Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2016

2016 State Judicial Elections
Part 1: Overview
Part 2: Supreme Courts
Part 3: Partisanship
Part 4: Changes in 2016

Three seats on the Ohio Supreme Court were on the general election ballot on November 8, 2016. A primary election was held on March 15, 2016. Each justice elected to the court serves a six-year term.

HIGHLIGHTS

Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor (R) was re-elected; Republicans Pat Fischer and Pat DeWine defeated their Democratic opponents.

The three seats up for election were held by Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor (R), Justice Paul Pfeifer (R), and Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger (R) heading into the election.

O'Connor ran unopposed for re-election; Pfeiffer and Lanzinger announced their retirements, and their seats were contested.

Going into the election, Republicans held a 6-1 majority on the court. With the election of two Republican associate justices, the majority remained the same after 2016.

General election candidates

See also: Ohio judicial elections, 2016

The following candidates advanced from the March 15 primary.

Though Ohio's supreme court general elections are nonpartisan, its judicial primaries are partisan. Ballotpedia shows candidates' known affiliations from the primary elections to indicate how the ideological balance of the court could shift as a result of the election.

Supreme Court

Justice O'Connor's seat

	Justice Maureen O'Connor (Incumbent/Unopposed) (Winner)
	Current position: Chief Justice, Ohio Supreme Court, since 2011 (on the supreme court bench since 2003) Past experience: Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, 1999-2002

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Justice Maureen O'Connor: "The position of chief justice demands administrative experience, and I have the administrative experience from my role as common pleas court administrative judge, prosecuting attorney, and director of the department of public safety. I enjoy the administrative duties and have shown skill in doing the same. "I fortunately have no opponent as I seek re-election to the position of chief justice. I believe this is partially due to my successes in championing the judicial branch and in working successfully with both the executive and legislative branches on behalf of the courts and the judiciary. I have projects and goals that I plan on completing during the next six-year term. The most recent focus is a task force to examine the grand jury system and seek ways to elevate public confidence in the grand jury."

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Justice Lanzinger's seat

• Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger (R) reached the mandatory retirement age.
  

	Judge John O'Donnell (Defeated)
	Current position: Judge, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio, since 2007 Past experience: Attorney, Terrence J. Kenneally & Associates

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Judge O'Donnell: "I am running for this position to provide a unique perspective to the Ohio Supreme Court...I sentence criminal defendants nearly every day." When asked if he was politically active, he responded: "Minimally. I voted." Judge O'Donnell has said he frequently speaks to Democrats at functions, telling them to not expect him to support a particular issue because Democrats generally support it. He said he bases decisions on existing law and the Constitution. "I tell people to expect me to have an open mind."

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	Judge Pat Fischer (Winner)
	Current position: Judge, Ohio First District Court of Appeals, since 2011 Past experience: Attorney in private practice

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Judge Fischer: "I believe that I can be a fair and reasoned jurist for all. I believe I have the ability and desire to make the judicial and legal system better than it is today. "With one parent a strong Democrat and one a strong Republican, I learned to listen and to discern which arguments seemed best or strong. That ability helped me greatly, both as a lawyer and especially as a judge. All parties want to be heard by the court, even if they lose the case.... For much the same reason I grew up with an open mind and the ability to ask insightful questions, and generally without putting off the party answering the question. I think that helps me to get to the real issues in a case."

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Justice Pfeifer's seat

• Justice Paul Pfeifer (R) reached the mandatory retirement age.
  

	Judge Cynthia Rice (Defeated)
	Current position: Judge, Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals, since 2003 Past experience: Assistant U.S. attorney

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Judge Cynthia Rice: "In addition to hearing cases of significant importance to the citizens of Ohio, justices are leaders of the entire judiciary in the state. I would welcome the responsibility that accompanies this leadership role. In the past, many justices have developed projects that can positively impact the judicial process. I would like to utilize my experiences as a drug prosecutor to address the increasing problem with drug and heroin addiction. As co-chair of the Criminal Law and Procedure Committee, I have seen recent legislation designed to react to the significant rise in drug deaths. I believe we need to do more than react to the growing drug problem. "Twenty-five years ago, I established and directed the Trumbull County Pharmaceutical Diversion Unit, targeting violations of drug laws regulating the ethical distribution of drugs by pharmacists, doctors, and other professionals. I was appointed Mahoning County Special Prosecutor to prosecute the Mahoning County Coroner on drug trafficking charges. We knew in the early 1990s [that] one-third of drugs used illegally were prescription drugs. The Pharmaceutical Diversion Unit was designed to address this problem. We are now seeing the consequences of flagrant opioid use and the inevitable move to heroin. I would like to spearhead a project to specifically address this aspect of the heroin epidemic. As a justice on the Ohio Supreme Court, I would be able to contribute my experiences to help identify better ways to direct our resources to reduce this public health crisis."

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	Judge Pat DeWine (Winner)
	Current position: Judge, Ohio First District Court of Appeals, since 2013 Past experience: Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio

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Judge Pat DeWine: "I have a strong commitment to public service and great respect for the significant role our legal system plays in the daily lives of Ohioans. A legal system that is restrained, that respects the other branches of government, and that ensures a fair interpretation and application of the law allows for a more stable and prosperous economy, the greatest protection of Ohio families, and makes Ohio a better place to live and work. This philosophy has guided my judicial career, and I aspire to be on the Ohio Supreme Court because I believe I can lend my voice and this philosophy to strengthen Ohio’s legal environment and improve the lives of our citizens."

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Election results

November 8 general election

Incumbent Maureen O'Connor (Ohio) ran unopposed in the general election for the Ohio Supreme Court, O'Connor's seat.

Ohio Supreme Court, O'Connor's Seat, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Maureen O'Connor (Ohio) Incumbent (unopposed)	100.00%	3,562,413
Total Votes (100% reporting)				3,562,413
Source: Ohio Secretary of State Official Results

Pat Fischer defeated John P. O'Donnell in the general election for the Ohio Supreme Court, Lanziger's seat.

Ohio Supreme Court, Lanziger's Seat, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Pat Fischer	50.28%	2,044,984
	Democratic	John P. O'Donnell	49.72%	2,022,514
Total Votes (100% reporting)				4,067,498
Source: Ohio Secretary of State Official Results

Pat DeWine defeated Cynthia Rice in the general election for the Ohio Supreme Court, Pfeiffer's seat.

Ohio Supreme Court, Pfeifer's Seat, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Pat DeWine	56.31%	2,438,641
	Democratic	Cynthia Rice	43.69%	1,892,450
Total Votes (100% reporting)				4,331,091
Source: Ohio Secretary of State Official Results

March 15 primary election

Ohio Supreme Court, Justice O'Connor's Seat Republican Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Maureen O'Connor Incumbent (unopposed)	100.00%	1,353,231
Total Votes				1,353,231
Source: Ohio Secretary of State Official Results

Ohio Supreme Court, Justice Lazinger's Seat Republican Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Pat Fischer	54.26%	761,771
	Republican	Colleen O'Toole	45.74%	642,048
Total Votes				1,403,819
Source: Ohio Secretary of State Official Results

Ohio Supreme Court, Justice Lazinger's Seat Democratic Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	John P. O'Donnell  (unopposed)	100.00%	776,945
Total Votes				776,945
Source: Ohio Secretary of State Official Results

Ohio Supreme Court, Justice Pfiefer's Seat Republican Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Pat DeWine  (unopposed)	100.00%	1,336,648
Total Votes				1,336,648
Source: Ohio Secretary of State Official Results

Ohio Supreme Court, Justice Pfiefer's Seat Democratic Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Cynthia Rice  (unopposed)	100.00%	807,997
Total Votes				807,997
Source: Ohio Secretary of State Official Results

Ohio State Bar Association ratings

The Ohio State Bar Association's 25-member Commission on Judicial Candidates rates each supreme court candidate as either "not recommended," "recommended," "highly recommended," or "superior." Below are the ratings each 2016 candidate received.

A candidate who is rated "not recommended" received favorable evaluations from less than 60 percent of the commission members. A rating of "recommended" means that the candidate received favorable evaluations from more than 60 percent of the commission members. Those candidates rated "recommended" are subject to a second poll of the commission members; a vote of more than 70 percent of the commission raises that candidate's rating to "highly recommended." Those so rated are subject to a third poll; a vote of more than 80 percent of the commission will raise a "highly recommended" candidate to a rating of "superior." None of the 2016 candidates received a "superior" rating. Only Pat DeWine was rated "not recommended."

Ohio State Bar Association Ratings, 2016
Candidate	Rating
Maureen O'Connor	Highly Recommended
John P. O'Donnell	Recommended
Pat Fischer	Highly Recommended
Cynthia Rice	Highly Recommended
Pat DeWine	Not Recommended
Source:	Ohio State Bar Association

Endorsements

The candidates received the following endorsements.

Key endorsements
Maureen O'Connor	Pat Fischer	John O'Donnell	Pat DeWine	Cynthia Rice
National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio	National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio	United Auto Workers, Ohio	National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio	United Auto Workers, Ohio
Ohio Chamber of Commerce PAC	Ohio Chamber of Commerce PAC	Ohio Association of Public School Employees	Ohio Chamber of Commerce PAC	Ohio Association of Public School Employees
	Lima News, "Endorsement: Fischer would improve court," August 27, 2016	Ohio AFL-CIO	Lima News, "Endorsement Ohio Supreme Court: DeWine plays by the Constitution," August 27, 2016	Ohio AFL-CIO
	The Canton Repository		Cleveland American Middle East Association	Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio
	Black Women's Political Action Committee		Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association	The Canton Repository
	Cleveland American Middle East Organization		Tri-State Building Trades Union
			Ohio Right to Life PAC
			Ohio Society of CPAs
			Ohio Manufacturers' Association
			Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters
			Ohio State Medical Association
			Ohio Farm Bureau Federation

Campaign finance

The campaign finance data below shows the candidates' contributions and expenditures through August 2016.

Click show to view full campaign finance details for these three races.

Maureen O'Connor campaign finance 2016 John O'Donnell campaign finance 2016 In addition to the above funds, John O'Donnell's campaign had an outstanding loan of $11,000 as of August 31, 2016. Pat Fischer campaign finance 2016 Cynthia Rice campaign finance 2016 In addition to the above funds, Cynthia Rice's campaign had an outstanding loan of $83,299 as of August 31, 2016. Pat DeWine campaign finance 2016

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The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may not represent 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, and 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.

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Ads

The Democratic Party of Ohio launched two online video ads, one for Cynthia Rice and one for John O'Donnell. The ads both focused on the candidates' character, upbringing, work ethic, and ties to Ohio. Each ad featured its candidate's family members. You may view both ads here.

Polling

A poll was conducted of 500 likely voters in June by Lake Research Partners, a firm that describes itself as advancing progressive ideals. The poll found a wide margin for John P. O'Donnell (D) over his opponent Pat Fischer (R). Cynthia Rice (D) and Pat DeWine (R) polled much closer, within the margin of error.

John O'Donnell (D) v. Pat Fischer (R), Ohio Supreme Court
Poll	John O'Donnell	Pat Fischer	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
Lake Research Partners (a Democrat-affiliated firm) (June 8-13, 2016)	21%	7%	65%	+/-4.4	500
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Cynthia Rice (D) v. Pat DeWine (R), Ohio Supreme Court
Poll	Cynthia Rice	Pat DeWine	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
Lake Research Partners (a Democrat-affiliated firm) (June 8-13, 2016)	22%	24%	37%	+/-4.4	500
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Political composition

Ohio's supreme court justices are elected in nonpartisan elections but nominated by the state's major parties during their conventions. Republicans held a 6-1 majority on the court heading into the 2016 election.

Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor
Justice Paul Pfeifer
Justice Terrence O'Donnell
Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger
Justice Judith French
Justice Sharon L. Kennedy
Justice William O'Neill

Selection

See also: Judicial selection in Ohio

The seven justices on the court—one chief justice and six associate justices—are elected to six-year terms on a nonpartisan ballot. In the case of a vacancy occurring between elections, the governor appoints a justice. Candidates run on the ballot without their political affiliation; however, the affiliation is known prior to the election, as the parties nominate the candidates for their primary elections.

Qualifications

To be a qualified candidate for the Ohio Supreme Court, a person must have practiced law for at least six years, must be admitted to practice in Ohio, and must be younger than 70.

State profile

Demographic data for Ohio
	Ohio	U.S.
Total population:	11,605,090	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	40,861	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	82.4%	73.6%
Black/African American:	12.2%	12.6%
Asian:	1.9%	5.1%
Native American:	0.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.5%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	3.4%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	89.1%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	26.1%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$49,429	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	19.6%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Ohio. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Ohio

Ohio voted Republican in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, nine are located in Ohio, accounting for 4.37 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Ohio had eight Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 4.42 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Ohio coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Ohio
• United States congressional delegations from Ohio
• Public policy in Ohio
• Endorsers in Ohio
• Ohio fact checks
• More...

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Ohio supreme court' OR 'Ohio court election' OR 'Ohio elections 2016'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2016 - Google News

External links

Suggest a link

• Supreme Court of Ohio

Footnotes

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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