Ohio State Senate seat · lines in effect since 2024
Ohio Senate District 16
A district of about 371,000 people, 58% of adults with a bachelor's degree. It votes D+21.6 relative to the nation for president.
2024 election
Nov 5, 2024- Beth Liston (D) · won60.3%
- Besa Sharrah (R)39.7%
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 12:13 PM ET
Where it sits among all 33 seats
Every Ohio State Senate seat by partisan lean, from most Democratic to most Republican. Lean is the seat's presidential vote on current lines, relative to the nation.
Democratic
Source: 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET
Every election for this seat
15 races since 1968. District numbers are redrawn after each census: each group is one set of lines.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lines first used in 2024 | |||
| 2024 | Beth Liston (D) | Besa Sharrah (R) | 20.7 |
| Lines first used in 2012 | |||
| 2020 | Stephanie L. Kunze (R) | Crystal Lett (D) | 0.1 |
| 2016 | Stephanie L. Kunze (R) | Cathy Johnson (D) | 18.0 |
| 2012 | Jim Hughes (R) | — | Unopposed |
| Lines first used in 2002 | |||
| 2008 | Jim Hughes (R) | Danielle Blue (D) | 16.1 |
| 2004 | Steve Stivers (R) | Katherine Thomsen (D) | 23.9 |
| Lines first used in 1992 | |||
| 2000 | Priscilla D. Mead (R) | William J. Kammerer (I) | 53.6 |
| 1996 | Eugene Watts (R) | Mary Jo Kilroy (D) | 14.3 |
| 1992 | Eugene Watts (R) | Bonnie Michael (D) | 28.3 |
| Lines first used in 1982 | |||
| 1988 | Eugene Watts (R) | David Lancione (D) | 16.1 |
| 1984 | Eugene Watts (R) | Michael Schwarzwalder (D) | 1.6 |
| Lines first used in 1972 | |||
| 1980 | Michael Schwarzwalder (D) | Fred Morrison (R) | 6.7 |
| 1976 | Michael Schwarzwalder (D) | C. William Brownfield (R) | 20.7 |
| 1972 | Donald L. Woodland (D) | Robert A. Ramsey (R) | 12.9 |
| Lines first used in 1962 | |||
| 1968 | Robert R. Shaw (R) | Thomas J. Zuber (D) | 33.9 |
Won by: the winner's lead over the runner-up, in points of the vote. Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Districts that overlap District 16
The state's districts in other chambers that share residents with this one, and the share of District 16's area in each.
Every race on these lines
Results recomputed from precinct returns as if today's boundaries had always existed, so years compare like for like.
| 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | D+11.1 | No race | D+21.9 | D+10.1 |
| U.S. Senate | R+13.9 | D+22.9 | No race | D+14.5 |
| Governor | No race | D+13.6 | No race | No race |
Outlined: the race for this seat itselfBlank: no race that year
Source: 99chambers results archive: precinct results allocated to current lines; 2026: civicAPIUpdated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Who lives here, compared
Grey bars show the spread of all 33 seats. Small marks are other seats in Ohio. The black marker is District 16.
Highest of 33 seats.
Lower than 88% of seats.
Higher than 66% of seats.
Higher than 69% of seats.
Highest of 33 seats.
Denser than 84% of seats.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current linesUpdated Oct 13, 2026, 5:06 AM ET
Seats most like this one
Nearest seats on demographics, density and lean.
District 2546% college gradsD+32.7Held DDistrict 7
47% college gradsR+16.8Held RDistrict 28
32% college gradsD+11.0Not up in 2026District 19
44% college gradsR+21.0Held R
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, allocated to current lines; 99chambers: 2024 and 2020 presidential results on current lines, relative to the nation (2024 weighted 3:1)Updated Oct 16, 2026, 5:19 AM ET