John Galonski
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas (General Division) (Full term commencing 2-9-2027) · Summit County, Ohio · November 3, 2026
Also on the ballot: Christine L. Croce
John Galonski is the Summit County Prosecutor's Office's chief assistant prosecutor for the civil division, running as the Democratic-primary nominee against incumbent Republican Christine L. Croce. He is not currently a judge and is a different person from Tavia Galonski, a separate 2026 candidate for another Summit County-area judicial post. The Akron Bar Association rated him "Good" for 2026.
What this office decides
General Division judges of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas preside over felony criminal cases, civil lawsuits over $15,000, foreclosures, and some appeals from state agencies. They set bond and sentence people convicted of felonies. Judges serve six-year terms and appear on the general-election ballot without party labels, though they are nominated in party primaries.
How this race lines up with you
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Dossier
Researched 2026-09-23 · Claude Code research agent with web searchDonald Trump: nothing found. No mention of Donald Trump found in connection with this nonpartisan county judicial race.
Who they are
John Galonski is the Democratic candidate (per the May 2026 primary, unopposed) for this seat, challenging incumbent Republican Christine L. Croce (Signal Akron; The Ballot Brief). He is chief assistant prosecutor for the civil division of the Summit County Prosecutor's Office, with more than 25 years as an assistant prosecutor, and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court; he is not a sitting judge (The Ballot Brief). He is a different person from Tavia Galonski, a separate 2026 candidate for another Summit County-area judicial seat. The Akron Bar Association rated him "Good" for 2026 (Akron Bar Association).
Positions
- Crime & policing: No detailed sentencing or policing position found; says courts should ensure "dignity, impartiality, and equal justice" for everyone (The Ballot Brief).
- Party politics in courts and agencies: No public statement found; ran in a partisan Democratic primary but will appear without a party label on the general-election ballot, under Ohio's system for electing Common Pleas judges (Ballotpedia).
- Court transparency: Proposes streaming court proceedings online to increase public engagement with the courts (The Ballot Brief).
Record
Not a sitting judge; professional background as an assistant prosecutor is described above. Akron Bar Association 2026 rating: Good (Akron Bar Association).
Money
No campaign finance filings located within this research session. Judicial candidates file with the Ohio Secretary of State (ohiosos.gov/campaign-finance).
Recent news
- 2026-05-05: Ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination for this seat (Signal Akron).
- 2026-09: Certified for the Nov. 3 ballot against incumbent Christine L. Croce (The Ballot Brief).
What we couldn't find
- No detailed policy platform beyond transparency and impartiality themes.
- No campaign finance data.
- No news coverage of the race itself in the last year beyond election-administration articles.