Ohio’s primary election takes place on March 15, and, in addition to more prominent races, there are several judicial elections that will take place. Sometimes these races take a backseat to the national and state-level elections, but the officials they elect play a very important role in administering justice in Ohio. As Court News Ohio reports, the University of Akron's Judicial Votes Count blog is a nonpartisan, informative blog that describes judicial races in every Ohio county. According to the blog, it is published through a partnership of Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, the Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, the Ohio State Bar Association, the League of Women Voters of Ohio, the Ohio Newspaper Association, and the Ohio Association of Broadcasters.
The site lists each candidate with party affiliation (for the primary election) and provides links to their resumes and photographs, where available. The site will not list party information prior to the general election to reflect what voters will see on the ballot. While many judicial primaries are uncontested, the site provides an opportunity to get to know the incumbent judges and those who are likely to run against them in the general election, and will also serve as a useful tool for voters looking to inform themselves as they go to the polls in the fall.
In addition to information about specific races, the site provides information about the court system in Ohio generally, what judges do, and why it is important to cast educated ballots in judicial elections.
Image via Wikimedia Commons.