The filing deadline for the 2026 primary election is two months away, and a number of seats on the ballot in Mahoning and Trumbull counties are drawing interest from several candidates.

A number of judicial seats lack incumbents — and several people seek to fill them.

Most of the positions are opening up because of incumbents ineligible to seek reelection in 2026. In Ohio, judicial candidates cannot run for office if they will be at least 70 years old when they are sworn in.

In Trumbull County, Probate Court Judge James A. Fredericka cannot seek reelection because of the age-limit law.

County Central District Court Judge Thomas A. Campbell, a Republican, is going to run for the seat.

Also, Republican David L. Engler, who just took office Jan. 1 as county domestic relations and juvenile court judge, pulled petitions for probate court as well as for the Warren-based 11th District Court of Appeals seat that Matt Lynch, a fellow Republican, holds. Lynch cannot run for reelection next year because of the age-limit law.

Willoughby Municipal Court Judge Marisa L. Cornachio has announced her candidacy for the appeals court seat as a Republican and has lined up several key endorsements.

Lynch in 2020 got around the age-limit law. He was first elected in 2018 to the court of appeals and ineligible for reelection in 2024 because of the age law, Lynch challenged then-incumbent Judge Timothy P. Cannon, a Democrat, in the 2020 election. With his win, Lynch extended his time on the appeals bench by two additional years.

Engler can’t file in 2030 for reelection and Campbell can’t in 2028 because of their ages. But for Campbell this is a step up while it’s more of a lateral move for Engler as well as an effort to stay on the bench for an additional two years. Both also have the benefit of running safe — if they lose, they can keep their existing judicial jobs.

In Mahoning County, Republican R. Scott Krichbaum, the longest-serving common pleas general division judge, and Democrat Beth A. Smith, domestic relations judge, cannot run for reelection next year because of their ages.

Also, Democrat John M. Durkin of the common pleas general division said he won’t seek reelection next year.

That leaves those three seats up for grabs.

Republicans Kathleen Bartlett and Mark DeVicchio have already filed with the board of elections for the domestic relations judicial seat. Democrat Joseph M. Messuri is expected to be that party’s candidate for the post.

Republican Anissa Modarelli is planning a bid for Durkin’s seat while Republican Ross Smith is expected to run for Krichbaum’s seat. Also, Republican Ralph Rivera is looking at both seats.

Democrats will field candidates for both positions as well as against incumbent Republican Maureen Sweeney of the general division.

Democrats looking at those three seats include J. Michael Thompson, Terry A. Grenga and Leonard Hall.

There will be two open positions on the Youngstown-based 11th District of Appeals in 2026.

Republican Carol Ann Robb can’t run again because of her age and Democrat Cheryl Waite is not seeking another term.

Republican Molly Johnson, a county area court judge, filed for Robb’s seat while Republican David “Chip” Comstock Jr. filed for Waite’s seat.

Republican Mark A. Hanni, elected to the appeals court in 2022, is looking to replicate what Lynch did in 2020.

Hanni, who can’t run for reelection in 2028 because of his age, has petitions out for both appeals court seats.

If Hanni files for one of the open seats and wins, he would be able to extend his time on the appeals court by four more years.

Also, Hanni took out petitions to run for the Ohio Supreme Court seat currently held by Democrat Jennifer Brunner, according to Tom McCabe, chairman of the Mahoning County Republican Party’s executive committee.

There are already four Republican candidates seeking to run against Brunner.

Also, McCabe said Donald P. Scott took out petitions as a Republican for an appeals court seat.

Don’t expect Democrats to file for either the 7th or the 11th District appeals courts.

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 11th District Court of Appeals.

Democrats didn’t field candidates in the 7th or the 11th appeals court races last year.

There is no Democratic county in the 11th District, and Mahoning is the only county in the 7th District in which Democrats could compete.

David Skolnick covers politics for the Tribune Chronicle and The Vindicator.