The Ballot Brief
Mahoning County, Ohio

Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge, Probate Division

One candidate is tracked for Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge, Probate Division on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Robert N. Rusu, Jr.. Candidate information follows official Mahoning County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Incumbent Robert N. Rusu, Jr., the Republican primary nominee, is unopposed for reelection; Ohio judicial candidates appear on the November ballot without party labels, per the Mahoning County Board of Elections certified candidate list.

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.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Robert N. Rusu, Jr., is on the ballot. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

Ohio › Mahoning County › Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge, Probate Division

Robert N. Rusu, Jr.

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Biography

Robert N. Rusu, Jr. is the sitting Probate Judge of Mahoning County, appointed in July 2014 and elected in November 2014, per his campaign site. He spent twenty years in private probate practice, handling estate administration, guardianships, adoptions and elder law matters, before his appointment to the bench, per his campaign site. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Youngstown State University and a J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and serves as president of the Ohio Association of Probate Judges.

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge, Probate Division in 2026?

One candidate is tracked for Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge, Probate Division on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Robert N. Rusu, Jr.. Candidate information follows official Mahoning County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge, Probate Division 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Mahoning County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Ohio House District 58Ohio House District 59Mahoning County CommissionerSee all 10 Mahoning County races
Candidate profiles
Robert N. Rusu, Jr., full profileOfficial Ohio election office