Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor addressed the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce this week.

Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor addressed the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce this week.

The expansion of court technology during the pandemic and the need for more Ohioans to vote in judicial elections were the main topics when Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor addressed “Legislative Day 2020” with the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“A lot of judges surprised themselves at how well remote technology would work,” Chief Justice O’Connor said in reference to increased reliance on electronics during the pandemic.

“Using technology, ingenuity and common sense, we found ways to stay open while adhering to the state Department of Health guidelines,” she said.

There will be more than 250 judicial seats on the general election ballot statewide.

“In presidential election years, people tend to focus only on the partisan races and ignore the judiciary,” the chief justice said. “Because judges hear cases and make decisions that affect every aspect of society – for people, business, and corporations – who sits on the bench is important.”

As an example of how judicial elections are often ignored inside the voting booth, she cited a 2012 statistic – that 40 percent of Cuyahoga County voters skipped the judicial section of the ballot.

Chief Justice O’Connor also explained to the business leaders how Ohio has led a coordinated eight-state response to the opioid crisis by bringing together leaders from government branches, the medical and treatment communities, law enforcement and academia.

“I thought we should break down the barriers of political borders,” she said in describing the Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative, which begins its fifth year this month.

The Toledo Chamber conducted the Tuesday meeting virtually via Zoom.

“We appreciate the time that Chief Justice O’Connor took to spend with our members, updating us on Ohio’s courts and criminal justice system,” said President and CEO Wendy Gramza.

“Because businesses need predictability and certainty around court decisions, we will also be encouraging our members to visit judicialvotescount.org so that they can make informed choices about judicial candidates running for office in our region this November,” Gramza said.