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Ohio, State House, District 54

Ohio House of Representatives District 54
Current incumbentPaul Zeltwanger Republican Party
Population114,483
Ethnicity9.38% Black (Voting-Age), 4.38% Hispanic (Voting-Age)
Voting age75.58% age 18 and over

Ohio's fifty-fourth state house district is represented by Republican Representative Paul Zeltwanger.

As of the 2010 census, a total of 114,483 civilians reside within Ohio's fifty-fourth state house district. Ohio state representatives represent an average of 116,530 residents, as of the 2010 Census. After the 2000 Census, each member represented approximately 116,530 residents.

About the office

Members of the Ohio House of Representatives serve two-year terms with term limits. Representatives may serve no more than four consecutive terms. 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 representatives are subject to term limits of no more than four two-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

If there is a vacancy in the house, the seat must be filled by an election conducted by House members. Also, the election can only be conducted by the same members of the political party that hold the seat. A simple majority vote is needed in order to approve a replacement.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Ohio House of Representatives 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 House of Representatives District 54

Incumbent Paul Zeltwanger (R) defeated Nikki Foster (D) in the general election for Ohio House of Representatives District 54 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Paul Zeltwanger (R)
60.7
29,316

Nikki Foster (D)
39.3
18,994

Total votes: 48,310
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 54

Nikki Foster advanced from the Democratic primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 54 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Nikki Foster (D)
100
2,908

Total votes: 2,908
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 54

Incumbent Paul Zeltwanger advanced from the Republican primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 54 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Paul Zeltwanger (R)
100
6,660

Total votes: 6,660

2016

Elections for the Ohio House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on March 15, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was December 16, 2015.

Incumbent Paul Zeltwanger defeated Rick Smith in the Ohio House of Representatives District 54 general election.

Ohio House of Representatives, District 54 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Paul Zeltwanger Incumbent 68.09% 37,498
Democratic Rick Smith 31.91% 17,571
Total Votes 55,069
Source: Ohio Secretary of State

Rick Smith ran unopposed in the Ohio House of Representatives District 54 Democratic primary.

Ohio House of Representatives District 54, Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Rick Smith (unopposed) 100.00% 4,981
Total Votes 4,981

Incumbent Paul Zeltwanger ran unopposed in the Ohio House of Representatives District 54 Republican primary.

Ohio House of Representatives District 54, Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Paul Zeltwanger Incumbent (unopposed) 100.00% 17,155
Total Votes 17,155


2014

Elections for the Ohio House of Representatives 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. Rick Smith was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Paul Zeltwanger defeated incumbent Peter Beck and Mary Jo Kubicki in the Republican primary. Zeltwanger defeated Smith in the general election.

Ohio House of Representatives, District 54 General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngPaul Zeltwanger 71.6% 20,043
Democratic Rick Smith 28.4% 7,937
Total Votes 27,980

Ohio House of Representatives, District 54 Republican Primary, 2014

2012

Elections for the office of Ohio House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on March 6, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was December 7, 2011. Incumbent Peter Beck (R) was unopposed in both the general election and Republican primary.

Ohio House of Representatives, District 54, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.pngPeter Beck Incumbent 100% 38,942
Total Votes 38,942

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Ohio House of Representatives District 54 raised a total of $837,445. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $32,209 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Ohio House of Representatives District 54

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $-10,976 2 $-5,488
2014 $195,686 4 $48,922
2012 $114,526 2 $57,263
2010 $127,409 3 $42,470
2008 $33,632 3 $11,211
2006 $30,890 2 $15,445
2004 $50,860 1 $50,860
2002 $209,090 2 $104,545
2000 $86,328 7 $12,333
Total $837,445 26 $32,209