When it comes to races for judge, it often can be
difficult to gauge what a candidate might believe because they’re generally
barred from speaking during campaigns about subjects that could come up before
them in court.
Campaigns, rather, tend to focus generally on the
management of the court including budgets and programs that are administered.
I provided the Ohio Bar Association’s recommendations of
candidates for Ohio Supreme Court last week.
With that said, the Lake County and Geauga County bar
associations recently released results of endorsement or poll results for state
and local judge races.
The rankings show a reflection of how the judicial
candidates fared among their peers in each county. But for the public, it’s up
to each voter to learn more about the candidates and decide for themselves when
it comes time to vote. The following is merely for informational purposes and
doesn’t imply endorsement by The News-Herald.
Lake County Bar Association
The Association announced its endorsements for judicial
candidates who will appear on Nov. 6 ballots in Lake County. An opinion was
only expressed if a candidate received a yes or no vote as to the
qualifications of the office on more than 50 percent of the ballots.
Receiving an endorsement of highly recommended were Ohio
Supreme Court Justice Robert R. Cupp;
Lake County Common Pleas Court Judges Richard
L. Collins, Vincent A.
Culotta, Eugene A. Lucci;
and 11th District Court of Appeals Court Judge Mary Jane Trapp.
Candidates who received an endorsement of recommended were
Ohio Supreme Court Justices Yvette
McGee Brown, Terrence
O’Donnell and William
O’Neill; and 11th District Court of Appeals Judge Diane V. Grendell,
The Bar Association gave an endorsement of not recommended
for Colleen Mary O’Toole,
candidate for 11th District Court of Appeals. It expressed no opinion for Ohio
Supreme Court candidates Sharon L.
Kennedy and Mike Skindell.
Geauga County Bar Association
The Association released results of a poll in which 106
members responded regarding Nov. 6 judicial candidates appearing on the Geauga
County ballot. The Association does not make endorsements, rather it releases
the poll results.
Ohio Supreme Court:
Skindell received the following votes: 11 highly recommended, 23 recommended,
16 not recommended, 56 no opinion; O’Donnell received 31 highly recommended, 28
recommended, 22 not recommended, 25 no opinion; O’Neill received 31 highly
recommended, 29 recommended, 36 not recommended, 10 no opinion; Cupp received
21 highly recommended, 37 recommended, 12 not recommended, 36 no opinion; Brown
received 20 highly recommended, 20 recommended, 14 not recommended, 52 no opinion;
Kennedy received 8 highly recommended, 16 recommended, 21 not recommended, 61
no opinion.
11th District
Court of Appeals: Trapp received 88 highly recommended, 13
recommended, 4 not recommended, 1 no opinion; O’Toole received 10 highly
recommended, 18 recommended, 63 not recommended, 15 no opinion.
Geauga Common
Pleas Court: Scott Matasar
received 16 highly recommended, 27 recommended, 33 not recommended, 30 no
opinion, Forrest W. Burt received
54 highly recommended, 32 recommended, 16 not recommended, 4 no opinion.
Geauga
Probate/Juvenile Court: Timothy
J. Grendell received 52 highly recommended, 32 recommended, 17 not
recommended, 6 no opinion; Timothy H.
Synder received 8 highly recommended, 15 recommended, 55 not
recommended, 28 no opinion.
Fundies
n
Ron Young, candidate for
Ohio House of Representatives District 61, hosts wine tasting from Wine
Sommelier and Spirit Expert Gene Segal
of South River Vinyards, 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Quail Hollow Country Club. See
Young.
n
Fundraiser for Nancy McArthur,
candidate for Ohio Senate District 32, with special guest Jo Ann Davidson, former Ohio House of
Representatives speaker, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, at Sharon James Cellars in
Newbury. See McArthur.
n
Fall clambake for John Rogers,
candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 60, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct.
11 at Mentor Beach Park in Mentor-on-the-Lake. See Rogers or John Crocker.
n
Lori DiNallo, candidate for
Ohio House of Representatives District 60, hosts a clambake 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17
at Benny Vino Urban Winery in Perry Village. See Jan Clair.
John Arthur Hutchison
Labels: 2012 election, Geauga County Common Pleas, Kennedy, Lake County Common Pleas, Mike Skindell, Ohio Supreme Court, Robert R. Cupp, Sharon L, Terrence O'Donnell, William O'Neill, Yvette McGee Brown