Ohio held its general election on November 6, 2012, deciding 117 legislative seats. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans kept full control of state government and netted one House seat on the new maps, reaching 60-39. That is the three-fifths majority that lets one party override a governor's veto or place measures on the ballot. Rep. Bill Batchelder (R) remained Speaker, and the Senate stayed at 23-10.
- Voters rejected both statewide questions. Issue 2, which would have changed how legislative districts are drawn, failed by a wide margin, as did Issue 1, the question of whether to hold a constitutional convention.
- Democrats unseated 2 Republican incumbents, though Republicans more than offset those losses elsewhere on the new map:
- Nick Barborak (D) beat Rep. Craig Newbold (R), who had represented the old 1st District, by about 510 votes in House District 5.
- John Patterson (D) beat Rep. Casey Kozlowski (R) by about 2,800 votes in House District 99.
Legislature
- House (99 seats): 40 D, 59 R before the election, 39 D, 60 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (33 seats): 10 D, 23 R before the election, 10 D, 23 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Issue 1 | Would create a convention to revise, alter or amend the state constitution. | Failed (31.92% yes) |
| Issue 2 | Would create a citizen commission to draw legislative and congressional district maps. | Failed (36.82% yes) |