Start date November 2, 2010 | ||
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Elections were held in Ohio on November 2, 2010. Primary elections took place on May 4, 2010 for the Democratic Party, Republican Party, Constitution Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, and Socialist Party.
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United States Senate
In the Democratic primary on May 4, 2010, current Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher defeated current Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. On November 2, Republican Rob Portman, who has served in two federal cabinet positions and as a member of the U. S. House of Representatives defeated Fisher as well as Eric W. Deaton of the Constitution Party and Dan La Botz of the Socialist Party.
Portman replaced Republican Senator George Voinovich, who retired from office after his second term expired.
United States House
All of Ohio's eighteen seats in the United States House of Representatives will be up for election in 2010. All eighteen incumbents will be running for re-election.
Governor
Ted Strickland, the Democratic incumbent, was seeking reelection. John Kasich, the former House Budget Chairman, was the Republican candidate. Also running are Dennis Spisak of the Green Party and Ken Matesz of the Libertarian Party.
The election was a close one and Kasich narrowly defeated Strickland by only 2.59% (97,052 voters) on election night.
Lieutenant governor
The Lieutenant Governor of Ohio is elected as part of a ticket with the Governor. The Democratic nominee was Yvette McGee Brown, the current and founding president of the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and former Judge of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. The Republican nominee was Mary Taylor, the current Auditor of the State of Ohio. The Green Party nominee was Anita Rios, and the Libertarian nominee was Ann Leech. Taylor became Lieutenant Governor with the election of John Kasich as Governor
Attorney General
In the Attorney General race, Democratic incumbent Richard Cordray was defeated by Republican Mike DeWine, a former two-term United States Senator from Ohio and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee as well as a former county prosecutor.
Secretary of State
Ohio's Secretary of State race featured a contested Republican primary on May 4, 2010 between Jon Husted, an Ohio State Senator and former Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, who defeated Sandra O'Brien, a former county auditor in Ashtabula County who secured the support of the Tea Party movement. In the general election, Husted defeated Democrat Maryellen O'Shaughnessy, the Clerk of Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, and Charlie Earl, a Libertarian.
Incumbent Jennifer Brunner sought the Democratic nomination for United States Senator instead of running for re-election, but lost to incumbent Lt. Governor Lee Fisher.
Auditor
Ohio's Auditor race also featured a contested Republican primary on May 4, 2010, between Seth Morgan, a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, and Dave Yost, the Prosecuting Attorney for Delaware County, Ohio and former Delaware County Auditor. Yost beat Democrat David A. Pepper, a Commissioner for the Hamilton County, Ohio Board of Commissioners, and L. Michael Howard, a Libertarian.
Republican incumbent Mary Taylor decided to run for Lieutenant Governor as John Kasich's running-mate, instead of running for re-election.
Treasurer
In the Treasurer race, Democratic incumbent Kevin Boyce was defeated by Republican Josh Mandel, a member of the Ohio State House of Representatives and a two tour veteran of the Iraq War, and Matthew Cantrell, a Libertarian candidate.
Ohio Board of Education
Five of the eleven members of the Ohio State Board of Education are up for election in 2010, including Districts 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8. The Board of Education is a non-partisan office and did not appear on primary ballots. Kathleen McGervey, a Registered Professional Civil Engineer and Registered Professional Land Surveyor from Lorain County, was elected from District 2. McGervey received 94,305 votes, besting her closest opponent by over 11,000 votes.
State Senate
Sixteen of the thirty-three seats of the Ohio Senate will be up for election in 2010. In Senate District 13, retired teacher Gayle Manning was elected.
State House of Representatives
All ninety-nine seats in the Ohio House of Representatives are up for election in 2010.
Judicial positions
Three seats in the Supreme Court of Ohio are up for election, including the office of Chief Justice. The Supreme Court is a non-partisan office and will not appear on primary ballots. Although the Democratic and Republic parties customarily endorse candidates in the general election, those endorsements are not noted on the general election ballots either. Justices Judith Lanziger and Paul Peiffer are running for re-election. Justice Maureen O'Connor is running for Chief Justice. Judges for Ohio District Courts of Appeal and Ohio Courts of Common Pleas will also appear on the ballot.
Associate Justice
Ballot measures
Two measures were approved in the May 4 election. No ballot measures were approved for the general election.
Judicial races
Many judges of various appellate, common pleas, and county courts will be elected by Ohio voters in 2010.
County officers
Many county offices will be on the ballot in 2010. Cuyahoga County is undergoing a restructuring, and for the first time, a County Executive and a County Council will be elected. Many current county officials are under an FBI investigation, and some have been charged with crimes. In the last several years some Cuyahoga County elected officials have been convicted of felonies and been removed from office.