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Ohio elections, 2016
Welcome to the Ohio elections portal for 2016. Scroll down for information about what was on the ballot, election dates, voting, and more. Ohio saw elections for the offices listed below in 2016. Click the links to navigate to Ballotpedia's overview pages for each of these elections, where you will find background, candidate lists, dates, analysis, and more.
Election results
As a result of the 2016 election, Ohio maintained a Republican trifecta—meaning the Republican Party held control of the governorship, the state Senate, and the state House. Republicans maintained control of the state Senate with 24 seats to Democrats' nine seats. Republicans maintained control of the state House with 66 seats to Democrats' 33 seats.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) identified the Ohio State Senate and House of Representatives as targets in the 2016 elections.
In 2016, Ohio had two U.S. Senate seats and 16 U.S. House seats. Incumbent Republican Rob Portman won re-election to the U.S. Senate in November 2016 in what was considered a battleground race. The U.S. Supreme Court vacancy created by Justice Scalia's death in early 2016 highlighted the importance of this race due to the impact that the Senate's partisan balance would have on confirming a replacement. All of the U.S. House seats were also up for election in November. Republicans won 12 of the state's seats in the U.S. House, and Democrats won four.
There were two contested seats on the Ohio Supreme Court. The seats were won by Judge Pat Fischer and Judge Pat DeWine.
In 2016, Ohio was one of 26 states, as well as Washington, D.C., that offered initiative and/or veto referendum rights for its citizens. None were put to voters in 2016.
Donald Trump won Ohio's 18 electoral votes in the 2016 general election for president. Barack Obama carried Ohio in both the 2008 and 2012 general elections for president. See also: Presidential election in Ohio, 2016.
Voting
| Dates | |
|---|---|
| Presidential primary dates | |
| Ohio election dates | |
| 3/15/2016 | State and presidential primary |
| 11/8/2016 | General election (nationwide) |
| Ballot access dates | |
| 12/16/2015 | Deadline for partisan primary candidates to file declarations of candidacy |
| 1/4/2016 | Deadline for write-in primary candidates to file declarations of intent |
| 3/14/2016 | Deadline for independent candidates to file nominating petitions |
| 8/29/2016 | Deadline for write-in general election candidates to file declarations of intent |
Find answers to common questions about voting in Ohio below.
- How do I register to vote?
- Is there an early voting period?
- Who is eligible for absentee voting?
- What are the voter ID laws in Ohio?
- What time were the polls open?
General information about voting or getting on the ballot is provided at the following links.
Official elections page: Ohio Secretary of State - Elections & Voting
Primary election
See Primary elections in Ohio.
Elections to watch
- United States Senate election in Ohio, 2016
- Ohio Supreme Court elections, 2016
- Columbus Fracking Ban, 2016
What makes an election notable?
History
Presidential Voting Pattern
The percentages below show Ohio voter preference in general election presidential races from 2000 to 2012.[1]
For more information, see: Presidential voting trends in Ohio.
Ohio vote percentages
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U.S. vote percentages
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See also
Footnotes
Ballotpedia uses these criteria to identify notable elections:
- Incumbents facing more conservative or liberal challengers
- Rematches between candidates
- Elections that receive considerable media attention
- Elections that could significantly affect the state's partisan balance
- Noteworthy elections involving party leaders
- Open, competitive elections with Republican and Democratic primaries
- Elections that capture money and attention from outside groups, including key endorsements
