Current
Elected Officials
(The people who ask for our votes every two, four, or six years)
State government is the Varsity squad and Federal Government are the individuals that skip college and go straight to the Pros!
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While Federal law has supremacy over state laws, anything that isn’t explicitly regulated by federal law is left to the discretion of the states. And even when there are federal laws, court rulings or minimum requirements, the states have significant leeway.
State government are the warmups for federal government. State politics are the proving ground for national politics. State governments determine funding for education, infrastructure, public safety, and healthcare. They license and regulate businesses, and establish environmental laws within the state. They establish and manage parks and forests.
Only the federal government can regulate interstate and foreign commerce, declare war and set taxing, spending, enforcing laws set by Congress, and interpret the laws set by Congress.
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Coming Soon - Our Elected Official Report Cards for 2023!
Stay up to date with Appeals court judges, Supreme Court justices, and state of Ohio elected officials!
Stay up to date with Appeals court judges, Supreme Court justices, and state of Ohio elected officials!
Ohio State Board of Education
​District 3
The Ohio State Board of Education is an elected executive agency of the Ohio state government, responsible for managing the state's public K-12 education.
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The State Board of Education is made up of 19 members - 11 who are elected and eight who are appointed by the governor. The chairs of the education committees of the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate serve as non-voting ex officio members. The Superintendent of Public Instruction serves as secretary of the State Board of Education.
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​Qualifications for serving on the Ohio State Board of Education are laid out in Section 3301.03 of the Ohio Revised Code. Board members must be registered voters living in Ohio. Appointed members must live in the education district they represent. At all times, at least four of the eight appointed members of the board must represent rural school districts.
Ohio Second District Court of Appeals​
The Ohio Second District Court of Appeals is one of 12 appellate districts in the state of Ohio. It presides over Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami and Montgomery counties in Ohio.
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The Ohio District Courts of Appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the U.S. state of Ohio. The Ohio Constitution provides for courts of appeals that have jurisdiction to review final appealable orders. There are twelve appellate districts, each consisting of at least one county, and the number of judges in each district varies from four to twelve. Each case is heard by a three-judge panel.
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Judges in Ohio serve six-year terms. They are elected in nonpartisan elections and must face re-election if they wish to continue serving. Elections take place in even-numbered years. In case of a vacancy, the governor appoints a judge. To continue serving, interim judges must run in the first general election taking place at least 40 days after the position became vacant. However, if a departing judge's term ends within one year of the next general election, the interim judge instead serves the remainder of the term.
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To serve on the Ohio District Courts of Appeals, a judge must:
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be a resident of his or her district;
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be attorneys with at least six years of experience in the practice of law;
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be under the age of 70.
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Ohio Supreme Court​
The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio is the highest court in the U.S. state of Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution. The court has seven members, a chief justice and six associate justices, each serving six-year terms and a total of 1550 other employees.
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The Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Ohio. Most of its cases are appeals from the 12 district courts of appeals. The Court may grant leave to appeal felony cases from the courts of appeals and may direct a court of appeals to certify its record in any civil or misdemeanor case that the Court finds to be "of public or great general interest."
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The Supreme Court also has appellate jurisdiction in cases involving questions arising under the Ohio or United States Constitutions, cases originating in the courts of appeals, and cases in which there have been conflicting opinions on the same question from two or more courts of appeals. The Supreme Court hears all cases in which the death penalty has been imposed. These cases currently include both appeals from courts of appeals affirming imposition of the death penalty by a trial court and, for capital crimes committed on or after Jan. 1, 1995, appeals taken directly from the trial courts. Finally, the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction extends to review of the actions of certain administrative agencies, including the Public Utilities Commission.
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The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction to issue extraordinary writs. These include writs of habeas corpus (inquiring into the cause of an allegedly unlawful imprisonment or deprivation of custody), writs of mandamus (ordering a public official to perform a required act), writs of procedendo (compelling a lower court to proceed to judgment in a case), writs of prohibition (ordering a lower court to stop abusing or usurping judicial functions), and writs of quo warranto (issued against a person or corporation for usurpation, misuse, or abuse of public office or corporate office or franchise).
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All the seats on the court are elected at large by the voters of Ohio. Every two years, two of the associate justice seats are up for election. For one of those three elections in a cycle, the chief justice's seat is up for election. In order to run for a seat on the court, a person must be admitted to the bar in Ohio, and have practiced as a lawyer or served as a judge for at least six years. There is an age limit: One may not run for a seat on any Ohio court if one is more than 70 years of age. This limit often forces the retirement of long-time justices.
Ohio House of Representatives​
District 39
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Ohio General Assembly. Alongside the Ohio State Senate, it forms the legislative branch of the Ohio state government and works alongside the governor of Ohio to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Ohio House of Representatives include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.
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Members are limited to four consecutive two-year elected terms (terms are considered consecutive if they are separated by less than two years). Time served by appointment to fill out another representative's uncompleted term does not count against the term limit. There are 99 members in the house, elected from single-member districts. Every even-numbered year, all the seats are up for re-election.
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Currently Democratic Representatives are out voted by Republicans Representatives.
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Ohio Senate
District 5 & 6
The Ohio State Senate is the upper chamber of the Ohio General Assembly. Alongside the Ohio House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the Ohio state government and works alongside the governor of Ohio to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Ohio State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.
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Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the seats are contested at each election. Even numbered seats and odd numbered seats are contested in separate election years.
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Currently Democratic Senators are out voted by Republicans Senators.
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Ohio Treasurer
The Ohio Treasurer is an elected executive position in the Ohio state government. As the chief financial officer of the state, the treasurer manages the state's money and acts as the state's banker.
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The treasurer is the chief financial officer of the state and serves as the state's banker. The most important duty of the treasury is to safeguard the taxpayer's money in Ohio. The office is responsible, among other things, for:
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managing more than $160 billion in financial assets
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investing the state's money and manage an investment portfolio that exceeds $15 billion
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tracking and maintaining a database of all unclaimed property in Ohio
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providing financial advice to state agencies
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providing financial education and resources
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The treasurer is limited to two successive terms of four years. An individual may seek another term in office after a period of four or more years has elapsed.
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To serve as the Ohio Treasurer, a person must:
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be a resident of Ohio
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a qualified elector
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at least 18 years old
Ohio Secretary of State
The secretary is the state's chief election officer and keeper of the state seal. The Secretary of state is responsible for overseeing elections in the state; registering business entities (corporations, etc.) and granting them the authority to do business within the state; registering secured transactions; and granting access to public documents.
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The duties of the secretary of state in Ohio center on the office's three divisions: elections, business services, and records management. Accordingly, the Secretary of State:
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serves as the state's chief election officer
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certifies, publishes, and maintains a record of all official election results
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appoints members to the board of elections
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registers and keeps a current record of all corporations, partnerships, and limited liability partnerships
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issues licenses for and maintains a registry of all notaries public
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issues licenses for and maintains a registry of all ministers
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maintains an official record of all government actions
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helps provide public access to Ohio state government records
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To serve as the Ohio Secretary of State, a person must:
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be a resident of Ohio
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a qualified elector
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at least 18 years old
Ohio Attorney General
The attorney general provides legal representation and advice to all state government departments, agencies and commissions, provides legal opinions at the request of other public officials, and handles all criminal appeals from state trial courts. The attorney general is elected every four years in midterm elections and is limited to two consecutive terms in office.
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The attorney general has three primary duties:
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responsible for legal business of Ohio state government and its departments, boards and agencies and for the collection of debts owed to the state
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enforcement authority in consumer protection, charitable solicitation, antitrust actions and organized crime
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coordinate with local law enforcement agencies at their request and provide criminal justice support services
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To serve as the Ohio Attorney General, a person must:
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resident of Ohio
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a qualified elector
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at least 18 years old
Ohio Auditor
The auditor ensures that the state and its more than 5,600 entities are using resources efficiently and effectively. The office conducts both fiscal and performance audits of all public offices in Ohio as well as cities and counties. The auditor is publicly elected every four years, and may serve a total of two terms.
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The auditor of state serves as a watchdog, ensuring the state and its more than 5,600 entities are using resources efficiently and effectively. The office conducts both fiscal and performance audits of:
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all public offices in Ohio
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cities
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counties
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village
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townships
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schools
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state universities
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public libraries
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state agencies, boards, and commissions
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To serve as the Ohio Auditor, a person must:
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be a resident of Ohio
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a qualified elector
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at least 18 years old
Ohio Governor
&
Lt. Governor
The Lieutenant Governor of Ohio is an elected constitutional officer, the second ranking officer of the executive branch and the first officer in line to succeed the Governor of Ohio.
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The lieutenant governor's primary responsibility is to complete the duties assigned to him by the governor. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor resigns, dies in office or is removed by impeachment.
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To serve as the Lieutenant Governor, a person must:
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be a resident of Ohio
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a qualified elector
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at least 18 years old
The governor is the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws; the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Ohio State Legislature; the power to convene the legislature; and the power to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.
Other duties and privileges of the office include:
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Executing all laws and requiring written information on any office from the head of that office
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Making an annual address to the General Assembly, with recommendation for legislation
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Convening extraordinary sessions of the legislature with limited purposes
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Adjourning the legislature when the two chambers cannot agree to do so themselves, not to include the privilege of adjourning the legislature past the sine die set for the regular session
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Keeping and using "The Great Seal of the State of Ohio"
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Signing and sealing all commissions granted in the name of the state of Ohio
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Nominating, in the event of a vacancy in the Lieutenant Governor's office, a new officer, subject to a confirmatory vote of both chambers of the legislature
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Making vacancy appointments for all "key state officers" (the Auditor, the Treasurer, the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General). Such appointments are for the remainder of the term when the next general election is less than 40 days away and until the next general election otherwise
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Accepting a report from the head of each executive department at least once a year, not later than five days before the regular session of the legislature convenes, and including the substance of those reports in his or her annual address to the legislature
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Making all appointments not otherwise provided for, with the advice and consent of the Senate, unless the Senate refuses to act, in which case the Governor's appointee takes offices by default
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To serve as the Governor, a person must:
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be a resident of Ohio
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a qualified elector
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at least 18 years old
Congress
Legislator
The Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers.
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1. What are the qualifications to run for office in the House of Representatives and Senate?
The required qualifications are found in Article 1 of the Constitution:
House of Representatives
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25 years of age
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A citizen of the United States for at least 7 years
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At the time of election, be a resident of the state
U.S. Senate
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30 years of age
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A citizen of the United States for 9 years
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At the time of election, be a resident of the state
2. How many members of Congress are there?
There are a total of 535 Members of Congress. 100 serve in the U.S. Senate and 435 serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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3. How long do members of Congress’ terms last?
Members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are considered for reelection every even year. Senators however, serve six-year terms and elections to the Senate are staggered over even years so that only about 1/3 of the Senate is up for reelection during any election.
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4. How many members of Congress come from each state?
Each state sends two Senators to represent their state in the U.S. Senate. However, in the House of Representatives, a state’s representation is based on its population. For example, smaller states like Vermont and Delaware have one representative while large states like California have 53 representatives.
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5. How do the House and Senate chambers differ?
In the House of Representatives, the majority party holds significant power to draft chamber rules and schedule bills to reach the floor for debate and voting. In most cases, House rules will limit debate so that important legislation can be passed during one legislative business day.
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In the Senate however, the majority has the power to schedule when various bills come to the floor for voting but a single Senator can slow legislation from coming to the floor for a vote. Since debate in the Senate is not concluded until 60 senators vote for a cloture motion to approve a bill for consideration, the majority must also coordinate with the minority part to set the rules for debate on legislation. Under this system, legislation can be debated for one or two weeks on the Senate floor alone.
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6. Why does Congress use the committee system?
Congress deals with a broad variety of different policy issues and it is more efficient to have work done at the committee level than on the House or Senate floor. In addition, this system allows members to gain expertise in specific issue areas they are interested in. Throughout history, committees have been created to address particular issues before Congress. The House has 23 committees while the Senate has a total of 20 committees.
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The Supreme Court
Judicial
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the land and the only part of the federal judiciary specifically required by the Constitution.
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The Constitution does not stipulate the number of Supreme Court Justices; the number is set instead by Congress. There have been as few as six, but since 1869 there have been nine Justices, including one Chief Justice. All Justices are nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and hold their offices under life tenure. Since Justices do not have to run or campaign for re-election, they are thought to be insulated from political pressure when deciding cases. Justices may remain in office until they resign, pass away, or are impeached and convicted by Congress.
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The Court’s caseload is almost entirely appellate in nature, and the Court’s decisions cannot be appealed to any authority, as it is the final judicial arbiter in the United States on matters of federal law. However, the Court may consider appeals from the highest state courts or from federal appellate courts. The Court also has original jurisdiction over limited types of cases, including those involving ambassadors and other diplomats, and in cases between states.
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Although the Supreme Court may hear an appeal on any question of law provided it has jurisdiction, it usually does not hold trials. Instead, the Court’s task is to interpret the meaning of a law, to decide whether a law is relevant to a particular set of facts, or to rule on how a law should be applied. Lower courts are obligated to follow the precedent set by the Supreme Court when rendering decisions.
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In almost all instances, the Supreme Court does not hear appeals as a matter of right; instead, parties must petition the Court for a writ of certiorari. It is the Court’s custom and practice to “grant cert” if four of the nine Justices decide that they should hear the case. Of the approximately 7,500 requests for certiorari filed each year, the Court usually grants cert to fewer than 150. These are typically cases that the Court considers sufficiently important to require their review; a common example is the occasion when two or more of the federal courts of appeals have ruled differently on the same question of federal law.
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If the Court grants certiorari, Justices accept legal briefs from the parties to the case, as well as from amicus curiae, or “friends of the court.” These can include industry trade groups, academics, or even the U.S. government itself. Before issuing a ruling, the Supreme Court usually hears oral arguments, where the various parties to the suit present their arguments and the Justices ask them questions. If the case involves the federal government, the Solicitor General of the United States presents arguments on behalf of the United States. The Justices then hold private conferences, make their decision, and (often after a period of several months) issue the Court’s opinion, along with any dissenting arguments that may have been written.
President
Executive
The President is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress and, to that end, appoints the heads of the federal agencies, including the Cabinet. The Vice President is also part of the Executive Branch, ready to assume the Presidency should the need arise.
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The President is both the head of state and head of government of the United States of America, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
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Fifteen executive departments — each led by an appointed member of the President’s Cabinet — carry out the day-to-day administration of the federal government.
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The President also appoints the heads of more than 50 independent federal commissions, such as the Federal Reserve Board or the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as federal judges, ambassadors, and other federal offices.
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The President has the power either to sign legislation into law or to veto bills enacted by Congress, although Congress may override a veto with a two-thirds vote of both houses. The Executive Branch conducts diplomacy with other nations and the President has the power to negotiate and sign treaties, which the Senate ratifies. The President can issue executive orders, which direct executive officers or clarify and further existing laws. The President also has the power to extend pardons and clemencies for federal crimes.
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​The Constitution lists only three qualifications for the Presidency — the President must be at least 35 years of age, be a natural born citizen, and must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years. And though millions of Americans vote in a presidential election every four years, the President is not, in fact, directly elected by the people. Instead, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every fourth year, the people elect the members of the Electoral College. Apportioned by population to the 50 states — one for each member of their congressional delegation (with the District of Columbia receiving 3 votes) — these Electors then cast the votes for President. There are currently 538 electors in the Electoral College.
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