Athena Stefanou

Athena Stefanou

Nonpartisan

Hamilton County Municipal Court District 5

Tenure

2026 - Present

Term ends

2032

Years in position

0

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

University of Cincinnati, 2012

Law

University of Cincinnati, 2015

Personal

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Personal LinkedIn

Athena Stefanou is a judge for District 5 of the Hamilton County Municipal Court in Ohio. She assumed office on January 5, 2026. Her current term ends on January 4, 2032.

Stefanou ran for election for the District 5 judge of the Hamilton County Municipal Court in Ohio. She won in the general election on November 4, 2025.

Stefanou completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Athena Stefanou earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati and a law degree from the University of Cincinnati. Her career experience includes working as an attorney.

Elections

2025

See also: Municipal elections in Hamilton County, Ohio (2025)

General election

General election for Hamilton County Municipal Court District 5

Athena Stefanou defeated Elizabeth Sundermann in the general election for Hamilton County Municipal Court District 5 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Athena Stefanou (Nonpartisan)	50.4	14,058
		Elizabeth Sundermann (Nonpartisan)	49.6	13,817

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 27,875
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Kevin Hardman (Nonpartisan)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Stefanou in this election.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Athena Stefanou completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stefanou's responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Athena Stefanou is a proud lifelong Cincinnatian with deep roots in the community and a strong commitment to fairness, integrity, and public service. Athena earned her business degree as a Carl H. Lindner Honors-PLUS Scholar at the University of Cincinnati. She went on to earn her law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Athena began her legal career as a public defender, representing individuals in need of strong and fair legal representation. Currently serving as Chief of Court Operations, Athena has led critical reforms to improve access to justice. She spearheaded efforts to expedite protection orders for victims in danger and trained courthouse staff on Marsy’s Law to ensure their privacy as victims of violent crime.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Modernize Municipal Court for Efficiency and Cost Savings
• Provide Respect and Fairness for All
• Foster Greater Accessibility and Transparency in Our Justice System

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Athena is passionate about respect & fairness in the courtroom and breaking down barriers that prevent individuals from navigating the legal system effectively.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

It is important for an elected official to treat every individual with the respect they deserve. Every person should be heard and treated fairly, regardless of their background.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was working as a waitress at my grandparents’ diner. I worked there throughout high school, undergrad, and law school, helping out on weekends and during breaks. I loved waiting on all the customers, especially the regulars from the local community. That job taught me the value of hard work and the importance of community.

Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?

https://www.cincybar.org/Portals/43/PDFs/Updates/JudicialPoll25-Results.pdf?ver=afQ4Tbu1o87fqFsuIXE8Cg%3d%3d

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Hamilton County Democratic Party, AFLCIO, Run for Something, Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, Ohio Young Democrats, Equality Cincinnati, Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2025 Elections

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Government

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Candidate

Hamilton County Municipal Court District 5

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Footnotes

Ohio courts

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Federal courts:

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio

State courts:

Ohio Supreme Court • Ohio District Courts of Appeal • Ohio Courts of Common Pleas • Ohio County Courts • Ohio Municipal Courts • Ohio Court of Claims

State resources:

Courts in Ohio • Ohio judicial elections • Judicial selection in Ohio