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

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah