YOUNGSTOWN — Katherine E. Rudzik, the Mahoning County Clerk of Courts’ chief deputy clerk and a registered Republican, filed to run as a write-in candidate in the Democrat primary for a seat on the 7th District Court of Appeals.

Rudzik, of Poland, is the only candidate to file as a Democrat for the appeals court, choosing to run for the seat currently held by Democrat Cheryl Waite, who has served for 30 years and isn’t seeking reelection this year.

There will be a blank line on the Democratic primary ballot for people to write in Rudzik’s name. Only votes for those who file as write-in candidates are counted.

As the only Democratic candidate for the appeals seat, Rudzik’s name will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

“I decided to run because no Democrat stepped forward,” Rudzik said. “I flirted with the idea for a while. If you’re unhappy about something, you get involved. If it’s a job you want, you run for it.”

Monday was the deadline for write-in candidates to file for the May 5 primary.

Rudzik is an attorney for nearly 20 years, wrapping up her practice because she was appointed chief deputy clerk on Oct. 20, three days after embattled Clerk of Courts Michael P. Ciccone, a Republican, fired Jennifer J. Ciccone from the job. That occurred after a falling out between the two former close friends and political allies.

Rudzik voted Republican in the 2022 and 2024 primaries, according to the county board of elections. Before that, she voted in Democratic primaries.

Rudzik said she’s “always considered” herself a Democrat and voted in the two Republican primaries to support local candidates she knew running in those races.

Mahoning Democratic Chairman Chris Anderson said he welcomed Rudzik back to the party.

“I’ve said for quite some time that folks in Mahoning County were sold a false bill of goods by Donald Trump and the Republican Party and it’s refreshing to see folks realize that,” Anderson said. “We see folks who say, ‘I voted for Donald Trump and I wish I wouldn’t have.'”

Anderson said he hasn’t spoken to Rudzik, but she had originally circulated nominating petitions as a Democrat for the open 58th Ohio House District seat.

Anderson said of Rudzik: “She saw a crowded primary field for an office and decided to seek another position.”

The Republican-controlled state Legislature passed a law in 2021, that took effect with the 2022 election, requiring party affiliation on the ballot for those running for seats on courts of appeals and the Supreme Court.

Before that, candidates ran in party primaries and then didn’t have party affiliation in the general election.

Mahoning is the most-populous county in the 7th District Court of Appeals. In the past eight years, it has gone from a solid Democratic county to a toss-up with Republicans making historic gains in the 2024 election.

The rest of the counties in the appeals district – Columbiana, Belmont, Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, Monroe and Noble – are heavily Republican.

In 2022, Mark A. Hanni, running as a Republican, beat Democrat Gene Donofrio, who was a 30-year incumbent running in the general election for the first time with party affiliation on the ballot, by 17.2%. Hanni lost Mahoning by 12%.

Hanni filed for the Republican primary that year as a write-in candidate, getting 350 votes. With the blank space on the ballot, there were 506 other votes cast during that primary for the appeals seat, but Hanni was the lone Republican who officially filed as a write-in so only his votes counted.

Democrats didn’t field a candidate in 2024 for a 7th District position and no Democrat filed to run in this year’s primary for two open seats on that court until Rudzik did as a write-in.

Asked about winning the court seat as a Democrat, Rudzik said, “I’m not sure I can, but I’d rather run and lose as who I am. Hopefully, I can turn the tide.”

Anderson said the appeals race is “not easy to win. But if there’s a time to win that seat it is now as we’ve seen Democrats winning all over the country.”

Hanni cannot run for reelection in 2028 because of the state’s age-limit law for judges.

Hanni is running in the May 5 Republican primary against David Comstock for the seat currently held by Waite.

If Hanni is elected, he would get to serve an additional four years on the appeals court.

As chief deputy clerk, Rudzik works with Hanni’s daughter, Meghan, who is supervisor of the title department, as well as Brent Hanni, the judge’s nephew who serves as the clerk’s fiscal officer. Brent Hanni is among six Democratic candidates for the 6th Congressional District nomination.

Rudzik said the situation is “a little bit awkward. I’ve been familiar with the Hanni family. If anyone understands politics, it’s Mark. He would understand me running.”

Rudzik also said she knows Comstock.