Marilyn Zayas, a Democrat and judge on Ohio's First District Court of Appeals, is running for Ohio Supreme Court Justice in the general election. Republican Daniel R. Hawkins is also in the race, according to BallotReady election data.

Asked why she is seeking the seat, Zayas said in our candidate questionnaire: "I believe everyone deserves courts they can trust to follow the Constitution, the law and the facts, not politics. … I have accepted zero corporate contributions from energy, banking or insurance interests because judicial independence matters."

Candidate information

Party: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "Democrat. Judicial office, however, requires independence from political parties. A judge's responsibility is not to a party, candidate or political interest. It is to the Constitution, the law and the facts."

Education: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "J.D., University of Cincinnati College of Law, 1997. B.S. in Computer Science, City College of the City University of New York (CUNY), 1987."

Family: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "My parents came to the United States from Puerto Rico. My mother had only a seventh-grade education and worked as a factory seamstress. After leaving a difficult marriage, she raised three children on a factory salary. … I am also a mother of three adult children."

Experience and public service

Zayas has served as a judge on the First District Court of Appeals since 2016, according to her appellate court biography. In 2016, she became the first person of Latino heritage elected to a Court of Appeals in Ohio. She was named 2024 Judge of the Year by the National Hispanic Bar Association.

Before joining the bench, Zayas worked as an IT manager at Procter & Gamble from 1988 to 1994, according to her Wikipedia page. She practiced at her own firm, MZD Law, from 2001 to 2016, according to BallotReady. She also founded the Educating Tomorrow's Leaders program after her 2016 election.

Asked about her qualifications, Zayas said in our questionnaire: "For nearly a decade, I have performed the same fundamental appellate work as the Ohio Supreme Court, deciding more than 2,000 appeals. … In 2025, the Chief Justice, who is from a different political party, selected me three times within 40 days to sit by special assignment on the Ohio Supreme Court to replace a recused justice."

On the issues

Judicial endorsements of political candidates: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "I disagree with the decision because judicial independence is not only about being impartial; it is also about maintaining public confidence in that impartiality. … When judges publicly endorse political candidates, it can create the perception that the judge has taken a political side before a case ever reaches the courtroom. … I will never endorse a political candidate."

Precedent: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "Stability in the law is essential. Precedent should carry substantial weight because people, courts, businesses and government rely on established law when making decisions. The Supreme Court should overrule its prior decisions only when there is a compelling reason to do so. … A court should not change the law simply because the composition of the court has changed or because a different result is preferred."

Party labels and specialized courts: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "I believe that both party endorsements and partisan ballot labels politicize the judiciary and undermine public confidence in independent courts. … I strongly support the appropriate expansion of Veterans, Mental Health, and Drug Courts to foster safer communities."

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.