Who is running for Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (Full term commencing 1-4-2027) in 2026?

Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Chris Wagner has been a Hamilton County Common Pleas judge since January 4, 2021, after winning election in November 2020, and presides over the county's Veterans Treatment Court²⁴. He was a prosecutor for about 20 years, including as a Cuyahoga County assistant prosecutor, a special assistant U.S. attorney and managing attorney of the Ohio Attorney General's Cincinnati office, and was chief of compliance for the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts when elected³⁴. He is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 ballot¹. Ohio prints no party next to judicial candidates on the general election ballot, so this race is nonpartisan on the ballot.

• Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, since January 4, 2021; presiding judge of the Hamilton County Veterans Treatment Court²⁴
• Chief of Compliance, Hamilton County Clerk of Courts (position at the time of his 2020 election)³⁴
• Managing Attorney, Cincinnati Regional Office of the Ohio Attorney General; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern and Northern Districts of Ohio; Cuyahoga County Assistant Prosecutor³
• Law clerk and staff attorney for Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Ann Marie Tracey early in his career³
• JD, University of Cincinnati College of Law; BA in International Affairs, Xavier University; St. Xavier High School³⁴
• Elected in November 2020 for a term commencing January 4, 2021². Nominated in the Democratic primary and unopposed for re-election in 2026¹⁵.
• Bar poll: Cincinnati Bar Association 2026 Hamilton County Judicial Candidate Poll. The CBA describes it as a confidential, nonpartisan survey sent to its active attorney members (the results sheet says 2,500 members of the Cincinnati legal community); 170 members responded, rating only candidates they had contact with in the past four years, on six categories, with a stated margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. It is a non-binding member survey of attorney opinion, not an endorsement or a rating by the bar association. For Chris Wagner, 86 respondents reported contact. Of those, the share rating the candidate Excellent: administrative diligence 38%, communication skills 43%, community engagement 35%, integrity/impartiality/objectivity 45%, legal experience 45%, professionalism/temperament 42%. The share rating Below Average, in the same order: 12%, 9%, 12%, 16%, 10%, 20%⁶⁷.