Women in the Ohio State Legislature
Students Interview State Senator Nickie Antonio
In an interview conducted by BW students, State Representative Nickie Antonio talks about the impact of having more women in public office.
Highlights in the History of Women in the State Legislature
Maude Comstock Waitt
Maude Comstock Waitt was one of the first of two women elected to the Ohio Senate in 1922 and served until 1930 representing Cuyahoga County. According to Waitt, "Politics is a great game, better than bridge."
Photo: Ohio Ladies Gallery
Nettie MacKenzie Clapp
Nettie MacKenzie Clapp was one of the first of four women elected to the Ohio House in 1922 and served until 1930 representing Cuyahoga County. She chaired the House Committee on Universities and Colleges.
Photo: Cleveland Public Library
Margaret Mahoney
After 2 terms in the House, Margaret Mahoney served in the Senate from 1943 to 1950 and was the first woman to serve in a Senate leadership position. In 1949, she was elected majority leader. Once criticized for venturing outside a woman's proper place, she offered to quit if someone would marry her.
Photo: Columbus Citizen-Journal/photohio.org
Catherine Dobbs
Catherine Dobbs served one term in the Ohio Senate from 1949-50. She then served 3 terms as the mayor of Barberton. During her entire political career, the media fixated on her wardrobe, repeatedly commenting on her "Pilgrim Style".
Photo: Ohio Ladies Gallery
Ethel Swanbeck
Ethel Swanbeck holds the record for the longest continuous service in the House. She served from 11 terms (22 years) from 1955-76. After her retirement, the seat was held by a woman until 1994, when Katherine Walsh lost to a male candidate by 12 votes.
Photo: Columbus Citizen-Journal/photohio.org
Clara Weisenborn
Clara Weisenborn is one of only a handful of women to serve in both the House (1953-66) and Senate (1967-74). She chaired the Senate Education Committee, making her one of the few women to ever chair a standing committee.
Photo: Ohio History Connection/Columbus Citizen-Journal
Gertrude Polcar
Like many of the women in state legislature, Gertrude Polcar was a city council member prior to her service in the House (1969-71). She said, "The time has come for women to get off their verandas and make policy decisions."
Photo: Cleveland Public Library
Helen Rankin
In 1978, Helen Rankin became the first Black woman to serve in the Ohio Legislature. She was appointed after the death of her husband and served until 1994.
Photo: Ohio Ladies Gallery
Francine Panehal and Donna Pope
In 1979, the first women served in the House leadership: Francine Panehal (left) as majority whip and Donna Pope (right) as minority whip.
Photos: Columbus Citizen-Journal/photohio.org (left) and Cleveland Public Library (right)
Marigene Valiquette
Marigene Valiquette holds the record from longest service: 3 terms in the House (1963-69) and 4 1/2 terms in the Senate (1969-86), for a total of 24 years. She is responsible for pushing the ERA through the Senate, making Ohio the 33rd state to ratify the constitutional amendment.
Photo: Ohio History Connection/Columbus Citizen-Journal
Rhine McLin
In 1994, Rhine McLin was the first Black woman elected to the Senate and served 2 terms. She then became the first woman mayor of Dayton.
Photo: Ohio Ladies Gallery
Jo Ann Davidson
In 1995, Jo Ann Davidson became the first female speaker of the House. During her 20 years in the House (1981-2000), she also served as minority whip and majority leader. She began her political career in 1967 on the Reynoldsburg City Council. In 2011, at the age of 84, she was appointed as the first chair of the Ohio Casino Control Board.
Photo: Ohio Ladies Gallery
Nickie Antonio
In 2011, Nickie Antonio became the first openly LGBTQ+ person in state legislature. After 4 terms in the House, she successfully ran for Senate and was elected Minority Leader in 2023.
Photo: Office of Rep Antonio
Christina Hagan
In 2011, Christina Hagan became the youngest woman to ever serve in the state legislature, at age 22. She was appointed to the House while she was a senior at Malone University. She had her first child in 2015, making her one of a handful of women to have a baby while serving in the legislature.
Photo: Ohio House
Janine Boyd and Stephanie Howse
In 2014, Janine Boyd (left) and Stephanie Howse (right) become the first daughters to follow their mothers into the state legislature. Janine is the daughter of Barbara Boyd (1993-2000; 2007-14) and Stephanie is the daughter of Annie Key (2001-2006).
Photos: Ohio House
Munira Abdullahi
In 2022, Munira Abdullahi became the first Muslim woman to serve in the state legislature.
Photo: Office of Rep Abdullahi
Things to know about Ohio's state legislature
The 99 state house members serve 2-year terms, limited to 4 terms.
The 33 state senators serve 4-year terms, limited to 2 terms. Senate elections are staggered, with half of the seats up for election every 2 years. Prior to 1956, Senate terms were 2 years.
The Legislature passed term limits in 1992, with the first legislators termed out in 2000.
Legislators resigning prior to the end of their term is not uncommon. Vacancies are filled by appointment.
Prior to 1966, the size of the Ohio House and Senate varied. Apportionment and the number of legislators was based on a complex formula that combined counties and population; this avoided the problem of partisan gerrymandering but did cause substantial malapportionment. After the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions regarding apportionment in the 1960s, Ohio adopted the current single-member district system it currently uses.
Source and Resources
Gold, David. 2009. Democracy in Session: A History of the Ohio General Assembly.
Athens, OH: Ohio University Press.