Franklin County, Ohio

Franklin Probate Judge

2 candidates are tracked for Franklin Probate Judge on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Kelly Green and Chris Junga. Candidate information follows official Franklin County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Judicial candidates appear without party labels on Ohio ballots; parties shown are from the May primary nominations, per the county board of elections certified list. OPEN SEAT and the county's only contested judicial race: sitting Judge Jeffrey Mackey, whose term expires in February 2027, is not running.

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

Ohio › Franklin County › Franklin Probate Judge

Kelly Green

Democratic

Top priorities

Modernizing court technology and simplifying processes to make the court more navigable for the public
Increasing staff diversity, ensuring equal pay, and expanding free legal resources for the community

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Kelly Green is the Chief Magistrate of the Franklin County Probate Court, where she has worked for more than 15 years, per the campaign site. The site describes her focus on modernizing court operations and expanding access to legal assistance, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Chris Junga

Republican

Top priorities

Accessible and responsive judicial service
Efficient administration of the Probate Court

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Chris Junga is a Columbus trial lawyer with more than 25 years of courtroom experience who has first-chaired more than 100 jury trials, per the campaign site. A former public defender who has led public defender offices, he is a first-generation college and law school graduate, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Franklin Probate Judge in 2026?

When is the Franklin Probate Judge election in Ohio?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Ohio are on the Ohio election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Franklin County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Franklin County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Ohio election office, or see the full Franklin County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Franklin County ballot

19 tracked races in Franklin County, Ohio. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Ohio Senate District 3 Ohio Senate District 15 Ohio Senate District 25 See all 19 Franklin County races

Candidate profiles

Kelly Green, full profile Chris Junga, full profile Official Ohio election office