2016

Preferred Judicial Candidates Selected by Central Ohio Attorneys

The Columbus Bar Association’s annual Judicial Preference Poll closed for voting on Sept. 22. This information is not intended as an endorsement for candidates but as a service to help voters make an informed decision when voting for judicial candidates.

Polling ballots were sent to 7,203 attorneys in Franklin County. Respondents were asked to indicate the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas candidate they preferred. Of the nine judicial races being decided on Nov. 8 in Franklin County, five are contested. A total of 718 votes were cast for the candidates. The poll was conducted online by Votenet Solutions and a statement included with the ballot requested that attorneys without “sufficient current knowledge or information about the candidates” abstain from voting in the poll.

The Columbus Bar conducts two polls each year in an effort to provide merit-based, non-partisan information to voters about the elected judiciary. The preference poll of judicial candidates is conducted each fall. A performance poll of sitting judges is conducted each spring. Results of both polls and findings of the Judicial Screening Committee are available at JudgeTheCandidates.org, our non-partisan voter education portal designed to help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box.