With 2020 being a presidential election year, it can be easy to forget who won local elections. Solon residents voted for a Representative to Congress [14th District], a State Senator [24th district], a State Representative [sixth District], Prosecuting Attorney, Member of County Council [sixth district], Member of the State Board of Education [fifth district], two justices for the Supreme Court of Ohio, five judges for the Judges of the Court Appeals [eighth district], nine judges for Judges of the Court of Common Pleas [General Division], two judges for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas [Domestic Relations Division], and two judges for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas [Probate Division], in addition to President and Vice President.

As we wait for Inauguration Day for President-elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, here are some of the local politicians that will take office on January 1.

Representative to Congress

Solon is a part of the 14th congressional district, making the winner David Joyce, the Republican nominee. Joyce ran against Hillary O’Connor Mueri. Joyce currently serves as a US representative for Ohio’s 14th congressional district since 2013. There are 16 seats for representatives in Congress from Ohio. All 16 seats were up for election this year. This election saw 12 Republican Representatives and four Democratic Representatives elected into office.

State Representative in Ohio Congress 

Solon is a part of the sixth district in the lower Ohio General Assembly. This election’s winner was Phil Robinson, the Democratic nominee. Robinson ran against Republican nominee Shay Hawkins. Robinson has been serving as the representative for district six since 2019. Robinson is also a Solon resident. The lower chamber in the Ohio General Assembly has 99 seats, with all of the seats being up for election this year. The lower house as of November has 61 Republican representatives and 38 Democratic representatives.

State Senate in Ohio Congress

Solon is a part of the 24th district in the upper Ohio General Assembly. This election’s winner was Matt Dolan, the Republican nominee. Dolan ran against Democratic nominee Tom Jackson. Dolan has been serving since 2016. The upper chamber in the Ohio General Assembly has 33 seats, with 16 of those seats being up for election this year. The upper house as of November has 24 Republican senators and 9 Democratic senators.

Prosecuting Attorney 

Solon is a part of Cuyahoga County. This election’s winner is Michael O’Malley, the Democratic nominee. O’Malley ran uncontested and has held office for prosecuting attorney since 2017. O’Malley is the head prosecuting attorney, with about 210 other people working under him. 

Member of County Council 

Solon is a part of the sixth district for the Cuyahoga County Council. This election’s winner is Jack Schron, the Republican nominee. Schron ran uncontested. Schron has been the representative for the 6th district since 2011. There are 11 districts in Cuyahoga County Council, with districts two, four, six, eight and ten being up for election this year.

Member of the State Board of Education 

Solon is a part of the 11th district for the Ohio State School Board. There are 19 members on the Ohio State Board of Education, 11 members are elected, while nine of the members are appointed by the state governor.

This election’s winner is Meryl Johnson who is a retired teacher from Cleveland. Johnson ran against Richard Neele, a member of the Brooklyn School Board, and Michele Elba, a member of the Warrensville Heights Board of Education. This is Johnson’s second term. 

Justices for the Supreme Court of Ohio 

There are seven justices on the Supreme Court of Ohio, with the current Chief Justice being Maureen O’Connor. Six of the judges are elected in a nonpartisan election, while one judge is appointed by the governor of Ohio. Two of the seats were available for election this year. 

The winners of this election are Jennifer L. Brunner (Nonpartisan, Democratic) and Sharon L. Kennedy (Nonpartisan, Republican). Brunner ran against the Republican candidate, Judith French. Kennedy ran against the Democratic candidate, John P. O’Donnell.

Judge of the Court of Appeals 

Solon is a part of the eighth district for the Court of Appeals. This election called for five judges to fill the eighth district. This election’s winners are Emanuella Groves (Nonpartisan, Democratic),  Sean Gallagher (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Lisa Forbes (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Larry A. Jones (Nonpartisan, Democratic) and Anita Laster Mays (Nonpartisan, Democratic). 

Mays, Jones and Gallagher ran uncontested. Groves ran against the Republican nominee, Pamela Hawkins. Forbes ran against the Republican nominee, Ray Headen, who previously held the seat. There are a total of 21 seats for judges in the Court of Appeals, with all seats being up for re-election this year.

Judges of the Court of Common Pleas (General Division)

Solon is a part of the Cuyahoga County Court system. There are 49 seats for judges in the Court of Common Pleas, with ten seats being up for election this year in the general division. This election’s winners are Michael J. Russo (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Nancy A. Fuerst (Nonpartisan, Democratic), William Vodrey (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Nancy R. McDonnell (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Brendan J. Sheenan (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Andrew J. Santoli (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Nancy Margaret Russo (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Shannon M. Gallagher (Nonpartisan, Democratic), Deena R. Callabrese (Nonpartisan, Democratic) and Richard A. Bell (Nonpartisan, Democratic). 

This will be Bell, Vodrey and Santoli’s first time serving on the Court of Common Pleas’ General Division. Russo, Fuerst, McDonnell, Sheenan, Russo, Gallagher and Calabrese have been serving since 2003, 1997, 1997, 2009, 1997, 2015 and 2009, respectively.

Judges for the Court of Common Pleas (Domestic Relations Division)

There are two seats for judges in the Court of Common Pleas’ Domestic Relations Division up for re-election this year. This election’s winners are Leslie Ann Celebreeze (Nonpartisan, Democratic), who ran uncontested, and Colleen Ann Reali (Nonpartisan, Democratic), who ran against James Cochran. 

Celebreeze has been serving on the Court of Common Pleas’s Domestic Relations Division since 2009 . This will be Reali’s first time serving on the Court of Common Pleas’ Domestic Relations Division. 

Judges for the Court of Common Pleas (Probate Division) 

There are two seats for judges in the Court of Common Pleas’ Probate Division, with both seats being up for re-election this year. The election’s winners are Anthony J. Russo (Nonpartisan, Democratic) and Laura J. Gallagher (Nonpartisan, Democratic). 

Russo is currently serving as a Judge for the Court of Common Pleas’ Probate Division since 1993. Gallagher is currently serving as a Judge for the Court of Common Pleas’ Probate Division since 2009.