Baldridge nominated as Ohio Department of Agriculture director
Gov. Mike DeWine announced he will nominate Brian Baldridge of Winchester to be the next director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Read MoreJudicial elections, and the candidates running in them, continue to be a mystery to Ohio voters. A majority of Ohio voters say that they skip voting in judicial elections because they do not know enough about the candidates. This is alarming, considering that the judiciary is integral to the working of our government as the third co-equal branch. In 2020, Ohio voters in every county will elect judges for county and common pleas courts, all 12 courts of appeals districts, and two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court. These judges affect the lives of Ohioans in many ways, from their main role of interpreting the law, to more routine functions like traffic citations and estate administration.
Judicial races often do not have the same amount of publicity as the other races on the ballot, tied in part to more stringent fundraising limitations. And, unlike candidates for political offices, judicial candidates are bound by a code of ethics enforced by the legal profession.
In 2020, Ohio voters in every county will elect judges for county and common pleas courts, all 12 courts of appeals districts, and two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court.
Before you step into the voting booth, take some time to familiarize yourself with what judicial seats you will be voting on and the candidates running. Then, do some research on those candidates just like you would for any other race:
One struggle voters often have with judicial candidates is a lack of clear positions on specific issues. Voters may wonder where judges personally stand on specific issues like eminent domain or school funding, and may be frustrated that the candidates are not giving an answer to those types of questions. However, this is an important part of having a fair and impartial judicial system. Judges are prohibited from commenting on cases and controversies that may come before them, because it is their job to apply the law based on the facts at hand, regardless of their personal or political beliefs. Instead of specific issue positions, voters can ask judicial candidates about their judicial philosophy, or how the judge views different aspects of the law and decision-making.
A fair and impartial judiciary is a cornerstone of our government and a hallmark of our free society. As voters, it is our responsibility to look beyond the outcome and consider whether a judge had sound reasoning, based in law and fact, to bring about that decision.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced he will nominate Brian Baldridge of Winchester to be the next director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Read MoreThe issues we brought to the table were substantive policy, based on experiences that we have had in Ohio. ~ Brandon Kern
Read MoreLeah Hetrick of Columbus, Ohio, has been named director of legal education and member engagement for Ohio Farm Bureau.
Read MoreThe Beginning Farmer Tax Credit is available to those who’ve recently entered the field, as well as those who help beginning farmers.
Read MoreThrough 14 scholarship funds, nearly 50 awards will be made to deserving students. The deadline to apply online is March 31.
Read MoreInternational Food Solutions is receiving a grant to help redevelop and expand a vacant building in Cleveland into a plant with the capacity to process 60 million pounds of poultry.
Read MoreOhio Farm Bureau Young Agricultural Professional Stacie Anderson of Wood County is the winner of the 2023 American Farm Bureau Excellence in Agriculture Award.
Read MoreOhio Farm Bureau Young Agricultural Professional Mike Hannelwald of Lucas County is the winner of the 2023 American Farm Bureau Discussion Meet.
Read MoreIn his online search for information related to a career in food science, Jayden Porter found Ohio Farm Bureau’s ExploreAg program.
Read MoreFollow the action as it’s happening in Puerto Rico on Ohio Farm Bureau social media channels: Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, using #AFBF23.
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