Ohio 2010 Election Results

Ballot Measures, May 4, 2010

Ohio voters decided 2 statewide ballot measures on May 4, 2010.

Ballot measures

General Election, November 2, 2010

Ohio held its general election on November 2, 2010, deciding 116 legislative seats and 6 statewide offices led by the governorship. Control shifted: the House moved from a 53-46 Democratic majority to a 59-40 Republican majority.

Highlights

• Republicans won every statewide office on the ballot and took full control of state government, with a new governor set to help lead redistricting after the 2010 census.
• John Kasich (R), a former congressman, unseated Gov. Ted Strickland (D) by about 2 points after attacking him over 400,000 lost jobs.
• The down-ballot wins also gave Republicans control of the five-member Apportionment Board, which draws legislative lines. Jon Husted (R), a former House speaker, won the open secretary of state's office by double digits over Maryellen O'Shaughnessy (D), and Dave Yost (R) beat David Pepper (D) by about 5 points for auditor. Together with Kasich, the two offices gave the GOP a board majority, and the 2011 board seated four Republicans and one Democrat.
• Every one of the 15 legislative seats that changed party went to Republicans. William Batchelder (R) became speaker in 2011, replacing Armond Budish (D), speaker since 2009, and Tom Niehaus (R) was elected Senate president. Republicans also widened their Senate majority to 23-10, as Bill Beagle (R) unseated Fred Strahorn (D) in Senate District 5 by about 1,700 votes and Gayle Manning (R) ousted Sue Morano (D) in Senate District 13.
• Two more Democratic statewide incumbents lost. Mike DeWine (R) beat Attorney General Richard Cordray (D) by just over a point, and Josh Mandel (R) beat Treasurer Kevin Boyce (D) by double digits.
• November cost 16 incumbents their seats, three of them statewide officeholders. The closest House race was in House District 99, where Casey Kozlowski (R) unseated Deborah Newcomb (D). Beyond the seats that changed hands, 3 more races finished inside two points: Mike Duffey (R) held the open House District 21 by about 380 votes, Connie Pillich (D) kept House District 28 by about 600, and Lorraine Fende (D) kept House District 62 by about 740.

Legislature

• House (99 seats): 53 D, 46 R before the election, 40 D, 59 R after; control moved from Democrats to Republicans.
• Senate (33 seats): 12 D, 21 R before the election, 10 D, 23 R after; control stayed with Republicans.

Statewide races

Legislative races