Who is running for Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (Full term commencing 2-12-2027) in 2026?

Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

Wende C. Cross has been a Hamilton County Common Pleas judge since February 12, 2021, after winning election in November 2020²⁴. She was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Kentucky and the Southern District of Ohio, practiced privately, and served as a magistrate in Hamilton County Juvenile Court³. She 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 February 12, 2021; current term ends February 11, 2027²
• Magistrate, Hamilton County Juvenile Court³
• Assistant United States Attorney, Eastern District of Kentucky and Southern District of Ohio³
• Private practice attorney³
• Adjunct faculty, Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky University³
• Elected in November 2020, defeating incumbent Judge Ethna Marie Cooper, for a term commencing February 12, 2021⁴². 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 Wende C. Cross, 91 respondents reported contact. Of those, the share rating the candidate Excellent: administrative diligence 47%, communication skills 44%, community engagement 38%, integrity/impartiality/objectivity 40%, legal experience 46%, professionalism/temperament 37%. The share rating Below Average, in the same order: 19%, 14%, 10%, 22%, 12%, 24%⁶⁷.