COLUMBUS, Ohio — Competing under maps declared to be an unconstitutional GOP gerrymander by a bipartisan majority on the Ohio Supreme Court, Ohio Republicans look to have picked up one Ohio Senate seat Tuesday and perhaps two to four seats in the Ohio House as well.
With outstanding absentee and provisional ballots, these results could change in the coming days, but this is where things stood early Wednesday morning.
Provisional ballots are allowed to be cast when more verification is needed during in-person voting, while any outstanding absentee ballots that have been mailed but not delivered yet need to be post-marked on or before Nov. 7 and verified in order to be counted. With more than a million absentee ballots requested this election, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office reported Tuesday more than 150,000 were outstanding. Early Wednesday morning, the combined count of outstanding absentee and provisionals stood at more than 180,000 on the office’s results website.
For now, GOP candidates look to have won up to 68 of Ohio’s 99 state House district races, with one too close to call and possibly heading for an automatic recount if the tight margin remains. No others are currently heading for a recount, but a couple are close enough that outstanding provisional/absentee returns could trigger a flip or recount. Republicans also won 11 of 17 Ohio Senate races up for election this year, according to unofficial results.
With the pick-up in the Ohio Senate, Ohio Republicans look to control the chamber 26-7. They look to control the Ohio House perhaps 67-32 or 68-31. Going into the election, Ohio Republicans enjoyed a 64-35 supermajority over Democrats in the Ohio House and a 25-8 supermajority in the Ohio Senate.
Sixteen Ohio Senate seats were not up for election, and will be in 2024. The results do not become official until they are certified by bipartisan county boards of elections. Boards of elections must complete their official canvass of general election ballots no later than Nov. 29.
The preliminary results show one Ohio House race — District 5 — too close to call, falling within the half-point margin that triggers an automatic recount under Ohio law. The Ohio House District 5 race features Canal Winchester Democratic incumbent Richard Brown versus Republican challenger Ronald Beach IV.
With 100% of 884 precincts reporting, Beach held a lead of 0.28%. Beach had 16,921 votes, or 50.14%, compared to 16,825 votes, or 49.86%, for Brown.
How we got unconstitutional maps
After being declared unconstitutional repeatedly by a bipartisan majority on the Ohio Supreme Court, the district maps used in Ohio’s 2022 midterm were forced upon voters by a federal court that said in it’s decision, “We chose the best of our bad options.”
The federal court made its ruling after many months of Republicans passing maps along party lines that kept getting rejected as unconstitutional by the bipartisan Ohio Supreme Court majority. The game of brinksmanship came to a head as the state faced a variety of practical election administration problems if maps continued to be delayed.
The federal court selected the Republican-drawn map as Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose had already ordered boards of elections to load those Statehouse district maps still under review by courts into their systems and prepare to use them. LaRose voted for the maps as a member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission.
LaRose won reelection Tuesday. Fellow Republican redistricting commissioners Gov. Mike DeWine and Auditor Keith Faber also won reelection.
With Republicans keeping majority control of both the Ohio House and Senate, they will also continue to hold a 5-2 majority split on the redistricting commission.
Ohio Republicans also won all three Ohio Supreme Court races Tuesday, after Republican swing-vote Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor was forced to retire from the bench due to age, under Ohio law.
Full unofficial results
Below are the winners in unofficial results of Ohio’s state House and Senate district races with 100% of precincts reporting. For full percentage and vote total breakdowns, please visit the Ohio Secretary of State website here.
(i) indicates the candidate is the incumbent.
The candidate’s name italicized in bold indicates unofficial results show a winner outside the margin of automatic recount. The one race currently within the margin of automatic recount is District 5.
Ohio House
District 1 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Dontavius Jarrells (i)
District 2 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Latyna Humphrey (i)
District 3 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Ismail Mohamed
- Republican: J. Josiah Lanning
District 4 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Mary Lightbody (i)
- Republican: Jill Rudler
District 5 – Franklin (part) – Too Close to Call
- Democratic: Richard Brown (i)
- Republican: Ronald Beach IV
District 6 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Adam Miller (i)
- Republican: Joe Wharton
District 7 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Allison Russo (i)
District 8 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Beth Liston (i)
- Republican: Zully Truemper
District 9 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Munira Abdullahi
District 10 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Russell Harris
- Republican: David Dobos
District 11 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Anita Somani
- Republican: Omar Tarazi
District 12 – Franklin (part), Madison, Pickaway
- Republican: Brian Stewart (i)
- Independent: *Matthew Briner (Write-in)
District 13 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Mike Skindell (i)
- Republican: Keith Davey
District 14 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Sean Brennan
- Republican: Jolene Austin
District 15 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Richard Dell’Aquila
District 16 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Bride Rose Sweeney (i)
- Republican: Michael Lamb
District 17 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Troy Greenfield
- Republican: Thomas Patton (i)
District 18 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Darnell Brewer
- Republican: Shalira Taylor
*Current state Rep. Shayla Davis was barred from being a write-in candidate
District 19 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Phil Robinson (i)
- Republican: Ron Brough
District 20 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Terrence Upchurch (i)
District 21 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Elliot Forhan
- Republican: Kelly Powell
District 22 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Juanita Brent (i)
District 23 – Cuyahoga (part), Lake (part)
- Democratic: Dan Troy (i)
- Republican: George Phillips
District 24 – Hamilton (part)
- Democratic: Dani Isaacsohn
- Republican: Adam Koehler
District 25 – Hamilton (part)
- Democratic: Cecil Thomas
- Republican: John Breadon
District 26 – Hamilton (part)
- Democratic: Sedrick Denson (i)
District 27 – Hamilton (part)
- Democratic: Rachel Baker
- Republican: Jenn Giroux
District 28 – Hamilton (part)
- Democratic: Jessica Miranda (i)
- Republican: Chris Monzel
- Independent: Regina Collins
District 29 – Hamilton (part)
- Democratic: Juan Valle
- Republican: Cindy Abrams (i)
- District 30 – Hamilton (part)
- Democratic: Alissa Mayhaus
- Republican: Bill Seitz (i)
District 31 – Summit (part)
- Democratic: Rita Darrow
- Republican: Bill Roemer (i)
District 32 – Summit (part)
- Democratic: Matt Shaughnessy
- Republican: Bob Young (i)
District 33 – Summit (part)
- Democratic: Tavia Galonski (i)
- Republican: Kristopher Anderson
District 34 – Summit (part)
- Democratic: Casey Weinstein (i)
- Republican: Beth Bigham
District 35 – Geauga (part), Portage (part), Summit (part)
- Democratic: Lori O’Neill
- Republican: Steve Demetriou
District 36 – Montgomery (part)
- Democratic: Addison Caruso
- Republican: Andrea White (i)
District 37 – Montgomery (part)
- Republican: Tom Young (i)
- Write-in: Megan Overman
District 38 – Montgomery (part)
- Democratic: Willis Blackshear Jr. (i)
District 39 – Montgomery (part)
- Democratic: Leronda Jackson
- Republican: Phil Plummer (i)
District 40 – Butler (part), Montgomery (part), Preble
- Democratic: Amy Cox
- Republican: Rodney Creech (i)
District 41 – Lucas (part)
- Democratic: Nancy Larson
- Republican: Josh Williams
District 42 – Lucas (part)
- Democratic: Erika White
- Republican: Derek Merrin (i)
District 43 – Lucas (part)
- Democratic: Michele Grim
- Republican: Wendi Hendricks
District 44 – Lucas (part), Ottawa (part), Wood (part)
- Democratic: Elgin Rogers Jr.
- Republican: Roy Palmer III
District 45 – Butler (part)
- Democratic: Chuck Horn
- Republican: Jennifer Gross (i)
District 46 – Butler (part)
- Democratic: Lawrence Mulligan
- Republican: Thomas Hall (i)
District 47 – Butler (part)
- Democratic: Sam Lawrence
- Republican: Sara Carruthers (i)
District 48 – Stark (part)
- Democratic: David Smith
- Republican: Scott Oelslager (i)
District 49 – Stark (part)
- Democratic: Thomas West (i)
- Republican: Jim Thomas
District 50 – Stark (part)
- Republican: Reggie Stoltzfus (i)
District 51 – Stark (part), Tuscarawas (part)
- Republican: Brett Hudson Hillyer (i)
District 52 – Lorain (part)
- Democratic: Regan Phillips
- Republican: Gayle L. Manning (i)
District 53 – Lorain (part)
- Democratic: Joseph A. Miller III (i)
- Republican: Marty Gallagher
District 54 – Erie (part), Huron (part), Lorain (part)
- Democratic: Bryan Burgess
- Republican: Dick Stein (i)
District 55 – Warren (part)
- Democratic: Paul Zorn
- Republican: Scott Lipps (i)
District 56 – Warren (part)
- Democratic: Joy Bennett
- Republican: Adam Mathews
District 57 – Lake (part)
- Democratic: Evan Rosborough
- Republican: Jamie Callender (i)
District 58 – Mahoning (part)
- Democratic: Bruce Neff
- Republican: Al Cutrona (i)
District 59 – Columbiana (part), Mahoning (part)
- Democratic: Lauren McNally
- Independent: Gregory A. Beight
District 60 – Delaware (part)
- Republican: Kris Jordan (i)
District 61 – Delaware (part), Knox (part)
- Democratic: Louise Valentine
- Republican: Beth Lear
District 62 – Clermont (part)
- Democratic: Brian Flick
- Republican: Jean Schmidt (i)
District 63 – Brown (part), Clermont (part)
- Democratic: Richard Perry
- Republican: Adam Bird (i)
District 64 – Trumbull (part)
- Democratic: Vince Peterson II
- Republican: Nick Santucci
District 65 – Ashtabula (part), Trumbull (part)
- Republican: Mike Loychik (i)
- Independent: Jennifer Donnelly
District 66 – Medina (part)
- Democratic: Christina Collins
- Republican: Sharon Ray (i)
District 67 – Ashland (part), Medina (part)
- Democratic: Drew Burge
- Republican: Melanie Miller
District 68 – Licking (part)
- Republican: Thaddeus Claggett
District 69 – Fairfield (part), Licking (part), Perry (part)
- Democratic: Charlotte Owens
- Republican: Kevin Miller (i)
District 70 – Greene (part)
- Democratic: Eric Price
- Republican: Brian Lampton (i)
District 71 – Clark (part), Clinton, Greene (part)
- Democratic: James Duffee
- Republican: Bill Dean (i)
District 72 – Portage (part)
- Democratic: Kathleen Clyde
- Republican: Gail Pavliga (i)
District 73 – Fairfield (part)
- Republican: Jeff LaRe (i)
District 74 – Clark (part)
- Democratic: Daniel Saks
- Republican: Bernard Willis
District 75 – Wood (part)
- Democratic: Jan Materni
- Republican: Haraz Ghanbari (i)
District 76 – Richland
- Republican: Marilyn John (i)
District 77 – Wayne
- Democratic: Mark Gooch
- Republican: Scott Wiggam (i)
District 78 – Allen, Auglaize (part)
- Republican: Susan Manchester (i)
District 79 – Carroll, Columbiana (part)
- Democratic: Taylor Eastham
- Republican: Monica Robb Blasdel
District 80 – Darke (part), Miami
- Republican: Jena Powell (i)
District 81 – Defiance (part), Fulton, Henry, Williams
- Republican: James Hoops (i)
District 82 – Defiance (part), Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert
- Democratic: Magdalene Markward
- Republican: Roy Klopfenstein
District 83 – Hancock, Hardin, Logan (part)
- Democratic: Claire Osborne
- Republican: Jon Cross (i)
District 84 – Auglaize (part), Darke (part), Mercer
- Democratic: Sophia Rodriguez
- Republican: Angela King
District 85 – Champaign, Logan (part), Shelby
- Republican: Tim Barhorst
District 86 – Marion (part), Union
- Democratic: Barbara Luke
- Republican: Tracy Richardson (i)
District 87 – Crawford, Marion (part), Morrow, Wyandot
- Republican: Riordan McClain (i)
District 88 – Sandusky, Seneca
- Democratic: Dianne Selvey
- Republican: Gary Click (i)
District 89 – Erie (part), Huron (part), Ottawa (part)
- Democratic: Jim Obergefell
- Republican: D.J. Swearingen (i)
District 90 – Adams, Brown (part), Scioto
- Democratic: Andrew Dodson
- Republican: Brian Baldridge (i)
District 91 – Fayette, Highland, Pike, Ross (part)
- Republican: Bob Peterson
District 92 – Hocking, Perry (part), Ross (part), Vinton
- Republican: Mark Johnson (i)
District 93 – Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence (part)
- Republican: Jason Stephens (i)
District 94 – Athens, Meigs, Morgan, Washington (part)
- Democratic: *Tanya Conrath
- Republican: Jay Edwards (i)
*Conrath sued LaRose after he rejected her bid to replace Rhyan Goodman, who dropped out of the race. The Ohio Supreme Court sided with Conrath.
District 95 – Belmont (part), Guernsey (part), Harrison, Noble, Washington (part)
- Democratic: William Ryan
- Republican: Don Jones (i)
District 96 – Belmont (part), Jefferson, Monroe
- Democratic: Charlie DiPalma
- Republican: Ron Ferguson (i)
District 97 – Guernsey (part), Muskingum
- Republican: Adam Holmes (i)
District 98 – Coshocton, Holmes, Knox (part)
- Democratic: *Annie Homstad (Write-in)
- Republican: Darrell Kick (i)
District 99 – Ashtabula (part), Geauga (part)
- Democratic: Kathy Zappitello
- Republican: Sarah Fowler Arthur (i)
Ohio Senate (only odd districts are up this year)
District 1 – Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Logan (part), Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams
- Republican: Robert McColley (i)
District 3 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Tina Maharath (i)
- Republican: Michele Reynolds
District 5 – Butler (part), Darke (part), Miami, Montgomery (part), Preble
- Republican: Stephen Huffman (i)
District 7 – Hamilton (part), Warren
- Democratic: David Dallas
- Republican: Steve Wilson (i)
District 9 – Hamilton (part)
- Democratic: Catherine D. Ingram
- Republican: Orlando Sonza
District 11 – Lucas (part)
- Democratic: Paula Hicks-Hudson
- Republican: Tony Dia
District 13 – Erie (part), Huron (part), Lorain
- Democratic: Anthony Eliopoulos
- Republican: Nathan Manning (i)
District 15 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: Hearcel Craig (i)
District 17 – Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Perry (part), Pike, Ross, Vinton
- Democratic: Garry Boone
- Republican: Shane Wilkin
District 19 – Coshocton, Delaware, Holmes, Knox
- Democratic: Heather Swiger
- Republican: Andrew Brenner (i)
District 21 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Kent Smith
- Republican: Mikhail Alterman
District 23 – Cuyahoga (part)
- Democratic: Nickie Antonio (i)
- Republican: Landry Simmons Jr.
District 25 – Franklin (part)
- Democratic: William DeMora
- Republican: Chandler Wysocki
District 27 – Summit (part)
- Democratic: Patricia Goetz
- Republican: Kristina Roegner (i)
District 29 – Stark (part)
- Republican: Kirk Schuring (i)
District 31 – Guernsey (part), Muskingum, Stark (part), Tuscarawas, Wayne
- Republican: Al Landis
District 33 – Carroll, Columbiana, Mahoning
- Democratic: Robert Hagan
- Republican: Michael Rulli (i)
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