When you head into a voting booth in Los Angeles, the list of names for judicial seats can feel like a mile long. You've probably seen the name Sharon Ransom on your ballot and wondered about the person behind the title. Specifically, you might be asking: is Sharon Ransom Democrat or Republican?
It’s a fair question. In a world where every headline seems to be color-coded red or blue, we naturally want to know where a powerful figure like a Superior Court judge stands. But here is the thing: the answer isn’t as simple as a single party checkmark.
The Reality of Judicial Elections in California
To understand the political leanings of Sharon Ransom, you first have to look at how California handles its judges. Judicial races are nonpartisan.
Unlike a race for Governor or State Assembly, where candidates run with a "D" or an "R" proudly displayed next to their names, judicial candidates in the Golden State aren't allowed to do that. They don't run on a party platform. They run on their experience, their ratings from the Bar Association, and their record in the courtroom.
Sharon Ransom assumed her office as a judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County on January 6, 2025. Her term runs all the way to 2031. Because her position is nonpartisan, she didn't campaign as a Democrat or a Republican.
Does She Have a Personal Party Registration?
Now, honestly, most judges do have a personal political registration in their private lives. They are human beings with opinions, after all. However, Sharon Ransom has kept her personal political affiliation very close to the vest.
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Search through official filings, and you won't find a public declaration of "Sharon Ransom Democrat or Republican" in the same way you would for someone like Rhodesia Ransom (who is a Democrat running for State Assembly). It is quite common for people to confuse the two because of the shared last name and their presence in California politics.
Rhodesia Ransom is explicitly a Democrat. Sharon Ransom, the judge, operates in a different lane where neutrality is the name of the game.
A Career Built on the Law, Not Labels
Sharon Ransom’s journey to the bench is actually pretty inspiring, regardless of where you sit on the political aisle. She didn't come from a family of high-powered lawyers. She grew up in South Central Los Angeles, raised by a single mother, and attended public schools.
Before she was Judge Ransom, she spent 17 years as a dispatcher for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. Think about that for a second. That is nearly two decades of being the voice on the other end of a 911 call during someone's worst day.
- She put herself through law school at night.
- She graduated cum laude from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law.
- She became an attorney just before turning 40.
After law school, she spent another 17 years as a Deputy District Attorney. She worked in the Victim Impact Program, the Elder Abuse Unit, and the Mental Health/Psychiatric Unit. She’s handled 45 jury trials. That’s a lot of time in the trenches of the criminal justice system.
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The Ratings That Matter
In judicial races, voters often look at the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) ratings rather than party lines. In her 2024 race, Sharon Ransom was rated as "Well Qualified." This is a big deal in the legal world. It’s a peer-reviewed rating that looks at professional ability, experience, and temperament. For many voters, a "Well Qualified" rating carries more weight than whether a candidate is a Sharon Ransom Democrat or Republican.
Why People Get Confused
If you’re seeing mixed signals online, it’s probably because of two things:
- Endorsements: Sometimes partisan groups will endorse a judge. For example, some progressive or conservative voter guides might pick a "favorite" in a judicial race. In 2024, the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board endorsed Ransom. While the Times is often seen as leaning left, they endorse based on judicial philosophy and experience, not necessarily party loyalty.
- The "Ransom" Name: As mentioned earlier, Rhodesia Ransom is a very active Democrat in California. If you’re googling "Ransom Democrat," you’re almost certainly going to find Rhodesia's campaign page first.
Judicial Philosophy Over Party Platforms
When someone asks about Sharon Ransom Democrat or Republican, what they are usually trying to find out is: How will she rule?
Judges aren't supposed to rule based on party platforms. They are supposed to follow the law as it’s written. Ransom has spoken about her work in the DA’s mental health unit, noting that her focus was often on "community empowerment" which sometimes diverges from traditional, hardline prosecution. This suggests a nuanced approach to the law that focuses on the specific needs of the individuals in her courtroom.
She's also a three-time breast cancer survivor. That kind of personal history often brings a certain level of empathy and perspective to the bench that transcends political bickering.
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How to Check Judicial Records Yourself
If you want to dig deeper into the work of Sharon Ransom or any other judge, there are a few places you can look:
- Ballotpedia: This is the gold standard for seeing past election results and basic career stats.
- The LACBA website: You can look up the "Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee" reports to see how they rated her.
- Court records: While it’s tedious, you can look up specific cases she has presided over to see her rulings.
Basically, searching for "Sharon Ransom Democrat or Republican" might not give you the neat label you're looking for, but her 34-year career in public service gives a much clearer picture of who she is than a party ID ever could. She has been a dispatcher, a prosecutor, and a volunteer for programs like Teen Court and Project Lead.
Actionable Steps for Informed Voting
If you're trying to figure out if a judicial candidate aligns with your values, don't just look for a party label. Here is how to actually vet a judge:
- Check the "Qualified" Ratings: Always look at the Bar Association ratings. If a candidate is "Not Recommended," that's a massive red flag.
- Look at Endorsements: See who is backing them. If a group you trust (like a specific labor union or a civil rights organization) supports them, that tells you more than a party name.
- Read Their Bio: A judge who has worked as a public defender will have a different perspective than one who was a career prosecutor or a corporate lawyer.
- Ignore the Labels: Since judicial races are nonpartisan, any "party" label you find online is likely an outside group's interpretation, not the candidate's official stance.
Sharon Ransom won her 2024 election with over 62% of the vote. In a county as diverse and politically active as Los Angeles, that kind of margin suggests her message of experience and community focus resonated across the board, regardless of whether voters considered themselves Democrats or Republicans.