an illustration of a person submitting their voting ballot

To help students understand who is running and why their seat matters, The Lantern compiled a list of 24 races and three issues students registered to vote in Franklin County will see when they cast their vote. Illustration by Kelly Meaden | Lantern File Photo

With less than two weeks until the general election and early voting well underway in Ohio, everything from president to coroner are on Ohio State students’ ballots this November.

To help students understand who is running and why their seat matters, The Lantern compiled a list of 24 races and three issues students registered to vote in Franklin County will see when they cast their vote.

Ballot Measures:

Issue 1: Combines Columbus residents and small businesses into a single electricity buyer in order to bargain with electric companies. If passed, residents have the option to opt out of the aggregation. Official supporters include environmental advocacy group Sierra Club and Mayor Andrew Ginther.

Proponents of the measure say it allows the city to bargain with renewable energy companies to provide widespread clean energy while also lowering residents’ electric bills. According to Ballotpedia, there are no official opponents, but general opposition includes the lack of resident choice in what company supplies the energy.

Issue 2: Secures funding for a Civilian Police Review Board and establishes the Department of the Inspector General for the Division of Police. The review board would appoint the inspector general and have the power to investigate police misconduct, subpoena evidence and make disciplinary recommendations to the Columbus Police. 

The board would be selected to “reflect the diversity of the City of Columbus,” according to the charter amendment.

The proposal was passed by the Columbus City Council and endorsed by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and Columbus branch of the NAACP.

Fraternal Order of Police President Keith Ferrell opposes the amendment, according to Ballotpedia. He said the proposal and Mayor Ginther are “out to attack collective bargaining rights.” He said the Fraternal Order of Police welcomes discussions through the existing collective bargaining structure for police, but the charter amendment would be a waste of time and money.

Issue 24: Renews an existing property tax to fund mental health, alcohol and drug addiction programs in Franklin County and increases the tax rate from 22 cents per $100 property value to 28.5 cents per $100 property value.

The Franklin County Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Board supports 33 facilities throughout Franklin County. The board served more than 135,000 people in 2019, a 72 percent increase compared to 2014. The levy was last renewed in 2015.

National Races:

U.S. President and Vice President:

Representative to Congress, Third District

  • Joyce Beatty (D) — incumbent 
    • Served in Congress since 2013
    • Endorsements include presidential candidate Joe Biden, Ohio Sierra Club and Ohio Federation of Teachers
  • Mark Richardson (R) 
    • Veteran, President of Richardson Credit Solutions Company
    • Endorsements include Franklin County Republican Party and Buckeye Firearms Association

State Races:

Ohio House of Representatives:

  • District 18 (representing most of campus and off-campus student housing)
    • Kristin Boggs (D) — incumbent
    • Kayla Packard (R) 
      • Fourth-year in economics at Ohio State, Treasurer of College Republicans
  • District 22 (representing far West Campus and off-campus student housing west of campus)
    • David Leland (D) — incumbent

Judiciary:

Ohio Supreme Court: The court of last resort in the state, the Ohio Supreme Court hears civil and criminal appeals from the state’s 12 district courts of appeal and cases involving questions related to the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions.

Justice, term beginning Jan. 2, 2021:

  • Jennifer Brunner
    • Currently serves on Ohio’s Tenth District Court of Appeals
    • Endorsements include Ohio Democratic Party and Ohio Education Association
  • Judi French — incumbent
    • Has been justice on Supreme Court since 2013
    • Endorsements include Ohio Repubican Party, Ohio Right to Life, Buckeye Firearms Association and Ohio Fraternal Order of Police

Justice, term beginning Jan. 1, 2021:

  • John O’Donnell
    • Currently serves as a judge on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas
    • Endorsements include Ohio Democratic Party, United Auto Workers and Ohio Association of Public School Employees
  • Sharon Kennedy — incumbent
    • Has been justice on Supreme Court since 2012
    • Endorsements include Ohio Republican Party, Buckeye Firearms Association and National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund

Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals: The Tenth District Appeals Court is one of 12 district courts in Ohio and represents Franklin County. Eight judges serve on the court, with most cases heard by panels of three judges. The Court of Appeals primarily hears civil and criminal appeals and appeals from administrative agencies.

Judge, term beginning Feb. 9, 2021:

  • Michael Mentel
    • Endorsements include Ohio Democratic Party, City Councilmember Elizabeth Brown, International Association of Firefighters
  • Colleen O’Donnell
    • Currently serves as judge on Franklin County Court of Common Pleas
    • Endorsements include the Fraternal Order of Police, Capital City Lodge #9

Judge, term beginning July 1, 2021:

  • Terri Jamison
    • Currently serves on Court of Common Pleas
    • Endorsements include Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio, Franklin County Young Democrats and Franklin County Democratic Party
  • Lisa Sadler — incumbent
    • Has served on Tenth District Court of Appeals since 2003
    • Endorsements include Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas:

Domestic Division judge, two seats: The domestic division, which includes the juvenile court, handles civil and criminal cases relating to children and families. Domestic division judges oversee divorces, child custody and support disputes, status offense cases such as underage drinking, and issue orders of protection.

General Division judge, five seats: The general division oversees all felony cases and civil cases that exceed $15,000 in disputed sums.

Probate Division judge, one seat: Although predominantly overseeing matters of estate and property rights, the probate division also issues birth certificates and marriage licenses and approves legal name changes and adoptions.

  • Jeffrey Macket (D) v. Robert Montgomery (R) (incumbent): Term beginning Feb. 9, 2021

County Offices:

Franklin County Clerk of Courts: Intentionally separate from the judiciary branch, the Clerk of Courts oversees administrative and financial filings of the Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk of Courts must process and keep records of all court documents and collect fees, fines and other funds.

Franklin County Recorder: The recorder keeps record of all real estate and land documents in the county.

  • Danny O’Connor (D) — incumbent

Franklin County Engineer: The engineer is responsible for establishing and maintaining safe roadways in the county. The engineer’s office also issues driveway, right-of-way and other permits.

  • Cornell Robertson (R) — incumbent

Franklin County Commission: The Board of Commissioners manages the county budget and appropriates funds to county agencies and elected officials including the Sheriff, Auditor, Treasurer and Courts. 

Franklin County Treasurer: The treasurer manages payments collected by the county, depositing funds into a central account. The treasurer works regularly with the auditor to track balances and serves on multiple boards including the Budget Commission, the Board of Revision and the Investment Advisory Board.

Franklin County Prosecutor: The prosecutor works with the county sheriff’s office and prosecutes state and county felony and misdemeanor violations. The prosecutor also represents county government officials in district, circuit and courts of appeal.

Franklin County Coroner: The coroner is a physician who investigates the cause of death in any death classified as sudden, unxpected, unnatural, suspicious or violent. The coroner is also responsible for identifying a deceased person at the death scene and notifying the next of kin.

  • Anahi Ortiz (D) — incumbent

Franklin County Sheriff: The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county overseeing the courts, county jail and state-sponsored programs.

  • Dallas Baldwin (D) — incumbent