Ohio Government and Politics

Paul Sracic holds a Ph.D in Political Science from Rutgers University, and currently chairs the Department of Politics and International Relations at Youngstown State University. He is the author of San Antonio v. Rodriguez and the Pursuit of Equal Education (Kansas, 2006) and co-author of the Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections (Greenwood, 1998). Dr. Sracic's articles on American and Ohio politics have appeared in the Washington Post, USA Today, and The Diplomat and on Bloomberg View, CNN.com, and The Atlantic.com. Dr. Sracic is a former Fulbright Scholar in Japan, where he taught American Politics at the University of Tokyo and Sophia University. William Binning, Ph.D., has long been active in Ohio politics and government. Currently Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Youngstown State University in Ohio, he has held both state and local positions in government and in a political party. In addition to co-authoring the Encyclopedia of American Parties, Politics and Elections (Greenwood), he has written numerous articles on state and local parties and elections in Ohio. Most of these appear in The State of the Parties (Rowman and Littlefield), a biennial series edited principally by John Green. He has also written on U.S. Senate and House Elections in Pennsylvania and Ohio in The Roads to Congress (Lexington Books), a biennial series edited by Robert Watson, and published on minor parties with John Green in two editions of Multiparty Politics in America (Rowman and Littlefield), edited by Paul Herrnson and John Green. He was the sole author of a chapter on Third Parties in The 2008 Presidential Election (Palgrave McMillan) edited by Erik Jones and Salvatore Vassallo. He occasionally writes on Ohio politics for the Ripon Forum.

Chapter 1: The Politics of a Purple State "Operation Clark County" Purple State Politics Conclusion Chapter 2: A Brief History of Ohio Ohio's Path to Statehood The Ohio Constitution Conclusion Chapter 3: The Ohio Legislature Origins of the Ohio Legislature Apportionment Candidates and Political Parties Demographics Legislative Term Legislative Vacancies Powers and Structures Legislative Leadership and Politics Legislative Staff Committees How a Bill Becomes a Law in Ohio Legislative Oversight Current Issues Conclusion Chapter 4: The Ohio Executive Branch The Path to the Ohio Governor's Office Ohio Governor's Office The Roles of the Ohio Governor Ohio Executive Officers The Governor's Cabinet Selected Cabinet Departments Selected Boards and Commissions Professional Licensing and Examination Boards Influence of Professional Associations Sunset Committee Conclusion Chapter 5: Courts in Ohio Introduction Magistrates Mayor's Courts Municipal and County Courts Courts of Common Pleas Courts of Appeals The Ohio Supreme Court Court of Claims Judicial Selection in Ohio Conclusion Chapter 6: Local Government in Ohio County Government Ohio Townships Ohio Municipal Government The Process of Incorporation Organizing the Municipality The Path to Local Government Reform Ohio's Major Cities Home Rule Special Districts Public Records and Open Meetings Financing of Local Governments State Fiscal Oversight of Local Governments Conclusion Chapter 7: Financing the State Government of Ohio The Ohio Budget Property Tax The Budget Process in Ohio The Mid-Biennium Review (MBR) Expenditures: Where State Funds Go in Ohio Executive Budget Cutting The Capital Budget The Transportation Budget Budget Execution The Controlling Board Conclusion Chapter 8: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Elections in Ohio Major and Minor Parties in Ohio Party Organizations Party Politics State Parties and Elections Campaign Finance in Ohio Interest Groups Elections Conclusion Chapter 9: Direct Democracy in Ohio The Initiative The Referendum Right to Work Same-Sex Marriage Gambling Redistricting Term Limits Voting Reforms Defining and Controlling Illegal and Legal Substances Conclusion

"Ohio Government and Politics provides an excellent and succinct overview of Ohio politics. This text fills the gap in texts I've been looking for: an explanation of, specifically, Ohio politics and their history, without overwhelming the reader with additional information." -- Robert Leonard "I think this book fills a hole in the textbook world. I was always surprised at the lack of texts dedicated to the politics of a state that plays such a heavy role in national elections. This text seems to fit the bill and fill the gap in availability. It provides a brief, yet comprehensive, look at politics in the Buckeye state." -- Nicole Kalaf-Hughes "Srarcic and Binning offer a well-designed and overdue comprehensive text in Ohio Politics. I find the availability of this text refreshing and exciting. Ohio is an excellent state for a case study comparison to broad national-level conceptions. I would argue that this text would not only be important to those teaching Ohio-specific courses but also state and local and contemporary government courses in many states." -- Nichole Fifer