Two magistrates to battle for open Summit judge seat in November election

Two magistrates will battle for an open Summit County judge seat in the November election.

The Summit County Democratic Party on Thursday night chose Jennifer Towell, an Akron Municipal Court magistrate, as its candidate for the open Summit County Common Pleas Court seat created by Judge Amy Corrigall Jones’ recent resignation.

Thomas Bevan, the party’s chairman, said several experienced candidates were considered but they chose Towell because of her experience as a magistrate and as an attorney in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, or JAG, while she was in the U.S. Navy. He said party leaders were also impressed with Towell’s involvement in the community by assisting people with special needs.

“She has all the attributes you want to see in a judge in Summit County,” Bevan said.

Towell will face off against Elisa Hill, a Republican who is a magistrate in Summit County Domestic Relations Court and is a former assistant Akron prosecutor.

More:Magistrate, former prosecutor to seek open Summit judge seat

The Summit County Republican Party recently chose Hill to run for Jones’ seat in the Nov. 8 election. Hill also was the party’s top pick in a list of three suggested candidates provided to Gov. Mike DeWine to serve in Jones’ position through the end of the year.

Towell said she was pleased to be chosen to run and is excited about this new opportunity. She said she and Hill never worked together – their times with the city didn’t overlap – but have worked out at the same gym.

Like Hill, Towell has long wanted to be a judge. She said she was inspired when she was in a mock court program during college and did an oral argument before the Ohio Supreme Court and had her first jury trial in the Navy before a female military judge.

“Her ability to thoroughly manage the courtroom was an inspiration,” Towell said. “I knew this was what my goal was.”

Towell said she thinks she’s the better candidate because of her experience with JAG and with the Akron court, where she estimates she’s handled 1,000 cases, and because of her dedication to helping people with special needs. She has a son with Down syndrome and assists with Connect, a specialty program in Akron Municipal Court aimed to helping people with developmental disabilities who run afoul of the law.

More:Bath resident Jennifer Towell dedicated to helping others

“I bring that life experience, that courtroom experience,” Towell said.

If elected, Towell said she would be the first female veteran to serve as a judge in Summit County.

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Battle of the magistrates: Two to face off for open Summit judge seat