The Ohio Constitution organizes state government based on the federal model by separating power into three separate branches, forming a three-legged stool of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. The separate branches are elected by Ohio voters and check and balance on each other.

The Legislative Branch makes laws and consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, collectively called the General Assembly.

The Governor, his cabinet, and other elected offices make up the Executive Branch and administer laws and policy.

Finally, the Judicial Branch interprets and enforces laws on three levels: local courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court.

The Senate and the House of Representatives coordinate with each other and with Ohio’s governor to enact, amend, or repeal statutes, which make up Ohio law. Any member of the Senate or the House of Representatives may introduce bills to become laws.

Ohio Senators are elected to a four-year term, with a term limit of two consecutive terms. Ohio has 33 Senators, each representing a defined district.

Senators draft, debate and approve bills and resolutions. They develop policies that reflect job creation, education, public safety, and serving the needs of the poor.

With a Senator, a voter can share thoughts about pending legislation or ideas for new legislation; acquire information about specific senate committees and how to testify on a bill; request a commendation for an Ohio citizen; and schedule a visit to their Senator or a tour of the Ohio Statehouse.

House of Representative members are elected to a two-year term, with a term limit of four consecutive terms. In total, Ohio has 99 members (three House Districts within each Senate District).

Like Senators, state representatives listen to constituent concerns and attend local meetings to keep their pulse on the community’s needs. They develop solutions through legislative action.

Most bills require a majority vote in both the Senate and the House. If a bill passes one chamber but is amended by the second chamber, the first chamber must agree to the changes. If there is no agreement, the bill goes to a conference committee from both chambers. When both chambers approve, the bill is presented to the governor to be signed, vetoed, or converted to law after 10 days without the governor’s signature.

The Legislature can override a governor’s veto with a three-fifths vote of both chambers. When laws are adopted, they become part of the Ohio Revised Code and are known as “statutes.”

As said earlier, both Senators and Representatives in Ohio are elected by voters from districts. However, who decides where a district begins and ends? Every ten years, following the national census, the Ohio Redistricting Committee meets to ensure Ohio’s 99 House districts and 33 Senate districts reflect the most recent Census. Districts may not be redrawn merely to ensure the electability of one political party over the other. Unfortunately, on July 19, 2022, the Supreme Court of Ohio invalidated a second proposed map of Ohio’s 15 U.S. House districts for violating partisan gerrymandering prohibitions in the Ohio Constitution. The issue has yet to be resolved.

Another leg of the three-legged stool of Ohio’s state government is the Executive Branch, or the governor’s office. The governor is elected to a four-year term and limited to two consecutive terms. The governor is the CEO of state government, responsible for proposing budgets, appointing department directors and members of boards and commissions (except for elected school board members), and signing or vetoing bills passed by the General Assembly.

The Governor’s office oversees Cabinet offices involving voters’ health, education, employment, natural resources, safety, family needs, transportation, and other key services and is also responsible for working with other elected leaders: the Lieutenant Governor, an Attorney General, a State Auditor, a Secretary of State, a State Treasurer, and members of the State Board of Education.

The final leg of state government’s three-legged stool is the Judicial Branch, which operates on three levels: the local court system, the appellate, and the Supreme Court.

Each county in Ohio has a Common Pleas Court, which hears criminal and civil cases and also decides probate, juvenile and domestic (divorce) cases. County and Municipal Court systems are included at this level.

An intermediate level court, the Ohio Appellate Courts’ function is to hear appeals from the local courts in its 12 districts.

Finally, the Ohio Supreme Court is the state’s highest court. Most of its cases are appeals from the 12 district courts but members also address differing interpretations of the Ohio or U.S. Constitutions and cases with conflicting opinions from two or more courts of appeals.

The Supreme Court hears all death penalty cases unless waived by the prisoner.

Submitted by Betsy Cook and other members of Living Democracy: Engaging Citizens a project of Speak for yourself. Vote!

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