2020 Ohio elections

Ohio elections, 2020

← 2018 November 3, 2020 2022 →

The 2020 Ohio general elections were held on November 3, 2020 throughout the US state of Ohio. The office of the Ohio Secretary of State oversees the election process, including voting and vote counting.[1]

To vote by mail, registered Ohio voters must have requested a ballot by October 31, 2020.[2] As of early October some 2,112,685 voters have requested mail ballots.[3]

Federal offices

President

Trump won 53.3% compared to Biden's 45.2%

Senate

There is no U.S. Senate election in Ohio in 2020. Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown was elected in 2018, and incumbent Republican Senator Rob Portman retired and was replaced by Republican J.D. Vance in 2022.

House of Representatives

All of Ohio's 16 seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2020. Ohio's delegation to the United States House of Representatives remained at 12 Republicans and 4 Democrats.

State offices

Board of education

6 of Ohio's 19 Board of Education Seats were up in 2020.

Board of Education District Incumbent Member Elected
1 Linda Haycock Diana Fessler
5 Lisa Woods Christina Collins
6 Antioniette Miranda Antioniette Miranda
9 Stephaine Dodd Michelle Newman
10 Nick Owens Brendan Shea
11 Meryl Johnson Meryl Johnson

General Assembly

Senate

The 16 even-numbered districts out of 33 seats in the Ohio Senate are up for election in 2020. Fourteen of these seats are held by Republicans and two are held by Democrats. Prior to the election, Republicans hold 24 seats and Democrats hold 9 seats.

Senatorial district Incumbent This race
District Senator Party First
elected
Incumbent Status Candidates
2 Theresa Gavarone Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running Theresa Gavarone (R)

Joel O'Dorisio (D)

4 Bill Coley Republican 2011 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited) George Lang (R)

Kathy Wyenandt (D)

Kent Keller (I)

6 Peggy Lehner Republican 2011 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited) Niraj Antani (R)

Mark Fogel (D)

8 Louis Blessing Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running Louis Blessing (R)

Daniel Brown (D)

10 Bob Hackett Republican 2016 (Appointed) Running Bob Hackett (R)

Charles Ballard (D)

12 Matt Huffman Republican 2016 Running Matt Huffman (R)

Ken Poling (D)

14 Terry Johnson Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running Terry Johnson (R)

Ryan Ottney (D)

16 Stephanie Kunze Republican 2016 Running Stephanie Kunze (R)

Crystal Lett (D)

18 John Eklund Republican 2011 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited) Jerry Cirino (R)

Besty Rader (D)

20 Tim Schaffer Republican 2018 (Appointed) Running Tim Schaffer (R)

Christian Johnson (D)

22 Larry Obhof Republican 2011 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited) Mark Romanchuk (R)

Ryan Hunger (D)

24 Matt Dolan Republican 2016 Running Matt Dolan (R)

Tom Jackson (D)

26 David Burke Republican 2011 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited) Bill Reineke (R)

Craig Swartz (D) Robert Taylor (I)

28 Vernon Sykes Democratic 2016 Running Vernon Sykes (D)

Micheal Downey (R)

30 Frank Hoagland Republican 2016 Running Frank Hoagland (R)

Micheal Fletcher (D)

32 Sean O'Brien Democratic 2016 Running Sandra O'Brien (R)

Sean O'Brien (D) (i)

House of Representatives

All 99 seats in the Ohio House of Representatives are up for election in 2020. Prior to the election, Republicans hold 61 seats and Democrats hold 38 seats.

House district Incumbent This race
District Representative Party First
elected
Incumbent Status Candidates
1 Scott Wiggam Republican 2016 Running
2 Mark Romanchuk Republican 2012 Not Running (Term-limited)
3 Haraz Ghanbari Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running
4 Robert R. Cupp Republican 2014 Running
5 Tim Ginter Republican 2014 Running
6 Phil Robinson Democratic 2018 Running
7 Tom Patton Republican 2016 Running
8 Kent Smith Democratic 2014 Running
9 Janine Boyd Democratic 2014 Running
10 Terrence Upchurch Democratic 2018 Running
11 Stephanie Howse Democratic 2014 Running
12 Juanita Brent Democratic 2018 Running
13 Michael J. Skindell Democratic 2018 Running
14 Bride Rose Sweeney Democratic 2018 Running
15 Jeffrey Crossman Democratic 2018 Running
16 David Greenspan Republican 2016 Running
17 Adam Miller Democratic 2016 Running
18 Kristin Boggs Democratic 2016 (Appointed) Running
19 Mary Lightbody Democratic 2018 Running
20 Richard Brown Democratic 2017 (Appointed) Running
21 Beth Liston Democratic 2018 Running
22 David J. Leland Democratic 2014 Running
23 Laura Lanese Republican 2016 Running
24 Allison Russo Democratic 2018 Running
25 Bernadine Kent Democratic 2016 Not Running
26 Erica Crawley Democratic 2018 Running
27 Tom Brinkman Republican 2014 Running
28 Jessica Miranda Democratic 2018 Running
29 Cindy Abrams Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running
30 Bill Seitz Republican 2016 Running
31 Brigid Kelly Democratic 2016 Running
32 Catherine Ingram Democratic 2016 Running
33 Sedrick Denson Democratic 2018 Running
34 Emilia Sykes Democratic 2014 Running
35 Tavia Galonski Democratic 2017 (Appointed) Running
36 Anthony DeVitis Republican 2011 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited)
37 Casey Weinstein Democratic 2018 Running
38 Bill Roemer Republican 2018 Running
39 Fred Strahorn Democratic 2012 Not Running (Term-limited)
40 Phil Plummer Republican 2018 Running
41 Jim Butler Republican 2011 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited)
42 Niraj Antani Republican 2014 (appointed) Not running (running for state senator)[4]
43 Jeffery Todd Smith Republican 2018 Running
44 Paula Hicks-Hudson Democratic 2018 Running
45 Lisa Sobecki Democratic 2018 Running
46 Michael Sheehy Democratic 2013 (Appointed) Running
47 Derek Merrin Republican 2016 (Appointed) Running
48 Scott Oelslager Republican 2018 Running
49 Thomas West Democratic 2016 Running
50 Reggie Stoltzfus Republican 2018 Running
51 Sara Carruthers Republican 2018 Running
52 George Lang Republican 2017 (appointed) Not running (running for state senator)[5]
53 Candice Keller Republican 2016 (appointed) Not running (running for state senator)[6]
54 Paul Zeltwanger Republican 2014 Running
55 Gayle Manning Republican 2018 Running
56 Joe Miller Democratic 2018 Running
57 Dick Stein Republican 2016 Running
58 Michele Lepore-Hagan Democratic 2014 Running
59 Don Manning Republican 2018 Not Running (Deceased)
60 John Rogers Democratic 2012 Not Running (Term-limited)
61 Jamie Callender Republican 2018 Running
62 Scott Lipps Republican 2016 Running
63 Gil Blair Democratic 2019 (Appointed) Running
64 Michael O'Brien Democratic 2014 Running
65 John Becker Republican 2012 Not Running (Term-limited)
66 Doug Green Republican 2012 Not Running (Term-limited)
67 Kris Jordan Republican 2018 Running
68 Rick Carfagna Republican 2016 Running
69 Steve Hambley Republican 2014 Not running (running for Medina County Commissioner)[7]
70 Darrell Kick Republican 2016 Running
71 Mark Fraizer Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running
72 Larry Householder Republican 2016 Running
73 Rick Perales Republican 2012 Not Running (Term-limited)
74 Bill Dean Republican 2016 (Appointed) Running
75 Randi Clites Democratic 2018 Running
76 Diane Grendell Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running
77 Jeffrey LaRe Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running
78 Ron Hood Republican 2012 Not Running (Term-limited)
79 Kyle Koehler Republican 2014 Running
80 Jena Powell Republican 2018 Running
81 Jim Hoops Republican 2018 (Appointed) Running
82 Craig Riedel Republican 2016 Running
83 Jon Cross Republican 2018 Running
84 Susan Manchester Republican 2018 Running
85 Nino Vitale Republican 2014 Running
86 Tracy Richardson Republican 2018 Running
87 Riordan McClain Republican 2018 (Appointed) Running
88 Bill Reineke Republican 2014 Not running (running for state senator)[8]
89 D. J. Swearingen Republican 2019 (Appointed) Running
90 Brian Baldridge Republican 2018 Running
91 Shane Wilkin Republican 2018 (Appointed) Running
92 Gary Scherer Republican 2012 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited)
93 Jason Stephens Republican 2018 Running
94 Jay Edwards Republican 2016 Running
95 Don Jones Republican 2018 Running
96 Jack Cera Democratic 2011 (Appointed) Not Running (Term-limited)
97 Adam Holmes Republican 2018 Running
98 Brett Hillyer Republican 2018 Running
99 John Patterson Democratic 2012 Not Running (Term-limited)

Supreme Court

2020 Ohio Supreme Court elections

← 2018 November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03) 2022 →

2 seats of the Supreme Court of Ohio
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 5 2
Seats won 1 1
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1

While judicial races in Ohio are technically non-partisan (party affiliations are not listed on the ballot), candidates run in party primaries. Terms are six years, and justices may run for re-election an unlimited number of times before their 70th birthday.

Associate Justice (Term commencing 01/01/2021)

2020 Ohio Supreme Court election (Kennedy seat)

← 2014 November 3, 2020 2024 →
 
Nominee Sharon Kennedy John O'Donnell
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Alliance Republican Democratic
Popular vote 2,735,041 2,231,724
Percentage 55.1% 44.9%

County results
French:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
O'Donnell:      50–60%

Justice before election

Sharon Kennedy
Republican

Elected Justice

Sharon Kennedy
Republican

Republican primary

Candidates
Results
Republican primary results[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sharon Kennedy (incumbent) 637,255 100.0%
Total votes 637,255 100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates
  • John O'Donnell, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division judge and candidate for Ohio Supreme Court in 2014 and 2016[11]
Results
Democratic primary results[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John O'Donnell 659,196 100.0%
Total votes 659,196 100.0%

General election

Results
2020 Ohio Supreme Court Associate Justice (Term commencing 01/01/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Sharon Kennedy (incumbent) 2,735,041 55.07%
Nonpartisan John O'Donnell 2,231,724 44.93%
Total votes 4,966,765 100.0%
Republican hold

Associate Justice (Term commencing 01/02/2021)

Republican primary

Candidates
  • Judith French, incumbent Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio[12]
Results
Republican primary results[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Judith French (incumbent) 618,739 100.0%
Total votes 618,739 100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates
Results
Democratic primary results[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Brunner 675,231 100.0%
Total votes 675,231 100.0%

General election

2020 Ohio Supreme Court election (French seat)

← 2014 November 3, 2020 2026 →
 
Nominee Jennifer Brunner Judith French
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,695,072 2,174,820
Percentage 55.3% 44.7%

Brunner:      50–60%      60-70%      70–80%
French:      50–60%      60–70%

Justice before election

Judith French
Republican

Elected Justice

Jennifer Brunner
Democratic

Results
2020 Ohio Supreme Court Associate Justice (Term commencing 01/02/2021) election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Jennifer Brunner 2,695,072 55.34%
Nonpartisan Judi French (incumbent) 2,174,820 44.66%
Total votes 4,869,892 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

This was the last time that Ohio elected a Democrat for a statewide office.

Court of Appeals

District 1

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 1st District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Ginger Bock 204,998 56.07%
Nonpartisan Russell J. Mock (incumbent) 160,641 43.93%
Total votes 365,639 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 2

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 2nd District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Chris Epley 232,026 54.37%
Nonpartisan Marshall G. Lachman 194,737 45.63%
Total votes 426,763 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 3

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 3rd District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Mark C. Miller 286,971 100.0%
Total votes 286,971 100.0%
Republican hold

District 4

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 4th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Peter B. Abele (incumbent) 182,359 100.0%
Total votes 182,359 100.0%
Republican hold

Unexpired term ending 02/08/2023

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 4th District (Unexpired term ending 02/08/2023) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Kristy Wilkin (incumbent) 115,387 52.81%
Nonpartisan Stacy Brooks 103,115 47.19%
Total votes 218,502 100.0%
Republican hold

District 5

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 5th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan William B. Hoffman (incumbent) 361,543 61.36%
Nonpartisan Jeff Furr 227,675 38.64%
Total votes 589,218 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 6

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 6th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Thomas J. Osowik (incumbent) 283,659 100.0%
Total votes 283,659 100.0%
Democratic hold

Term commencing 02/10/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 6th District (Term commencing 02/10/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Myron C. Duhart 173,244 52.60%
Nonpartisan Charles Sulek 156,128 47.40%
Total votes 329,372 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 7

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 7th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Carol Ann Robb (incumbent) 180,449 100.0%
Total votes 180,449 100.0%
Republican hold

Term commencing 02/10/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 7th District (Term commencing 02/10/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Cheryl L. Waite (incumbent) 170,104 100.0%
Total votes 170,104 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 8

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 8th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Sean C. Gallagher (incumbent) 356,192 100.0%
Total votes 356,192 100.0%
Democratic hold

Term commencing 02/10/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 8th District (Term commencing 02/10/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Larry A. Jones (incumbent) 341,649 100.0%
Total votes 341,649 100.0%
Democratic hold

Term commencing 02/11/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 8th District (Term commencing 02/11/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Emanuella D. Groves 268,276 57.73%
Nonpartisan Pamela A. Hawkins 196,405 42.27%
Total votes 464,681 100.0%
Democratic hold

Term commencing 02/12/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 8th District (Term commencing 02/12/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Anita Laster Mays (incumbent) 324,766 100.0%
Total votes 324,766 100.0%
Democratic hold

Unexpired Term ending 01/01/2023

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 8th District (Unexpired Term ending 01/01/2023) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Lisa Forbes 326,112 71.02%
Nonpartisan Ray Headen (incumbent) 133,072 28.98%
Total votes 459,184 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 9

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 9th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Betty Sutton 271,875 54.07%
Nonpartisan Julie A. Schafer (incumbent) 230,938 45.93%
Total votes 502,783 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 10

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 10th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Michael C. Mentel 270,776 51.51%
Nonpartisan Colleen O'Donnell 254,900 48.49%
Total votes 525,676 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

Term commencing 07/01/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 10th District (Term commencing 07/01/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Terri Jamison 275,213 53.33%
Nonpartisan Lisa L. Sadler (incumbent) 240,837 46.67%
Total votes 516,050 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 11

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 11th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Matt Lynch (incumbent) 186,845 55.54%
Nonpartisan Timothy P. Cannon (incumbent) 149,577 44.46%
Total votes 336,422 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic

Term commencing 02/10/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 11th District (Term commencing 02/10/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Cynthia Westcott Rice (incumbent) 166,310 51.05%
Nonpartisan Sarah Thomas Kovoor 159,486 48.95%
Total votes 325,796 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 12

Term commencing 01/01/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 12th District (Term commencing 01/01/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Matthew Byrne 350,206 100.0%
Total votes 350,206 100.0%
Republican hold

Term commencing 02/09/2021

2020 Ohio Court of Appeals 12th District (Term commencing 02/09/2021) election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Robert A. Hendrickson (incumbent) 347,575 100.0%
Total votes 347,575 100.0%
Republican hold

See also

References

  1. ^ Dionne Searcey (October 1, 2020), "When Your Job Is to Make Sure Nov. 3 Isn't a Disaster", Nytimes.com
  2. ^ Lily Hay Newman (August 27, 2020), "How to Vote by Mail and Make Sure It Counts", Wired.com, archived from the original on October 6, 2020
  3. ^ Michael P. McDonald, "2020 General Election Early Vote Statistics", U.S. Elections Project, retrieved October 10, 2020, Detailed state statistics
  4. ^ Blizzard, Nick; Otte, Jim (January 30, 2019). "State Rep. Antani to run for state Senate seat covering most of suburban Montgomery County". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  5. ^ Pitman, Michael D. (July 15, 2019). "Lang to run for Ohio Senate, creating three-way race in Republican primary". Journal-News. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  6. ^ Balmert, Jessie (May 29, 2019). "Election 2020: Conservative Rep. Candice Keller to run for Butler County Senate seat". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  7. ^ Pelzer, Jeremy (July 16, 2019). "State Rep. Steve Hambley to challenge longtime Medina County Commissioner Pat Geissman in 2020". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  8. ^ Jackson, Tom (April 8, 2019). "Reineke to run for Ohio Senate". The Sandusky Register. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  9. ^ "Press Release: Justice Kennedy Files for Re-Election to the Ohio Supreme Court". Ohio Republican Party.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "2020 OFFICIAL ELECTIONS RESULTS". Ohio Secretary of State.
  11. ^ Bischoff, Laura A. (September 20, 2020). "O'Donnell makes third run for Ohio Supreme Court". Dayton Daily News.
  12. ^ "2020 Candidate for Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court: Judith L. French". WKBN. September 16, 2020.
  13. ^ "Ex-Ohio elections chief Brunner seeks seat on high court". Associated Press. August 20, 2019.
  14. ^ Brent Kendall; Alexa Corse (October 11, 2020), "Pennsylvania, Texas and Ohio See Court Rulings Over Mail Ballots", The Wall Street Journal, Both political parties are mounting legal challenges across many states, with mail-in voting at the center

Further reading