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Melissa Powers
Melissa Powers (Republican Party) was the Hamilton County Prosecutor in Ohio. She assumed office on January 24, 2023. She left office on January 5, 2025.
Powers (Republican Party) ran for re-election for Hamilton County Prosecutor in Ohio. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Powers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Melissa Powers earned a high school diploma from McAuley High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1984 and a law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Hamilton County, Ohio (2024)
General election
General election for Hamilton County Prosecutor
Connie Pillich defeated incumbent Melissa Powers in the general election for Hamilton County Prosecutor on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Connie Pillich (D) | 51.3 | 202,556 |
 | Melissa Powers (R)  | 48.7 | 192,256 | |
| Total votes: 394,812 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hamilton County Prosecutor
Connie Pillich advanced from the Democratic primary for Hamilton County Prosecutor on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Connie Pillich | 100.0 | 29,086 |
| Total votes: 29,086 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Hamilton County Prosecutor
Incumbent Melissa Powers advanced from the Republican primary for Hamilton County Prosecutor on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melissa Powers | 100.0 | 35,948 |
| Total votes: 35,948 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Powers in this election.
2016
Melissa Powers defeated Darrell Payne in the general election.
| Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas (Juvenile Division–Hunter seat), General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Melissa Powers |
58.48% | 176,046 |
| Darrell Payne | 41.52% | 125,014 |
| Total Votes | 301,060 | |
| Source: Hamilton County, Ohio, "Unofficial Election Results: November 8, 2016," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
Melissa Powers ran unopposed in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division Republican primary election.
| Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas (Juvenile Division–Hunter seat), Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Melissa Powers (unopposed) |
100.00% | 6,446 |
| Total Votes | 6,446 | |
| 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
Melissa Powers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Powers' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
- My main focus will remain getting the most violent offenders off our streets and insisting on prison sentences for violent crimes.
- Modern court cases have never been more complex. Increased staffing will ensure that cases are handled quickly and accurately.
- An expanded victim advocate program will bring the program into the community, with more services and help for crime victims.
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
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Hamilton County Prosecutor |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 26, 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Ohio," archived October 3, 2014
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