YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Court Judge Molly Johnson filed to run next year for a 7th District Court of Appeals seat with David “Chip” Comstock Jr., a longtime attorney and Western Reserve Joint Fire District chief, planning to seek the other appellate seat on the 2026 ballot.

Both are Republicans.

Meanwhile, Mark A. Hanni, a sitting Republican appeals court judge, is considering which seat he will run for next year. Hanni was elected in 2022 and cannot run in 2028 for another term because of the state’s age-limit restriction on judges.

But Hanni plans to run next year for one of the two open seats on the ballot in order to remain on the appeals bench for an additional four years.

Johnson filed nominating petitions Tuesday for the appeals court seat with a six-year term, starting Feb. 9, 2027.

“I’ve loved practicing in the 7th District during my career as a civil litigator,” Johnson said.

That seat is held by Carol Ann Robb, who cannot run for reelection next year because of the age-limit restriction.

Johnson was first elected as a county court judge in 2018 and reelected last year. She is also a civil litigator with her family’s law firm in Canfield.

Johnson said she plans to spend $200,000 of her own money in the election and has been campaigning in the eight-county district.

The court, based in Youngstown, has jurisdiction over Mahoning, Columbiana, Belmont, Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, Monroe and Noble counties.

“I’ve already begun traveling the district from Youngstown to Woodsfield, meeting with voters and sharing my track record of success in the lower court and experience in private practice,” Johnson said.

Johnson has a number of Republican endorsements including Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Treasurer Robert Sprague, U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli of Salem and state Reps. Tex Fischer of Boardman and Monica Robb Blasdel of New Waterford.

With Johnson filing for the term held by Robb, Comstock said he will run for the six-year term, starting Feb. 10, 2027. That seat is held by Cheryl Waite, who is not seeking reelection next year.

“I’m at the point in my career where I’ve reached close to the pinnacle, and this is an opportunity to serve on the court before I can’t because of the age limit,” Comstock said.

Comstock said he considered running for common pleas court judge, but he is “better qualified for the appellate court. The goal is to put someone who is well-qualified on the bench and I’m at that point.”

Comstock has never run for elected office.

Comstock started practicing law in 1988. He is the Mahoning County Bar Association’s grievance committee counsel, has served as Western Reserve’s fire chief for more than 25 years and is a shareholder in the Bonezzi, Switzer, Polito & Perry law firm. Before joining the firm in 2016, he was a partner in an insurance and malpractice defense law firm for more than 25 years.

Hanni could not be reached Tuesday to comment on which seat he will seek.

Hanni was elected in 2022, beating Gene Donofrio, a 32-year incumbent Democrat.

The Republican-controlled state Legislature passed a law, effective with the 2022 election, that requires party affiliation on the ballot for those running for seats on the court of appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court. Before that, candidates ran in party primaries and then didn’t have political affiliation in the general election.

Since then, Republicans have won every judicial race for the Ohio Supreme Court, the 7th District Court of Appeals and the Warren-based 11th District Court of Appeals.

Democrats didn’t field candidates in the 7th or the 11th appeals court races last year. Waite, who is a Democrat, is planning to retire after her term ends.

Before running as a Republican for the first time in 2022, Hanni had unsuccessfully run as a Democrat for the appeals court in 2012 and as an independent for Youngstown Municipal Court judge in 2017 and 2019. He also sought gubernatorial appointments to vacant court seats, but failed to get past Mahoning County Republican Party screening committees.

Hanni cannot run for reelection in 2028, when his current term ends, because of the age-limit law. But he can seek either of the two open seats in next year’s election. That would permit him to serve an additional four years on the court.