Kari Bloom seeks re-election to Hamilton County juvenile bench

Kari L. Bloom, the administrative judge of the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, is seeking re-election in the Nov. 3, 2026, Ohio general election. The nonpartisan race also includes Susan Luken.

Bloom has served on the juvenile bench since 2021, according to BallotReady. She became administrative judge in 2023, according to the Hamilton County Juvenile Court website.

Candidate information

Office sought: Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge, Juvenile Division (Term Commencing 2/14)
Party: Nonpartisan
Ballot status: Certified
Education: bachelor's degree in political science, Bowling Green State University (2008); J.D., University of Cincinnati (2011)

Experience and public service

Before taking the bench, Bloom worked in juvenile defense and public policy. She served as a juvenile justice fellow at Children's Law Center, Inc. from 2010 to 2011, according to her campaign website.

She then worked as a juvenile delinquency trial attorney at the Hamilton County Public Defender's Office from 2012 to 2014, according to BallotReady. She also served as a contract negotiator at Wright Patterson Air Force Base from 2011 to 2012.

Bloom held dual roles as parole attorney and legislative liaison at the Ohio Public Defender's Office from 2014 to 2017, according to the National Association of Counties. During that time, she served on several statewide bodies, according to the Hamilton County Juvenile Court website. Those included the Ohio Supreme Court Sentencing Commission, the Ohio Recodification Committee, the Ohio Supreme Court Bail Committee and the Ohio Supreme Court Juvenile Justice Committee.

She testified before the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate on juvenile justice issues, according to the National Association of Counties. She also represented citizens before the Ohio Parole Board, many of whom had been transferred to adult court as teenagers.

Bloom returned to the Hamilton County Public Defender's Office as a trial attorney from 2017 until she took the bench.

On the issues

In her BallotReady candidate responses on criminal justice and public safety, Bloom outlined several priorities.

Family reunification: Bloom said she would work to keep families together and increase reunification efforts for parents and children.

Data transparency: She said she would record data on each case, including race, sex, charge and sentence, and be transparent with the community about activity in juvenile court.

Service provider audit: Bloom said she would reduce overlap and gaps in children's service providers used by the juvenile court by conducting an audit.

Diversion programs: She said she would create a fair, diverse diversion program to give children from all backgrounds the opportunity to participate in rehabilitative programming.

Training: Bloom said she would develop training, like the Models for Change Initiative, to help professionals prepare for the obstacles children face, with the goal of keeping kids out of the criminal justice system.