Richland County, Ohio

Richland County Common Pleas Court Judge, Probate Division

2 candidates are tracked for Richland County Common Pleas Court Judge, Probate Division on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Kelly L. Badnell and Robert A. Franco. Candidate information follows official Richland County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Term 2/9/2027-2/8/2033, nonpartisan. Incumbent Kelly Badnell, who has served since February 2021, faces Robert Franco, who filed 4/30/2026 by certified petition.

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, Kelly L. Badnell, is on the ballot.

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

Kelly L. Badnell

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Biography

Badnell has served as Judge of the Probate Division of the Richland County Common Pleas Court since February 2021, per the county's official site. She received two undergraduate degrees from Washington and Jefferson College and her law degree from Ohio Northern University's Claude W. Pettit College of Law, and is a former assistant county prosecutor who practiced civil litigation for over 20 years. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Robert A. Franco

Nonpartisan

Biography

Franco has practiced law in Mansfield since 2009, after operating local title and real estate businesses before attending law school, with a practice focused on probate, estate planning, real estate and title matters, per his campaign site. He earned his business degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, graduated summa cum laude from Capital University Law School, and later earned an LL.M. in Business and Taxation. He has served as an adjunct professor at North Central State College.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

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

When is the Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Richland County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

Ohio House District 76 Richland County Commissioner Richland County Auditor See all 7 Richland County races

Candidate profiles

Kelly L. Badnell, full profile Robert A. Franco, full profile Official Ohio election office