Anita Laster Mays
Democrat | Ohio
Candidate Profile
BIOGRAPHY
EDUCATION
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WORK & MILITARY
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AFFILIATIONS
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POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
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POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
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ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (2)
The Collective PAC
Cuyahoga County Democratic Party
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (5)
Black Women's Political Action Committee (2025)
Democrat Women Organizations (2018)
Phillip Robinson (2018)
Anita Laster Mays (2016)
Ted Strickland (2010)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (3)
United Assoc of Journeymen & Apprentices - Plumbing & Pipe Fitting Industry (2026)
Local, County, and District Democratic Organizations (2020)
Anita Laster Mays (2016)
OTHER INFORMATION
In a Facebook post, Mays shared that she is a Democrat, and is “fair, compassionate, dedicated to justice” as well as “a fair and experienced judge, who serves with integrity.”
When asked in 2020 if black lives matter, she said “Yes, definitely. Black lives matter.” and stated that it isn’t that “other lives don’t matter, we just want people to recognize that our lives matter as well” and elaborated that since she’s been a judge, she has been profiled on an elevator “where someone clutched their purse” and that “I want people to know that we’re not animals. We are human.”
Gillett v. Cuyahoga County (2024), in which Judge Laster Mays authored the opinion, the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals considered whether Cuyahoga County violated the Equal Protection Clause by giving a COVID-19 furlough bonus to current employees but not former employees who had also lost pay during the mandatory furlough. The court reversed and remanded the case, holding that the former employees had presented enough facts to potentially show that the county’s distinction was not rationally related to a legitimate government purpose. Judge Mays emphasized that both groups had been required to take the furlough and give up 80 hours of pay. Because the county later received federal COVID aid and did not suffer the expected deficit, the court found the former employees had a valid basis to pursue their equal-protection claim.
In State v. Haggins (2022), in which Judge Anita Laster Mays authored the opinion, the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals considered whether the Reagan Tokes Law violated the right to a jury trial, separation of powers, and due process. Haggins challenged his 10-to-13½-year sentence under the law. The court rejected his constitutional arguments and affirmed his sentence because the court’s earlier en banc decision in State v. Delvallie had upheld the law. Judge Mays noted that she was constrained to follow Delvallie. In that earlier case, she had disagreed with the majority and found the law unconstitutional.
In State v. Delvallie (2022), in which Judge Anita Laster Mays authored the original 2021 opinion and later wrote a separate partial dissent, the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals considered whether the Reagan Tokes Law was constitutional. The law allows the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to keep certain prisoners in prison beyond their minimum sentence. The en banc majority upheld the law. Judge Mays disagreed, finding that it violated due process, the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial, and separation of powers. She argued that prison officials—not a jury or judge—could effectively increase a person’s sentence based on conduct after conviction.
In State ex rel. Berry v. Cleveland (2017), in which Judge Anita Laster Mays authored the unanimous opinion, the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals considered whether Cleveland had fulfilled its duty under Ohio’s Public Records Act to provide records about a proposed zoning change and related meetings. The court held that Cleveland had fulfilled its duty to produce the existing records and dismissed Berry’s request for a writ of mandamus as moot. Judge Mays emphasized that the Public Records Act requires production of existing records, not answers to questions or creation of new records.
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Was Dobbs v. Jackson rightly decided according to the text of the Constitution? Please explain. (Holding: In Dobbs, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the federal constitution does not confer a right to abortion.)
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Does the federal Constitution support the right to physician assisted suicide? Please explain in light of Washington v. Glucksberg (1997).
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Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
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How do you view the judiciary’s role in matters of abortion regulation following Dobbs?
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RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Do you believe religious liberty is at risk in the United States. If so, what is the judiciary's proper role in addressing this issue?
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Does the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment require government to be strictly secular or does it allow for the nation's religious heritage?
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Was Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission rightly decided according to the text of the Constitution? Please explain. (Holding: The U.S. Supreme Court held tha the state may not show religious hostility when enforcing anti-discrimination laws against a business owner.)
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VALUES
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
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What is your understanding of parental rights under the Constitution regarding the upbringing of children, particularly regarding choices about education and sexual identity?
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Is gender identity a protected class under the Constitution? Please explain the constitutional basis for your view.
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ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
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Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
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I voted in these primaries and general elections:
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JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
Describe your judicial philosophy.
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Do you believe judges should primarily apply the law according to its original public meaning, or do you believe the law evolves over time to reflect contemporary values?
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Which current or past U.S. Supreme Court justice best reflects your judicial philosophy?
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Was Obergefell v. Hodges rightly decided according to the text of the Constitution? Please explain. (Holding: The U.S. Supreme Court held Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses create a right for same-sex couples to marry.)
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A. How should a judge approach a case where the constitutional or statutory text is clear on its face? B. Conversely, how should a judge proceed when the text is ambiguous or silent on a disputed issue?
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What is your view of judicial restraint versus judicial activism? How do you define each?
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What is the proper role of a judge?
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When applying or interpreting the text of a statute or constitutional provision, is it ever proper for a judge to consider present day public opinion or consequences?
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If precedent departs from the Constitution’s text or original meaning, should a judge follow it or correct the error? Please explain.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
The burden of proof in a criminal case is generally that the state must provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Some say the reason the burden of proof is so high is because we greatly value ensuring that the innocent are not unjustly imprisoned. Please comment on this topic.
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When reviewing wrongful conviction claims, what role, if any, should judges play in determining remedies?
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2ND AMENDMENT
What is your understanding of the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms?
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OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Which branch of government do you believe was intended to wield the most authority?
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