Judicial race · November 3, 2026
Ohio Supreme Court Justice (term beginning Jan 2, 2027)
The Supreme Court of Ohio is the state's highest court; its seven justices decide appeals from lower courts and oversee the administration and rules of Ohio's judicial system.
6-year term. Full six-year term commencing January 2, 2027. Incumbent Justice Jennifer Brunner was unopposed in the May 5, 2026 Democratic primary; Colleen O'Donnell won the four-candidate Republican primary with about 32% of the vote. Party labels appear on the ballot.
The candidates
Listed alphabetically by last name.
Jennifer Brunner
Justice, Supreme Court of OhioJennifer Brunner, a Democrat, has served on the Ohio Supreme Court since January 2021 and is seeking a second six-year term. She previously served as Ohio Secretary of State and as a judge on the Tenth District Court of Appeals and the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Her campaign emphasizes fairness, equality and respect, and her experience at all three levels of Ohio's judiciary.
Colleen O'Donnell
Former U.S. Immigration Judge; former Franklin County Common Pleas Court judgeColleen O'Donnell, a Republican, served as a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge from 2013 to 2023 and then as a U.S. Immigration Judge in Laredo, Texas. She won the four-candidate Republican primary in May 2026. Her campaign emphasizes the rule of law, public safety, originalism and judicial restraint.
Compare on the issues
Summaries of each candidate's stated positions. See each profile for sources and details.
| Issue | Jennifer Brunner Democratic | Colleen O'Donnell Republican |
|---|---|---|
| Judicial Philosophy | Compares a judge to a referee whose calls are trusted only if the result is not decided in advance, and says her philosophy has not changed as the court's makeup has shifted. | Describes her approach as originalism and pledges judicial restraint, interpreting laws according to their meaning at the time they were enacted; has said she does not view the Constitution as a living document. Says partisan politics has no place in the courthouse and that Ohioans want fair, consistent court decisions. |
| Public Safety | Lists safety for families at home, on foot and while driving, and protection from fraud and phone scams, among the kinds of matters the court decides; founded a treatment-focused adult felony drug court as a trial judge. | Says protecting public safety, including holding violent offenders accountable, is a reason she is running. |
| Access to Justice | Says justice means fairness, equality and respect for all people, including fair compensation and recovery time for injured workers and balanced rules that let small businesses compete. | No public position found yet |
| Elections & Democracy | Filed a 2023 federal lawsuit challenging Ohio's law requiring party labels on ballots for Supreme Court and appellate races, arguing the labels make judges appear more partisan. | No public position found yet |
| Immigration | No public position found yet | Says that as an immigration judge she enforced the law as written, never granted asylum, and ordered removals. |