Ohio Senate
Encyclopedia
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly
, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio
. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus
. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom Niehaus
.
Senators serve four year terms. The terms of the Senators are staggered so that approximately half the membership is elected every two years. The Senators representing the even-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four. The Senators from the odd-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years. Senators are limited to two terms.
Each Senator represents approximately 330,000 Ohioans, and each Senate District encompasses three corresponding Ohio House Districts.
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom Niehaus
Tom Niehaus
Tom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for...
.
Senators serve four year terms. The terms of the Senators are staggered so that approximately half the membership is elected every two years. The Senators representing the even-numbered districts are elected in years evenly divisible by four. The Senators from the odd-numbered districts are elected in the intervening even-numbered years. Senators are limited to two terms.
Each Senator represents approximately 330,000 Ohioans, and each Senate District encompasses three corresponding Ohio House Districts.
Composition
- 129th General Assembly (2011-2012)
Affiliation Party Total Republican Ohio Republican PartyThe Ohio Republican Party is the Ohio state affiliate of the United States Republican Party. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio on February 13, 1854. Kevin DeWine has been chairman of the Ohio GOP since 2009...Democratic Ohio Democratic PartyThe Ohio Democratic Party is the Ohio affiliate to the United States Democratic Party. Former Ohio House Minority Leader Chris Redfern is the Ohio Democratic Party chairman. Redfern was elected to office in December 2005...Vacant End of previous legislature 21 12 33 0 Begin 23 10 33 0 Latest voting share 69.7% 30.3%
Leadership
Majority leadership
- President of the Senate: Tom NiehausTom NiehausTom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for...
- President pro tempore of the Senate: Keith FaberKeith FaberKeith Lloyd Faber is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate who has represented the 12th District since his appointment in January 2007. He also serves as President pro tempore, the second highest post in the Senate and as Chairman of the Committee on Government Oversight and Reform...
- Floor Leader: Tom PattonTom PattonTom Patton is a member and current majority leader of the Ohio Senate, representing the Twenty Fourth District since 2008. He formerly served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008...
- Whip: Shannon JonesShannon JonesShannon Jones is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 7th District since 2009. She serves as majority whip. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2007 to 2009.-Early life and career:...
Minority leadership
- Leader: Capri CafaroCapri CafaroCapri Silvestri Cafaro is a Democratic member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 32nd District since her appointment in 2007. In 2009, Cafaro became minority leader after serving as assistant minority whip for the Senate.-Career:...
- Assistant Leader: Shirley SmithShirley Smith (politician)Shirley Smith is a Democratic member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 21st District since 2007. Smith also serves as assistant minority leader in the Senate...
- Whip: Edna BrownEdna BrownEdna Brown of Toledo, Ohio, is a Democratic member of the Ohio Senate who has represented the 11th District since 2011. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2002-2010...
- Assistant Whip: Jason Wilson
Members of the 129th Senate
| District | Senator | Party | Residence | First elected | Term Limited | Seniority | Office | Leadership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cliff Hite Cliff Hite Cliff Hite was an American high school teacher and coach who represents the First District in the Ohio Senate. He also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Committee.-Career:... |
Republican | Findlay Findlay, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 38,967 people, 15,905 households, and 10,004 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,266.3 people per square mile . There were 17,152 housing units at an average density of 997.6 per square mile... |
2011 (Appt. 02/11) | 2022 | 28 | 34 Ground Floor | Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Chairman |
| 2 | Mark Wagoner Mark Wagoner Mark D. Wagoner, Jr. is an American politician, who is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing all of Wood and Erie counties and portions of Ottawa and Lucas counties. Wagoner previously served in the Ohio House of Representatives... |
Republican | Toledo Toledo, Ohio Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan... |
2008 (Appt. 01/08) | 2016 | 10 | 137 Ground Floor | Judiciary Chairman |
| 3 | Kevin Bacon Kevin Bacon (Ohio politician) Kevin Bacon is a member of the Ohio Senate, representing the Third District since 2011. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010... |
Republican | Worthington Worthington, Ohio -Dissolution of the Company:By August 11, 1804 the plat maps were completed, payments or notes promising payments collected and deeds prepared for all sixteen thousand acres of the Scioto Company's purchase... |
2010 | 2018 | 22 | 35 Ground Floor | Insurance Commerce and Labor Chairman |
| 4 | Bill Coley Bill Coley Bill Coley is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 4th District since 2011. Formerly, he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011.-Career:... |
Republican | Middletown Middletown, Ohio Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886... |
2011 (Appt. 05/11) | 2020 | 30 | 140 First Floor | Government Oversight and Reform Chairman |
| 5 | Bill Beagle Bill Beagle Bill Beagle is a member of the Ohio Senate, serving the Fifth District since 2011.-Education and career:Beagle graduated from Miami University with a degree in Finance and from Cleveland State University with a M.B.A. He has worked as a financial analyst, but has since remained at home to raise his... |
Republican | Tipp City Tipp City, Ohio Tipp City is a city in Miami County, Ohio, United States. The population was 9,689 at the 2010 census. Formerly known as Tippecanoe, and then Tippecanoe City, this town was renamed to Tipp City in 1938 because another town in Ohio was likewise named Tippecanoe... |
2010 | 2018 | 25 | 132 First Floor | |
| 6 | Peggy Lehner Peggy Lehner Peggy Lehner is a member of the Ohio Senate, who was appointed to represent the Sixth District in 2011. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2009-2011. She is the Chair of the Senate Education Committee.-External links:* official site... |
Republican | Kettering Kettering, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 57,502 people, 25,657 households, and 15,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,077.4 people per square mile . There were 26,936 housing units at an average density of 1,441.6 per square mile... |
2011 (Appt. 01/11) | 2020 | 27 | 42 Ground Floor | Education Chairman |
| 7 | Shannon Jones Shannon Jones Shannon Jones is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 7th District since 2009. She serves as majority whip. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2007 to 2009.-Early life and career:... |
Republican | Springboro Springboro, Ohio Springboro is an affluent suburb of Cincinnati and Dayton located in Warren and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is in Warren County's Clearcreek and Franklin Townships and Montgomery County's Miami Township... |
2009 (Appt. 08/09) | 2018 | 16 | 220 Second Floor | Majority Whip |
| 8 | Bill Seitz Bill Seitz Bill Seitz is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 8th District since his appointment in October 2007. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 until 2007.-Career:... |
Republican | Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
2007 (Appt. 08/07) | 2016 | 9 | 143 First Floor | |
| 9 | Eric Kearney Eric Kearney Eric Kearney is a Democratic member of the Ohio Senate. Kearney was appointed Senator of the 9th District in December 2005.-Career:In 1981, Kearney graduated from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati. He later received his Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati Law School, and his Bachelor... |
Democratic | Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's... |
2005 (Appt. 12/05) | 2014 | 2 | 51 Ground Floor | |
| 10 | Chris Widener Chris Widener Chris Widener is a member of the Ohio Senate. Widener represents the 10th Senate District, which includes Madison, Clark and Greene counties. Before the Senate, he served three terms in the Ohio House of Representatives... |
Republican | Springfield Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg... |
2008 | 2016 | 13 | 127 First Floor | Finance Chairman |
| 11 | Edna Brown Edna Brown Edna Brown of Toledo, Ohio, is a Democratic member of the Ohio Senate who has represented the 11th District since 2011. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2002-2010... |
Democratic | Toledo Toledo, Ohio Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan... |
2010 | 2018 | 18 | 228 Second Floor | Minority Whip |
| 12 | Keith Faber Keith Faber Keith Lloyd Faber is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate who has represented the 12th District since his appointment in January 2007. He also serves as President pro tempore, the second highest post in the Senate and as Chairman of the Committee on Government Oversight and Reform... |
Republican | Celina Celina, Ohio Celina is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, Ohio, United States. The population was 10,303 at the 2000 census. Celina is situated on the western shores of Grand Lake St. Marys.-History:... |
2007 (Appt. 01/07) | 2016 | 5 | 138 First Floor | President Pro Tempore |
| 13 | Gayle Manning Gayle Manning Gayle Manning is a member of the Ohio Senate, serving the Thirteenth District since 2011.-External links:* official site* official campaign site**... |
Republican | North Ridgeville North Ridgeville, Ohio North Ridgeville,is a city located along the eastern border of Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The city's population was 29,465 at the 2010 census. A west side suburb of Cleveland, North Ridgeville is the number 1 fastest growing city in the entire Greater Cleveland area.Located from Cleveland... |
2010 | 2018 | 24 | 38 First Floor | |
| 14 | Tom Niehaus Tom Niehaus Tom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for... |
Republican | New Richmond New Richmond, Ohio New Richmond is a village in Clermont County, Ohio, United States, founded 1814, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,219 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Richmond is located at .... |
2004 | 2012 | 1 | 201 Statehouse | President of the Senate, Dean of the Senate, Rules and Reference Chairman |
| 15 | Charleta Tavares Charleta Tavares Charleta Tavares is a member of the Ohio Senate, serving the Fifteenth District since 2011. She served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1993 to 1998.-Career:... |
Democratic | Columbus Columbus, Ohio Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city... |
2010 | 2018 | 21 | 57 Ground Floor | |
| 16 | Jim Hughes Jim Hughes (Ohio Politician) Jim Hughes is a member of the Ohio Senate who has represented the Sixteenth District since January 2009. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008... |
Republican | Columbus Columbus, Ohio Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city... |
2008 | 2016 | 14 | 125 First Floor | Financial Institutions Chairman |
| 17 | David T. Daniels David T. Daniels David Daniels is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the Seventeenth District since 2011. Formerly, he served in the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 86th District from 2003 to 2010. He is serving as Chairman of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities... |
Republican | Greenfield Greenfield, Ohio Greenfield is a village in Highland, Fayette, and Ross counties in the U.S. state of Ohio, along Paint Creek. The population was 4,906 at the 2000 census... |
2010 | 2018 | 20 | 39 Ground Floor | Energy and Public Utilities Chairman |
| 18 | Vacant | Republican | 2011 (Appt.) | 2020 | 33 | 128 First Floor | ||
| 19 | Kris Jordan Kris Jordan Kris Jordan is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate who has represented the Nineteenth District since 2011. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives from the Second District... |
Republican | Powell Powell, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 6,247 people, 1,975 households, and 1,789 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,057.3 people per square mile . There were 2,032 housing units at an average density of 669.2 per square mile... |
2010 | 2018 | 23 | 40 Ground Floor | State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Chairman |
| 20 | Troy Balderson Troy Balderson Troy Balderson is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 20th District since his appointment in 2011. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2009 to 2011.-Career:... |
Republican | Zanesville Zanesville, Ohio Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio... |
2011 (Appt. 07/11) | 2020 | 31 | 41 Ground Floor | |
| 21 | Shirley Smith Shirley Smith (politician) Shirley Smith is a Democratic member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 21st District since 2007. Smith also serves as assistant minority leader in the Senate... |
Democratic | Cleveland Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border... |
2006 | 2014 | 3 | 223 Second Floor | Assistant Minority Leader |
| 22 | Larry Obhof Larry Obhof Larry Obhof is a member of the Ohio Senate, serving the 22nd district since 2011.-Life and career:Obhof was born on November 26, 1977 in Ashtabula, Ohio. He received a bachelor's degree from the Ohio State University and a law degree from Yale Law School... |
Republican | Montville Township Montville Township, Medina County, Ohio Montville Township is one of the seventeen townships of Medina County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 5,410 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the central part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Medina Township - north... |
2011 (Appt. 02/11) | 2020 | 29 | 142 First Floor | |
| 23 | Michael J. Skindell Michael J. Skindell Michael J. Skindell is an American politician and member of the Democratic party in Ohio. He is a practicing attorney in Cleveland, and represents the Twenty Third District of the Ohio Senate... |
Democratic | Cleveland Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border... |
2010 | 2018 | 19 | 56 Ground Floor | |
| 24 | Tom Patton Tom Patton Tom Patton is a member and current majority leader of the Ohio Senate, representing the Twenty Fourth District since 2008. He formerly served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008... |
Republican | Strongsville Strongsville, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 43,858 people, 16,209 households, and 12,383 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,779.6 people per square mile . There were 16,863 housing units at an average density of 684.2 per square mile... |
2008 (Appt. 12/08) | 2016 | 12 | 129 First Floor | Majority Leader, Highways and Transportation Chairman |
| 25 | Nina Turner Nina Turner Nina Turner is an Ohio State Senator representing the 25th District. The district encompasses the eastern side of Cuyahoga County.-External links:* official site... |
Democratic | Cleveland Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border... |
2008 (Appt. 10/08) | 2018 | 11 | 48 Ground Floor | |
| 26 | David Burke | Republican | Marysville Marysville, Ohio Marysville is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Ohio, United States. The population was 15,942 at the 2000 census, and the Census Bureau estimated that it had risen to 17,621 by 2006.Marysville's longtime slogan is "Where the Grass is Greener"... |
2011 (Appt. 07/11) | 2020 | 32 | 134 First Floor | |
| 27 | Frank LaRose Frank LaRose Frank LaRose is a Republican senator in the Ohio Senate representing the 27th district.LaRose grew up in northeastern Ohio and attended Copley High School. He graduated from Ohio State University and joined the U.S... |
Republican | Fairlawn Fairlawn, Ohio Fairlawn is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. A suburb of Akron, its population was 7,307 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Fairlawn is located at .... |
2010 | 2018 | 26 | 221 Second Floor | |
| 28 | Tom Sawyer Thomas C. Sawyer Thomas Charles Sawyer, usually known as Tom Sawyer, is a Democratic member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 28th District since his appointment in February 2007. He served as a U.S. representative from Ohio from 1987 to 2003.- Career :... |
Democratic | Akron Akron, Ohio Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan... |
2007 (Appt. 02/07) | 2016 | 8 | 49 Ground Floor | |
| 29 | Scott Oelslager Scott Oelslager Scott Oelslager is a Republican politician from Ohio. He was first appointed to the Ohio Senate in 1985, and was re-elected in 1987 with 52% of the vote. He was re-elected for three further terms. In 2002 he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives for the 51st district, and was re-elected... |
Republican | Canton Canton, Ohio Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
2010 | 2018 | 17 | 226 Second Floor | Health, Human Services and Aging Chairman |
| 30 | Jason Wilson | Democratic | Columbiana Columbiana, Ohio Columbiana is a city in Columbiana and Mahoning Counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 6,384 at the 2010 census.The Columbiana County portion of Columbiana is part of the East Liverpool–Salem Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the Mahoning County portion is part of the... |
2007 (Appt. 01/07) | 2016 | 7 | 50 Ground Floor | Assistant Minority Whip |
| 31 | Tim Schaffer Tim Schaffer Tim Schaffer is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate who has represented the 31st District since 2007. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 until 2006. He serves as Chairman of the Senate Ways and Means and Economic Development Committee.-Career:Schaffer holds a B.A... |
Republican | Lancaster Lancaster, Ohio Lancaster is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,780. It is located near the Hocking River, approximately southeast of Columbus, Ohio. It is the county seat of Fairfield County... |
2006 | 2014 | 4 | 222 Second Floor | Ways and Means and Economic Development Chairman |
| 32 | Capri Cafaro Capri Cafaro Capri Silvestri Cafaro is a Democratic member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 32nd District since her appointment in 2007. In 2009, Cafaro became minority leader after serving as assistant minority whip for the Senate.-Career:... |
Democratic | Hubbard Hubbard, Ohio Hubbard is a city in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. It is formed from part of Hubbard Township, which was formed from the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 8,284 at the 2000 census... |
2007 (Appt. 01/07) | 2016 | 6 | 303 Statehouse | Minority Leader |
| 33 | Joe Schiavoni Joe Schiavoni Joe Schiavoni is an Ohio State Senator representing the 33rd District, encompassing Mahoning, Carroll, and portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties.-External links:* official site* campaign site... |
Democratic | Canfield Canfield, Ohio Canfield is an affluent suburban city located in Mahoning County, Ohio,[United States, at the intersection of U.S. Route 224 and State Route 46/U.S. Route 62, about ten miles southwest of Youngstown. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,374. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman,... |
2009 (Appt. 01/09) | 2018 | 15 | 52 Ground Floor |