The
Government of Ohio is guarded and established by the Ohio State Constitution. Ohio was part of the Northwest Territory until statehood. It entered the state on March 1, 1803 and was the 17th state to enter the Union. The government of Ohio is divided into three distinct branches, namely the Executive branch, the Legislative branch and the Judicial branch.
Executive Branch of Ohio
The Executive Branch manages the constitution and laws conceded by the legislative branch. The governor is the chief executive officer of the state. The Governor oversees the agendas and maneuvers of state government. It creates the awareness among the state to attract new businesses and controls the stipulation of services by local government.
GovernorThe Governor is nominated for a four-year term and can serve only for two successive terms. The Governor is elected every four years by a plurality. There is no limit to the number of terms that can be served. A governor who has been in office for two terms can be in election again after taking a gap of one term.
Contact DetailsRiffe Center, 30th Floor 77
South High Street Columbus,
OH 43215-6117
Phone: (614) 466-3555
Visit the website of GovernorLieutenant GovernorThe Lieutenant Governor acts as governor when there is a position in the office of governor or if the Governor is not present in the state. The Lieutenant governor acts as commissioner of the Recreation and Tourism, Ohio Department of Culture, and has such other responsibilities and duties as the Governor shall assign.
Contact Details
Riffe Center, 30th Floor 77
South High Street Columbus,
OH 43215-6117
Visit the website of Lieutenant GovernorState AuditorThe State Auditor is the payroll officer and chief accountant. The Auditor promotes the state's financial accountability. The Auditor also promotes transparency in the State’s finances.
Contact DetailsOne Government Center
Room 1420
Toledo, Ohio 43064
Toll Free: 800-443-9276
Fax: 419-245-2484
Visit the website of State Auditor Attorney GeneralThe Attorney General is the chief of the Department of Justice and is the state’s chief legal officer. He defends the interest and rights of the state. He or she has the authority to arbitrate in any civil action in which the state has significance. The Attorney General's office protects Ohio laws against constitutional disputes in federal court.
Contact DetailsOhio Attorney General
30 E. Broad St., 14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Visit the website of Attorney GeneralSecretary of StateThe Secretary of State heads the Department of State and is the state’s chief election officer. He oversees parish registrars of voters, certifies and prepares the ballots for all elections, administering the voter registration laws, administering the election laws, announcing election returns and buying, keeping, checking and maintaining voting machines. The Secretary of State distributes and publishes the acts of the legislature, conserving the official records of the state and keeping the Great Seal and attaching it to official state documents.
Contact Details180 East Broad Street, 16th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215614) 466-2655
(877) SOS-Ohio (877-767-6446)
TTY: (614) 466-0562
Visit the website of Secretary of StateTreasurer The Treasurer is the chief of the Department of the Treasury and is the guardian of state finances. The Treasurer expends unrestricted money as requisites by law and keeps a record of the money. The Treasurer works as the banker of the state and endows amount in the bank that are not presently needed in the state. The Treasurer also acts as primary chief of the State Bond Commission and is a part of the Interim Emergency Board.
Contact DetailsState Treasurer of Ohio
30 E. Broad Street - 9th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Visit the website of Treasurer
Legislative Branch of Ohio
The state is divided into 99 House districts and 33 Senate districts. A new legislative session is assembled every two years on the first Monday in January of the odd-numbered years. The legislature enacts law, and determines policies through these laws. The use of funds to support programs and gathering of state government is a power vested solely in the legislature. House members attend many meetings of their local, civic, religious and business groups.
Ohio House of RepresentativesIn the Ohio General Assembly, each citizen is represented by a state representative and a state senator. They develop solutions to the needs of their districts through legislative action. State representatives work together, balancing the best interests of each state district.
Check out the House of Representatives directory
here.
Visit the website of Ohio House of RepresentativesOhio Senates
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the state legislature and consists of 33 state senators. Each senator is elected for four-year terms. The senate members must be minimum 30 years of age and must reside in the state for 4 years before the election.
Visit the website of Ohio Senate
Ohio Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch consists of District Court, Circuit Courts and the highest court in the State which is known as "Supreme Court".
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Ohio is located in Columbus. The court system of Ohio is efficiently managed by the Ohio Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Ohio. Most of its cases are appeals from the 12 district courts of appeals. The court is responsible to make effective rules and policies for the appropriate working of the entire court system. The Supreme Court takes appeals from decisions of the district courts and it also hear petitions from lower court decisions. It has main authority to take cases against the state and to issue writs of mandamus, review, habeas corpus and prohibition. The five justices together select the chief justice who serves a four year term.
Contact Details65, South Front Street
Columbus, OH
43215-3431
Visit the website of Supreme CourtCourt of AppealThe judge with the longest term of service is named chief judge. Their primary function is to hear appeals from the common pleas, municipal and county courts. Each case is heard and decided by a three-judge panel. There are 68 court of appeals judges. The term of a court of appeal judge is ten years. A person can take the case further and can evaluate it if he/she is not satisfied with the verdict of Circuit Court Judge. A court of appeal has authority of all cases from family and juvenile courts, civil matters and most criminal cases . A court of appeal also has the authority to evaluate and oversee cases which are taken from circuit courts.
District 1District 2 District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9District 10District 11District 12
Ohio State Agencies
Ohio has many state departments and under the leadership of the governor of Ohio, they work for the development of the state. Some of the main state departments of Ohio are:
Ohio Health DepartmentThe Ohio Health Department works efficiently to improve the health and living standards of the community by implementing many health regulating services and policies. The health department also has its sub divisions which provide all vital records and health statistics of the state. The health department also focuses on community and environmental health so that people lives a healthy life.
Contact DetailsOhio Department of Health
Phone: (614) 466-3543
Address: 246 N. High St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
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Ohio Department of TransportationThe Ohio Department of Transportation is the administrative department of the Ohio state government responsible for developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the state of Ohio.
Contact Details
The Ohio Department of Transportation,
1980 West Broad Street,
Columbus Ohio 43223
Visit the websiteOhio Agriculture Department
The mission of the Ohio Department of Agriculture is to protect Ohio citizens by ensuring the safety of the state’s food supply, to maintain the health of Ohio’s animals and plant life, and to create economic opportunities for Ohio’s farmers, food processors and agribusinesses.
Contact Details
Ohio Department of Agriculture
8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-3399
Phone: (614) 728-6201
Fax: (614 ) 728-6310
Visit the websiteOhio Education DepartmentOhio Department of Education is a state agency of Ohio, United States. The department’s mission is to provide world class education and best values to the students to ensure success in education, workplace and in every spheres of life.
Contact Details
Ohio Department of Education
25 South Front Street
Columbus, Ohio
43215-4183
(P) 877-644-6338
contact.center@education.ohio.gov
Visit the websiteOhio Department of Revenue
The Ohio Department of Revenue manages the entire taxation of the state and also attends to the tax payers’ needs and expectations. The department emphasizes in educating the people on taxation and also to provide updated accurate instructions and information on tax laws and policies. The department provides proper guidance on how to file and pay taxes, what to do before tax filing, filing frequencies and due dates, file or amend any returns, late filing penalties, and guidelines on how to apply tax returns.
Contact Details
Ohio Department of Taxation
P.O. Box 530
Columbus, Ohio 43216-0530
Visit the websiteOhio State Police
The Ohio State Police works to protect the lives, property and constitutional rights of people in Ohio. They work toward the safety of the communities, highways and environment through impartial enforcement of the laws of this state.
Contact DetailsOhio State Highway Patrol
P.O. Box 182074
Columbus, Ohio 43223
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