Yesterday was one of the most memorable election days in recent memory.  No state has been a better barometer of the nation as a whole in presidential elections than Ohio.

No Republican candidate for president has won the election without winning Ohio since President Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860. From 1904 through 2004, the presidential candidate who won in Ohio also won the presidency 24 of 26 times. Only two Democrats in the last century (Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 and John F. Kennedy in 1960) won the presidency while losing Ohio.

Federal:

With respect to Federal races, all Congressional incumbents- 12 Republican and 4 Democrat – were successfully re-elected.  Ohio Republican and incumbent Senator Rob Portman easily defeated a challenge by former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland for his U.S. Senate seat. With the Republican party controlling the legislative and administrative branches of the US government, the future of the US Department of Labor overtime threshold rule is in question.  It is likely that we will see some movement by the Trump administration on this rule, especially with the US Chamber, US Manufacturers Association, the National Federation of Independent Businesses and several other public and private organizations weighing in in opposition to the rule.  It is unclear what legislative authority will allow them to do with the rule, but we should know that soon.  We will wait until a little of the dust settles, to consider any changes to OPRA’s position.

State:

Going into election day, the Ohio legislature was controlled in both the House and Senate by significant Republican majorities, with Republicans controlling the House by a 65-34 majority, and the Senate by a 23-10 majority.  Yesterday’s results saw small increases in those Republican majorities.  The Republican majority in the House expanded to a 66-33 advantage while the Republican majority in the Senate will now be 24-9.  The House and Senate majorities expect to hold caucus leadership votes tomorrow.  Speaker Rosenberger and the House leadership team is expected to largely stay the same.  The Senate President and some leadership posts will be changed due to term-limited leaders.  Senator Larry Obhof will likely be voted the next Senate President.  For a Race-to-Race breakdown go to:  http://ohiochamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2016-Election-Report.pdf or http://www.gongwer-oh.com/public/130/govdir.pdf

Ten county boards of developmental disabilities had levy requests on the ballot during the November 8 general election. There were a total of 12 separate levy issues up for vote. Of those, 10 have passed, according to unofficial final results from those counties boards of elections. Two measures have been defeated.

The unofficial results as of 2 a.m. on election night are as follows:

Ashtabula - Renewal - 1.33 mills (continuing) - PASS (69%/31%)

Defiance - Renewal - 1.9 mills (6 years) - PASS (74%/26%)

Erie - Additional - 0.25 mills (continuing) - FAIL (46%/54%)

Erie - Replacement - 3 mills (continuing) - PASS (62%/38%)

Jefferson - Renewal - 1.7 mills (10 years) - PASS (72%/28%)

Licking - 1 mill renewal, 0.5 mill additional (continuing) - PASS (54%/46%)

Mahoning - Renewal - 2 mills (5 years) - PASS (71%/29%)

Marion - Renewal - 0.5 mill (5 years) - PASS (54%/46%)

Marion - Additional 2.25 mills (5 years) - FAIL (41%/59%)

Meigs - Renewal - 2 mills (5 years) - PASS (64%/36%)

Mercer - Renewal - 2.42 mills (6 years) - PASS (70%/30%)

Morgan - Renewal - 1.97 mills (5 years) - PASS (63%/37%)

Cheryl Jacobs

Director of Communications

OPRA

1152 Goodale Blvd.

Columbus, OH  43212

Office: (614) 224-6772 ext. 118

Cell:  (614) 580-1820