Women in Ohio Statewide Office
Ohio has six statewide executive offices: state treasurer, secretary of state, state auditor, attorney general, lieutenant governor, and governor.
Nancy Hollister: Ohio's Only Female Governor
Nancy Hollister
Ohio has had a female governor - for 11 days. In the 1970s, Republican Nancy Hollister served on the Marietta City Council and became the city's first female mayor in 1983. In 1994, she became the state's first female lieutenant governor, as the running-mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate George Voinovich. In 1998, Voinovich ran for US Senate, won, and resigned as governor on December 31. Hollister then became governor, until Republican Bob Taft, who had run for Voinovich's empty seat, was sworn in on January 11.
Photo: Ohio History Connection
Since 1958, Ohio's governor has served a four-year term, limited to two terms. Like all of Ohio's statewide offices, gubernatorial elections fall in midterm election cycles.
Lieutenant Governor
Beginning in 1978, lieutenant governors and governors ran together as running-mates, serving four-year terms, limited to two terms.
Nancy Hollister was the first woman to serve as lieutenant governor, successfully running with Republican George Voinovich in 1994.
Maureen O'Connor followed Hollister in 1998, successfully running with Republican Bob Taft. O'Connor left the office after one term to serve on the state supreme court.
Jennette Bradley
In 2002, both major parties had Black female candidates for lieutenant governor; Democrat Charleta Tavares, a former member of the Ohio House, who ran with Tim Hagan, was defeated by incumbent Governor Taft and his new running mate, Jennette Bradley, the first and only Black woman to hold the office. In fact, she was the first Black woman lieutenant governor in the entire country. She would serve as lieutenant governor for two years and moved over to the state treasurer's office in 2005. Photo: Cincinnati Inquirer
In addition to 2002, in 2010 and 2014, both parties would have women on their tickets in the lieutenant governor spot. In 2010, Republican Mary Taylor, running with John Kasich, would narrowly defeat incumbent Governor Ted Strickland and his new running-mate, Yvette McGee Brown. Kasich and Taylor would run for reelection in 2014, defeating Democrats Ed Fitzgerald and Sharen Neuhardt.
State Treasurer
Ohioans have been electing the state treasurer since statehood in 1803. The term of office is four years, limited to two terms.
(l-r) Gertrude Donahey, Mary Ellen Winthrow
The first statewide office to ever be held by a woman was state treasurer, when Democrat Gertrude Donahey successfully ran in 1970. Donahey would win two more terms and be followed by Democrat Mary Ellen Winthrow in 1982. Winthrow would also serve two terms and was the last woman to be elected to the position, serving until 1994.
Photos: Columbus Citizen-Journal/photohio.org
Jennette Bradley, an African-American Republican, was appointed state treasurer in 2005 by Governor Bob Taft, after serving as lieutenant governor. Bradley served as treasurer until 2007; she was defeated in the 2006 Republican primary by Sandra O'Brien, who would lose the general election to Democrat Rob Cordray.
Secretary of State
Ohioans began electing the secretary of state in 1852. The term of office is four years, limited to two terms.
Jennifer Brunner
Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, successfully ran in 2006 and served one term. In 2010, rather than seek reelection for secretary of state, Brunner ran for the open US Senate seat created when Senator George Voinovich announced he was resigning. She was defeated by Lee Fisher in the Democratic primary. Photo: Cleveland.com
Attorney General
Ohioans began electing the attorney general in 1852. The term of office is four years, limited to two terms.
Betty Montgomery
Betty Montgomery, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democrat Lee Fisher in a close race with 51% of the two-party vote in 1994. Montgomery held on to the seat in 1998, beating Democrat Richard Cordray by 24 points. After being termed out, Montgomery successfully ran for state auditor in 2002. Photo: Office of Ohio Attorney General
Nancy Rogers
In 2006, Montgomery initially ran for governor, but dropped out, and ran again for attorney general against Democrat Marc Dann. Montgomery's defeat came as a surprise; even Dann admitted that he had not expected to win. Dann would resign in May, 2008, after a variety of corruption scandals. Governor Ted Strickland appointed Nancy Rogers, the Dean of the Ohio State University Law School. After completing the unexpired term, Rogers returned to teaching at Ohio State. Photo: Office of Ohio Attorney General
State Auditor
Ohioans have been electing the state auditor since statehood in 1803. The term of office is four years, limited to two terms.
Betty Montgomery, a Republican who had served two terms as the first female attorney general, defeated Helen Smith, in 2002 to become the state's first female state auditor and served one term.
Mary Taylor
In 2006, Republican Mary Taylor would defeat Democrat Barbara Sykes with 51% of the two-party vote for state auditor. Taylor served one term before successfully running as lieutenant governor in 2010 with John Kasich. Prior to running for state auditor, she served two terms in the Ohio state house of representatives from 2003 to 2006. Photo: Ohio Governor's Office