O'Donnell runs for Ohio Supreme Court in Nov. 3 election

Republican Colleen T. O'Donnell is running for Ohio Supreme Court in the Nov. 3 general election. The statewide race is one of the court seats on the 2026 ballot that Butler County voters will help decide.

She faces Democrat Jennifer Brunner. On her campaign website, O'Donnell describes herself as a constitutional conservative running to uphold the rule of law, protect public safety and preserve a conservative majority on the court.

Candidate information

Name: Colleen T. O'Donnell
Party: Republican
Office sought: Ohio Supreme Court Justice (Term Commencing 1/2)
Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
Education: Bachelor's degree in political science, Miami University (2003); juris doctor, Case Western Reserve University (2006)
Family background: O'Donnell says she is the daughter of retired Ohio Supreme Court Justice Terrence O'Donnell.

Experience and public service

O'Donnell's career spans state government, private practice, federal service and the bench, according to her iVoterGuide profile and Border Crossing Law records.

Assistant attorney general, Ohio Attorney General's Office (2006–2007)
Law clerk, Northern District of Ohio (2007)
Lawyer, Carpenter Lipps & Leland LLP (2007–2013)
Common Pleas Court judge, Franklin County (2013–present, per BallotReady)
Attorney, Office of the Federal Energy Advocate, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (2023)
U.S. immigration judge, Laredo, Texas, Immigration Court, U.S. Department of Justice (starting August 2023)

Her iVoterGuide and BallotReady profiles list overlapping dates for some roles. O'Donnell's campaign website does not clarify the sequence.

On the issues

O'Donnell's campaign did not provide responses to a candidate questionnaire. Her campaign website states her priorities as upholding the rule of law, protecting public safety and preserving a conservative majority on the court. No additional policy positions or specific proposals were available for this profile.

Editor's note: This profile will be updated if the candidate provides responses.

Endorsements

O'Donnell has received endorsements from law enforcement, county Republican parties and advocacy organizations, according to her iVoterGuide profile and BallotReady data: