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Ohio, State Senate, District 21

Ohio State Senate District 21
Current incumbentSandra Williams Democratic Party
Population280,358
Ethnicity51.82% Black (Voting-Age), 6.41% Hispanic (Voting-Age)
Voting age75.83% age 18 and over

Ohio's twenty-first state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Sandra Williams.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 280,358 civilians reside within Ohio's twenty-first state senate district. Ohio state senators represent an average of 349,591 residents, as of the 2010 Census. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 344,035 residents.

About the office

Members of the Ohio State Senate serve four-year terms with term limits. Half of the Senate is up for re-election every two years. Ohio legislators assume office January 1st.

Qualifications

Article 2, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution states: "Senators and representatives shall have resided in their respective districts one year next preceding their election, unless they shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this state."

Article 2, Section 5 of the Ohio Constitution states: "No person hereafter convicted of an embezzlement of the public funds, shall hold any office in this state; nor shall any person, holding public money for disbursement, or otherwise, have a seat in the General Assembly, until he shall have accounted for, and paid such money into the treasury."

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$60,584/yearNo per diem is paid.

Term limits

The Ohio legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Ohio Term Limits Act in 1992. That initiative said that Ohio senators are subject to term limits of no more than two four-year terms, or a total of eight years.

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1992 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2000.

Vacancies

Whenever there is a vacancy in the senate, the members of the senate must vote on a replacement. Only members of the party that last held the seat can vote on a replacement. A simple majority vote is needed to approve a replacement.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Ohio State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for March 17, 2020. The filing deadline was December 18, 2019.

2018

General election
General election for Ohio State Senate District 21

Incumbent Sandra Williams (D) defeated Thomas Pekarek (R) in the general election for Ohio State Senate District 21 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Sandra Williams (D)
87.7
97,282

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Thomas Pekarek (R)
12.3
13,621

Total votes: 110,903
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ohio State Senate District 21

Incumbent Sandra Williams defeated Jeffrey Johnson, Bill Patmon, and Willie Britt in the Democratic primary for Ohio State Senate District 21 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Sandra Williams (D)
59.6
19,210

Jeffrey Johnson (D)
23.5
7,595

Bill Patmon (D)
14.9
4,798

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Willie Britt (D)
2.0
653

Total votes: 32,256
Republican primary election

No Republican candidates ran in the primary.

2014

Elections for the Ohio State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 5, 2014. Sandra Williams defeated Gerald Carver Henley and Willie Lewis Britt in the Democratic primary, while Sikiru Kafaru was unopposed in the Republican primary. Williams defeated Kafaru in the general election.

Ohio State Senate, District 21 General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngSandra Williams 86.7% 64,579
Republican Sikiru Kafaru 13.3% 9,938
Total Votes 74,517

Ohio State Senate, District 21 Democratic Primary, 2014

2010

Elections for the office of Ohio State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 4, 2010, and a general election on November 2, 2010. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 18, 2010. Incumbent Shirley Smith (D) defeated Burrell Jackson (R) in the general election. Both candidates were unopposed in the May 4 primary elections.

Ohio State Senate, District 21, General Election, 2010

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngShirley Smith Incumbent 84.4% 55,836
Republican Burrell Jackson 15.6% 10,321
Total Votes 66,157

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Ohio State Senate District 21 raised a total of $224,353. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $16,025 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Ohio State Senate District 21

Year Amount Candidates Average
2014 $4,974 4 $1,244
2010 $77,859 2 $38,930
2006 $107,112 6 $17,852
2002 $34,408 2 $17,204
Total $224,353 14 $16,025