Across Ohio, just 45 people who are out and identify as LGBTQ hold elected government positions but none of them are in statewide or congressional posts, according to a new national report.
LGBTQ+ Victory Institute reported that 1,333 officeholders across the country identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. That’s an increase of 200% over the eight years that the institute has been collecting data.
But it is a small slice of the 520,000 elected offices across the country. To reach parity, another 47,000 LGBTQ people would need to be elected, the institute estimates.
The LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, founded in 1991, endorses and supports candidates for elected offices.
“This year’s Out for America report shows the resilience of our LGBTQ+ elected leaders. Despite hateful rhetoric plaguing the 2024 election cycle, LGBTQ+ elected officials won at the ballot box and made history,” said LGBTQ+ Victory Institute President & CEO Evan Low in a written statement.
Ohio’s neighbors Michigan and Pennsylvania have 62 and 66 LGBTQ officeholders, respectively. Kentucky has 13, West Virginia six and Indiana one.
Most of Ohio’s 45 out elected officeholders are serving in local government positions, such as school boards and city councils.
Nationally, the number of LGBTQ+ state legislators has grown by 123% from 109 to 243. But the Ohio Legislature hasn’t seen any increase.
Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, was the first out LGBTQ person elected to the Ohio General Assembly in 2010. She is the only out person among the 132 state lawmakers.
Antonio has introduced the Ohio Fairness Act in every legislative session since 2011. It would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, employment and public spaces. It has yet to be adopted.
The Victory Institute reported that Ohio has four out LGBTQ judges among more than 700 judgeships. The four include: Shawn Dingus of the 10th District Court of Appeals, Bill Hedrick of Franklin County Municipal Court, Jeff Mackey of Franklin County Common Pleas Court and Mary Wiseman of Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
Wiseman was elected to the bench in 2007 and previously served on the Dayton City Commission from 1998 to 2002.
State government reporter Laura Bischoff can be reached at lbischoff@gannett.com and @lbischoff on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Report: Ohio has 45 out LGBTQ people in elected offices but none at the top levels
Reporting by Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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