Article published November 04, 2009
Republican prosecutor Connelly to be judge
By MEGHAN
GILBERT-CUNNINGHAM
BLADE STAFF WRITER
An assistant Wood County prosecutor won the race for Toledo Municipal Court judge last night.
Bill Connelly, Jr., 44, who lives in South Toledo, won easily over Ian English and Mark Davis, according to final unofficial results.
He will replace Judge Lynn Schaefer, who had been on Municipal Court since being appointed in March, 2005.
She did not seek re-election.
This is Mr. Connelly's first elected position.
"I'm humbled by the amount of responsibility that if I'm elected tonight people [will] have placed upon me," he said."It is an enormous job, it's incredibly important, and I'm very thankful for all the people who have helped me."
Mr. Connelly, the endorsed Republican, has been employed in the Wood County prosecutor's office since October, 2005.
He has experience with the Ohio Department of Transportation and in the office of a state senator and state attorney general.
The son of longtime Toledo attorneys, Mr. Connelly is a graduate of St. John's Jesuit High School, Ohio State University, and the University of Toledo college of law.
Mr. Connelly said Toledo is a great place to raise a family, but it's important for people to feel safe and he can help with that as a municipal judge.
"Unless people feel safe in their homes and unless people feel safe in the street, we're going to lose that moniker and lose that reputation of being a great place to raise a family," he said. "As a Toledo Municipal Court judge, I'm on the front line of trying to address real crime at the earliest stages."
As a prosecutor, he has seen a number of criminals with long misdemeanor criminal records and that behavior needs to be addressed early, Mr. Connelly said.
He led Mr. English, 39, by several thousand votes last night.
Mr. English has been an assistant county prosecutor in Lucas County since September, 2001. This was the endorsed Democrat's first run for a seat on the bench.
He is a lifelong Toledo resident.
During his campaign, Mr. English said he wanted to make his community better and help mentor young people who end up in municipal court.
Mark Davis, 41, an independent raised in Ottawa Hills, was the lowest vote-getter last night.
Permanent Link
|
|
 |
|
VIEW: 
VIEW: 
VIEW/PRINT: 
Search
advertisement
