Wanda Jones
Wanda Jones was a judge of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division in Ohio. She assumed office on December 20, 2021. She left office on December 9, 2022.
Jones (Nonpartisan, Republican Party) ran in a special election for judge of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division in Ohio. Jones lost in the special general election on November 8, 2022. She advanced from the special Republican primary on May 3, 2022.
She was appointed to the court on December 6, 2021 by Gov. Mike DeWine to replace Joseph D. Russo.
Jones previously served as a judge of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division in Ohio from January 7, 2019 to December 3, 2020.
Biography
Education
Jones earned her bachelor's degree at Ursuline College and her law degree at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.[1]
Career
Prior to serving as a judge, Jones was an assistant attorney general in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. She previously worked as a principal at Axner & Jones LLP.[1] Jones has been a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, the League of Women Voters, the Norman S. Minor Bar Association, the Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association, and the Westshore Bar Association.[2]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Cuyahoga County, Ohio (2022)
General election
Special general election for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Kevin Kelley defeated incumbent Wanda Jones in the special general election for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kevin Kelley (Nonpartisan) | 55.6 | 173,606 |
 | Wanda Jones (Nonpartisan) | 44.4 | 138,479 | |
| Total votes: 312,085 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Kevin Kelley advanced from the special Democratic primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on May 3, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kevin Kelley | 100.0 | 56,548 |
| Total votes: 56,548 | |||
| = 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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Grant Mackay (D)
Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Incumbent Wanda Jones advanced from the special Republican primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on May 3, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Wanda Jones | 100.0 | 33,314 |
| Total votes: 33,314 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Cuyahoga County, Ohio (2020)
General election
Special general election for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Richard Bell defeated incumbent Wanda Jones in the special general election for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Richard Bell (Nonpartisan) | 53.0 | 239,720 |
| Wanda Jones (Nonpartisan) | 47.0 | 212,985 | |
| Total votes: 452,705 | |||
| = 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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Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Richard Bell defeated Jennifer O'Donnell and Anne McDonough in the special Democratic primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on April 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Bell | 44.9 | 49,348 |
| Jennifer O'Donnell | 40.4 | 44,438 | ||
| Anne McDonough | 14.7 | 16,226 | ||
| Total votes: 110,012 | |||
| = 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
Special Republican primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Incumbent Wanda Jones advanced from the special Republican primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on April 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Wanda Jones | 100.0 | 27,344 |
| Total votes: 27,344 | |||
| = 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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2018
General election
General election for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Incumbent Daniel Gaul defeated Wanda Jones in the general election for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Daniel Gaul (D) | 54.7 | 202,140 | |
| Wanda Jones (R) | 45.3 | 167,668 | |
| Total votes: 369,808 | |||
| = 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 Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Incumbent Daniel Gaul advanced from the Democratic primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Daniel Gaul | |
| ||||
| = 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 Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Wanda Jones advanced from the Republican primary for Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Wanda Jones | 100.0 | 29,761 |
| Total votes: 29,761 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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.[3]
The chief judges of the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are chosen by peer vote and serve for one year.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on an appellate or general jurisdiction court, a judge must be:[3]
- 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
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Wanda Jones did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Wanda Jones did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Wanda Jones completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Jones' responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Specialized Docket for Domestic Violence, increasing effectiveness of Substance abuse docket and Transparency in sentencing outcomes and
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Education and equal access under the law to all of the protections and rights afforded citizens.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Ruth Bader Ginsberg,
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
RBG
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Honesty, fairness, and an appropriate temperament.
Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?
Empathy is Important for this role. Judges make decisions that impact the lives of the people before them and their families and communities. Sometimes those tough decisions take people out of the community to protect others. This often will have far reaching consequences for years to come. It is important that Judges make those decisions with the appropriate empathy for everyone involved.
If you are not a sitting judge, do you have previous judicial experience? Do you believe it's important to have that kind of experience for this judgeship?
I am a volunteer Magistrate for the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. I believe temperament and character are more important.
What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?
The structure of judicial elections and need to raise funds and seek endorsements creates a judicial environment where there is an appearance of bias toward toward those who help get judges elected.
What do you consider the greatest opportunity for the legal system in your state?
We have an opportunity to take the politics out of judicial selection.
Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?
Yes,
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
2022 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division |
Personal |
Footnotes
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
