Councilwoman to run for judgeship
Columbus City Councilwoman Jaiza N. Page wants to become Judge Page.
Page, 33, has been a council member since she was appointed in January 2015, won an election to keep that seat in November 2015, and still has two years left on her current term. Now, she has pulled petitions to run for the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas judge seat currently held by Judge Guy Reece.
“It’s been something that I’ve thought about for some time,” Page said. “I’m an attorney, and I’ve always held judges and the bench in highest regard.”
If Page wins the seat, it would leave the remainder of her term on council open. The council would appoint her successor, as it will do early next year for the seat vacated by Council President Zach Klein, who won election as city attorney in November.
Page said she does not intend to leave her council seat early while campaigning. The Franklin County Democratic Party already has endorsed Page as part of its slate of judicial candidates.
“I love the work that I do on council,” she said. “I’ve had a great three years and I will have a fourth year, if I’m not successful.”
Page first started working for the city as an assistant city attorney in City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer’s office. She worked on Pfeiffer’s zone initiative to shutter problem properties before her council appointment. She currently practices environmental and public law at Eastman & Smith.