Ohio held its general election on November 8, 2022, deciding 116 legislative seats and 4 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans swept the statewide executive offices and widened their legislative supermajorities, winning on House and Senate maps the Ohio Supreme Court had ruled unconstitutional.
- Gov. Mike DeWine (R) and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R) won a second term by about 25 points over former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley (D) and Cheryl Stephens (D). DeWine refused to debate Whaley, who had made abortion the centerpiece of her campaign.
- Republicans unseated a Democratic incumbent in each chamber. In SD-3, Michele Reynolds (R) became the state's first Black Republican woman senator by defeating Tina Maharath (D), the first Asian American woman elected to the Ohio Senate. In HD-49, Assistant House Minority Leader Thomas West (D) lost to Jim Thomas (R).
- Attorney General Dave Yost (R) and Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) each won re-election by about 20 points, and Republicans also kept the auditor's and treasurer's offices.
- On the new maps, Republicans gained seats in both chambers, and the SD-3 and HD-49 upsets were the only defeats of sitting legislators. Beyond them, 3 more races finished within two points, including HD-36, which Rep. Andrea White (R) held. In 25 races, one major party fielded no candidate. The bigger House majority split when the new session opened: Rep. Jason Stephens (R) won the speakership over Rep. Derek Merrin (R) with more support from Democrats than from his own party.
- Voters passed both constitutional amendments on the ballot with more than three-quarters of the vote: Issue 1 requires judges to consider public safety when setting bail, and Issue 2 bars state and local governments from letting noncitizens vote.
Legislature
- House (99 seats): 35 D, 64 R before the election, 32 D, 67 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (33 seats): 8 D, 25 R before the election, 7 D, 26 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Issue 1 | Require judges to "use factors such as public safety, including the seriousness of the offense, and a person's criminal record" when setting amounts and conditions of bail | Passed (78% yes) |
| Issue 2 | Prohibit the state and local governments from allowing noncitizens to vote | Passed (77% yes) |