Megan Shanahan
2025 - Present
2029
0
Megan E. Shanahan (Republican Party) is a judge of the Ohio Supreme Court. She assumed office on January 1, 2025. Her current term ends on January 1, 2029.
Shanahan (Republican Party) ran for election for judge of the Ohio Supreme Court. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Shanahan was appointed to the court by Governor John Kasich on March 6, 2015.[1]
Biography
Education
Shanahan received her undergraduate degree from Kent State University and her J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.[1]
Career
Before her appointment to the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Shanahan served as a municipal court judge for the Hamilton County Municipal Court. She also previously served as an assistant prosecutor for the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office and for the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, and as a prosecutor for the Mt. Healthy Mayor’s Court.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2024
General election
General election for Ohio Supreme Court
Megan E. Shanahan defeated incumbent Michael P. Donnelly in the general election for Ohio Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Megan E. Shanahan (R) | 55.6 | 3,025,884 |
 | Michael P. Donnelly (D) | 44.4 | 2,415,507 | |
| Total votes: 5,441,391 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ohio Supreme Court
Incumbent Michael P. Donnelly advanced from the Democratic primary for Ohio Supreme Court on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Michael P. Donnelly | 100.0 | 462,982 |
| Total votes: 462,982 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Ohio Supreme Court
Megan E. Shanahan advanced from the Republican primary for Ohio Supreme Court on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Megan E. Shanahan | 100.0 | 836,768 |
| Total votes: 836,768 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Shanahan in this election.
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Hamilton County, Ohio (2022)
General election
General election for Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Incumbent Megan E. Shanahan defeated R. Bernard Mundy in the general election for Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Megan E. Shanahan (Nonpartisan) | 54.5 | 144,225 |
| R. Bernard Mundy (Nonpartisan) | 45.5 | 120,380 | ||
| Total votes: 264,605 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Britt Born (Nonpartisan)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Britt Born advanced from the Democratic primary for Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division on May 3, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Britt Born | 100.0 | 30,048 | |
| Total votes: 30,048 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Incumbent Megan E. Shanahan advanced from the Republican primary for Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division on May 3, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Megan E. Shanahan | 100.0 | 36,146 |
| Total votes: 36,146 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Incumbent Megan Shanahan defeated Alvertis Bishop in the general election.
| Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas (General Division–Shanahan seat), General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Megan Shanahan Incumbent |
65.50% | 196,540 |
| Alvertis Bishop | 34.50% | 103,510 |
| Total Votes | 300,050 | |
| Source: Hamilton County, Ohio, "Unofficial Election Results: November 8, 2016," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
Incumbent Megan Shanahan ran unopposed in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division Republican primary election.
| Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas (General Division–Shanahan seat), Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Megan Shanahan Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 6,496 |
| Total Votes | 6,496 | |
| Source: Hamilton County, Ohio, "Cumulative Report--Unofficial," March 16, 2016 | ||
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
The 391 judges of the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are all selected in an identical manner. Qualified individuals wishing to join the bench must participate in partisan primary elections followed by nonpartisan general elections.[2]
The chief judges of the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are chosen by peer vote and serve for one year.[2]
Qualifications
To serve on an appellate or general jurisdiction court, a judge must be:[2]
- a district or county resident (for court of appeals and common pleas judges);
- at least six years practiced in law; and
- under the age of 70.
Under the Ohio Constitution, a judge who reaches 70 years of age may be assigned by the chief justice to active duty, receiving payment on a per-day basis in addition to whatever retirement benefits he or she is entitled to.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Megan E. Shanahan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Megan E. Shanahan did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
State supreme court judicial selection in Ohio
- See also: Judicial selection in Ohio
The seven justices of the Ohio Supreme Court are selected through partisan primaries and partisan general elections. Previously, these judges were selected through partisan primaries and nonpartisan general elections, known as the Michigan method.[3][4][5]
All judges serve six-year terms, after which they are required to run for re-election if they wish to remain on the court.[5]
Qualifications
To serve on the Ohio Supreme Court, a judge must:
- have at least six years in the practice of law;
- be licensed to practice law in the state for at least one year preceding appointment or commencement of the judge's term;
- be a judge of a court of record in any jurisdiction in the U.S.; or and
- be under the age of 70.[6]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court is chosen by voters at large, serving a full six-year term in that capacity.[5]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement. The appointee serves until the next general election taking place 40 or more days after the vacancy occurred. If re-elected, the judge serves the remainder of his or her predecessor's unexpired term.[5]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
|
Candidate Ohio Supreme Court |
Officeholder Ohio Supreme Court |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Office of the Governor of Ohio: John Kasich, "Kasich announces appointment to Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division," March 6, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Ohio," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, “Ohio Candidate Requirement Guide,” accessed December 7, 2021
- ↑ Ohio General Assembly, “(Senate Bill Number 80),” accessed December 7, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Ohio," accessed September 1, 2021
- ↑ Ohio Laws & Administrative Rules, "Section 2503.01 | Composition of supreme court; qualifications for justices.," accessed April 12, 2023
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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
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