Justice of the Supreme Court
Full term commencing 1/1/2027; vote for 1; 6-year term. Judicial candidates run without party labels on the general ballot but are nominated in partisan primaries; parties below are the nominating party per the BOE list.
Candidate list checked 2026-10-11 against Ashtabula County BOECandidates (2)
Candidate statements, official records, and guide summaries are labeled below. A linked source identifies the basis for that specific claim; a pending label means the claim has not yet been individually checked.
Compare all 2 candidates side by sideOpen comparison
Each candidate is shown in the same column so you can scan their backgrounds, statements, records, and sourced views in one place. On a small screen, scroll the table sideways.
About ballot issue views: A candidate's stated position appears only when we have a source for it. An empty entry means this guide has not added a sourced statement; it does not mean the candidate is undecided.
| Compare | Daniel R. Hawkins Republican Incumbent | Marilyn Zayas Democrat |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Ohio Supreme Court justice since December 2024. The court biography lists prior Franklin County Common Pleas and Municipal Court service and 13 years as a Franklin County prosecutor, including 10 years directing the Special Victims Unit. Supreme Court of Ohio: Justice Daniel R. Hawkins biography Evidence type: official record · The Supreme Court biography lists Hawkins’s current and prior public service. | Judge on Ohio’s First District Court of Appeals. Her campaign biography says she has served nearly nine years on that court and was appointed three times in 2025 to sit on the Ohio Supreme Court when a justice recused. Supreme Court of Ohio: Ohio Court of Appeals directory · Judge Marilyn Zayas campaign: judicial experience Evidence type: official record · The court directory lists Zayas on the First District; the campaign source supplies the reported length of service and 2025 Supreme Court assignments. |
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No source-backed candidate statement on a ballot issue has been added to this guide. |
No source-backed candidate statement on a ballot issue has been added to this guide. |
| Research sources |
Daniel R. Hawkins Republican Incumbent
View Daniel R. Hawkins’s candidate profile and sources
Background
Ohio Supreme Court justice since December 2024. The court biography lists prior Franklin County Common Pleas and Municipal Court service and 13 years as a Franklin County prosecutor, including 10 years directing the Special Victims Unit. Supreme Court of Ohio: Justice Daniel R. Hawkins biography Evidence type: official record · The Supreme Court biography lists Hawkins’s current and prior public service.
Campaign Promises & Positions
- In a 2022 guest commentary, Hawkins supported Ohio Issue 1, which proposed allowing judges to consider public safety when setting bail. This is a dated statement about a proposed constitutional amendment, not a prediction about future rulings. Dan Hawkins guest commentary, Columbus Dispatch, October 27, 2022 Evidence type: candidate statement · This dated guest commentary states Hawkins’s support for Issue 1 and its proposed bail-setting change.
Voting Record
- Doe v. Columbus, 2026-Ohio-1095: authored the opinion holding that a preliminary injunction blocking city ordinances was an immediately appealable final order; the Court reversed and remanded. Supreme Court of Ohio: Doe v. Columbus, 2026-Ohio-1095 Evidence type: official record · The opinion identifies Hawkins as author and describes the Court’s holding and disposition.
- State v. King, 2026-Ohio-2656: joined the 4-3 majority holding the State may seek discretionary leave to appeal a postverdict judgment of acquittal, but may not appeal it as of right. Supreme Court of Ohio: State v. King, 2026-Ohio-2656 Evidence type: official record · The opinion and official case announcement show Hawkins joined the majority; the holding allows discretionary review, not an appeal as of right.
Stated Views on Ballot Issues
No source-backed candidate statement on a ballot issue has been added to this guide. That does not mean the candidate is undecided.
Promise vs. Record
These are selected examples only. Hawkins’s votes in a small number of cases do not establish a complete judicial philosophy or predict future decisions. Supreme Court of Ohio: Doe v. Columbus, 2026-Ohio-1095 · Supreme Court of Ohio: State v. King, 2026-Ohio-2656 Evidence type: editorial summary · The guide limits this comparison to the two cited opinions and does not infer a general ideology.
Marilyn Zayas Democrat
Photo: CC BY 2.0 via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Zayas
View Marilyn Zayas’s candidate profile and sources
Background
Judge on Ohio’s First District Court of Appeals. Her campaign biography says she has served nearly nine years on that court and was appointed three times in 2025 to sit on the Ohio Supreme Court when a justice recused. Supreme Court of Ohio: Ohio Court of Appeals directory · Judge Marilyn Zayas campaign: judicial experience Evidence type: official record · The court directory lists Zayas on the First District; the campaign source supplies the reported length of service and 2025 Supreme Court assignments.
Campaign Promises & Positions
- Her campaign says she is committed to applying the law, facts, and Constitution, and describes the Supreme Court as a beacon of integrity. Judge Marilyn Zayas campaign: Meet Judge Zayas Evidence type: candidate statement · The campaign biography states this approach and describes the court’s role.
Voting Record
- In re C.R., 2022-Ohio-3540: authored a First District opinion reversing and remanding a juvenile-court custody order because the court had not addressed the father’s custody motion. Supreme Court of Ohio: In re C.R., 2022-Ohio-3540 Evidence type: official record · The official opinion identifies Zayas as author and gives the reversal and remand.
Stated Views on Ballot Issues
No source-backed candidate statement on a ballot issue has been added to this guide. That does not mean the candidate is undecided.
Promise vs. Record
The cited opinion is one example of Zayas’s appellate work. It is not enough to establish a general judicial philosophy; the campaign statements are presented as her stated approach. Supreme Court of Ohio: In re C.R., 2022-Ohio-3540 · Judge Marilyn Zayas campaign: Meet Judge Zayas Evidence type: editorial summary · The guide treats one opinion as a selected example and does not claim it proves a broader philosophy.