Dear Editor,
On election day, most of us will breeze through the ballot until we come to the part on judges. Lacking enough information to make an informed vote, we will make our choices randomly or bypass that part. Thankfully, there is a source of information about judicial candidates in Ohio that can help us.
It’s a website called judicialvotescount.org.
The website includes a county-by-county guide on the judicial seats on the ballot and the candidates running for them; short videos describing the duties of each judicial body; and a chart on the structure of the judicial system.
Knox County voters will be deciding two contested Ohio Supreme Court seats; one contested seat on the Fifth District Court of Appeals; and the Knox County Probate/Juvenile Court judgeship, which is uncontested.
Under the “Know Your Candidates” section for Knox County, there are biographies and statements provided by the candidates telling why they are running and describing the judicial and other legal experience they have had, the kinds and importance of cases they have heard, and their community involvement. While judges cannot take stands on issues likely to come before the court, we can still learn a good deal about their qualifications and experience.
Judges makes decisions that affect our lives and our communities. The courts are our backstop for protecting our freedoms and preserving our ideals for society. Make your judicial vote count on Nov. 3.
Brian Miller
Gambier, Ohio
