# Ohio Attorney General

The Ohio attorney general is the chief legal officer of the state of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The current Ohio attorney general is Republican Dave Yost.

## History

The office of the attorney general was first created by the Ohio General Assembly by statute in 1846. The attorney general's principal duties were to give legal advice to the state government, to represent the state in legal matters, and to advise the state's county prosecutors. Originally, the attorney general was appointed by the legislature. With the adoption of Ohio's second constitution in 1851, the attorney general became an elected office. The attorney general's duties were drawn very generally at that time.
In 1952, the General Assembly passed a statute that added to the attorney general's responsibilities, including trusteeship over charitable trusts, and legal advice to more government agencies. The act stated that the attorney general could prosecute individuals only if the governor requested so in writing. Starting in 1954, the term of office was increased from two years to four years.
In 2008 Nancy H. Rogers was appointed following the resignation of Marc Dann. A special election was held in 2008 to find a permanent replacement; then–Ohio State Treasurer Richard Cordray (D) beat out Michael Crites (R), and Robert M. Owens (I) for the position.
The Solicitor General of Ohio is the top appellate lawyer in the attorney general's office.
In November 2014, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine secured a $22 million settlement from the credit score company ScoreSense, which is owned by the company One Technologies. DeWine had filed civil charges against the company along with the Illinois attorney general and Federal Trade Commission. Ohio consumers and state government will receive a portion of the settlement. According to the FTC, One Technologies "lured customers with "free access" to their credit scores and then billed them a recurring fee of $29.95 per month..." Over 200,000 consumers had filed complaints against the company.

## List of attorneys general of Ohio (1846–present)

| Term | Attorney General | Party | Home county | Notes |
| 1846–1851 | Henry Stanbery | Whig | Fairfield | |
| 1851–1852 | Joseph McCormick | Democratic | Adams | |
| 1852–1854 | George Ellis Pugh | Democratic | Hamilton | |
| 1854–1856 | George W. McCook | Democratic | Jefferson | |
| 1856 | Francis D. Kimball | Republican | Medina | died |
| 1856–1861 | Christopher Wolcott | Republican | Summit | |
| 1861–1863 | James Murray | Republican | Wood | |
| 1863–1865 | Lyman R. Critchfield | Democratic | Holmes | |
| 1865 | William P. Richardson | Union | Washington | resigned |
| 1865–1866 | Chauncey N. Olds | Republican | Pickaway | |
| 1866–1870 | William H. West | Republican | Logan | |
| 1870–1874 | Francis Bates Pond | Republican | Morgan | |
| 1874–1878 | John Little | Republican | Greene | |
| 1878–1880 | Isaiah Pillars | Democratic | Allen | |
| 1880–1883 | George K. Nash | Republican | Franklin | |
| 1883–1884 | David Hollingsworth | Republican | Harrison | |
| 1884–1886 | James Lawrence | Democratic | Cuyahoga | |
| 1886–1888 | Jacob A. Kohler | Republican | Summit | |
| 1888–1892 | David K. Watson | Republican | Franklin | |
| 1892–1896 | John K. Richards | Republican | Lawrence | |
| 1896–1900 | Frank S. Monnette | Republican | Crawford | |
| 1900–1904 | John M. Sheets | Republican | Putnam | |
| 1904–1908 | Wade H. Ellis | Republican | Hamilton | |
| 1908–1911 | Ulysses G. Denman | Republican | Lucas | |
| 1911–1915 | Timothy S. Hogan | Democratic | Jackson | |
| 1915–1917 | Edward C. Turner | Republican | Franklin | |
| 1917–1919 | Joseph McGhee | Democratic | Jackson | |
| 1919–1923 | John G. Price | Republican | Franklin | |
| 1923–1927 | Charles C. Crabbe | Republican | Madison | |
| 1927–1929 | Edward C. Turner (2nd) | Republican | Franklin | |
| 1929–1933 | Gilbert Bettman | Republican | Franklin | |
| 1933–1937 | John W. Bricker | Republican | Franklin | |
| 1937–1939 | Herbert S. Duffy | Democratic | Franklin | |
| 1939–1945 | Thomas J. Herbert | Republican | Cuyahoga | |
| 1945–1949 | Hugh S. Jenkins | Republican | Mahoning | |
| 1949–1951 | Herbert S. Duffy (2nd) | Democratic | Franklin | |
| 1951–1957 | C. William O'Neill | Republican | Washington | |
| 1957–1959 | William B. Saxbe | Republican | Champaign | |
| 1959–1963 | Mark McElroy | Democratic | Cuyahoga | |
| 1963–1969 | William B. Saxbe (2nd) | Republican | Champaign | resigned |
| 1969–1971 | Paul W. Brown | Republican | Franklin | |
| 1971–1983 | William J. Brown | Democratic | Mahoning | |
| 1983–1991 | Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr. | Democratic | Cuyahoga | |
| 1991–1995 | Lee Fisher | Democratic | Cuyahoga | |
| 1995–2003 | Betty Montgomery | Republican | Wood | |
| 2003–2007 | Jim Petro | Republican | Cuyahoga | |
| 2007–2008 | Marc Dann | Democratic | Trumbull | resigned on May 14, 2008 |
| 2008–2009 | Nancy H. Rogers | Democratic | Franklin | Did not run in the subsequent special election. |
| 2009–2011 | Richard Cordray | Democratic | Franklin | |
| 2011–2019 | Mike DeWine | Republican | Greene | |
| 2019- | Dave Yost | Republican | Franklin | Incumbent |

## Elections

Elections in Ohio :
Federal government
U.S. President
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
Dem
2004
Dem
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
Rep
2016
Dem
Rep
2020
Dem
2024
Rep
U.S. Senate
1803
1807
1808
1808 (sp)
1809 (sp)
1810 (sp)
1812
1813
1814 (sp)
1815
1819
1821
1822 (sp)
1824
1827
1828 (sp)
1830
1833
1836
1837
1838
1842
1844
1849
1851
1854
1856
1860
1861 (sp)
1863
1866
1868
1872
1874
1877 (sp)
1880
1881
1884
1886
1890
1892
1896
1897 (sp)
1898
1902
1904
1904 (sp)
1909
1911
1914
1916
1920
1922
1926
1928
1928 (sp)
1930 (sp)
1932
1934
1938
1940
1944
1946
1946 (sp)
1950
1952
1954 (sp)
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1992
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
2022
2024
2026 (sp)
2028
U.S. House of Representatives
1803
1804
1806
1808
1810
1812
1813
sp: 3
sp: 6
1814
1816
sp: 1
1818
1820
1821
sp: 4
1822
1824
1826
sp: 10
1827
sp: 8
1828
sp: 6
1830
sp: 11
1832
1834
sp: 1
sp: 19
1836
1837
sp: 17
1838
sp: 16
sp: 19
1840
sp: 4
1842
sp: 16
1843
1844
sp: 10
sp: 21
1846
1847
sp: 7
1848
1849
sp: 6
1850
1851
sp: 6
1852
1854
1856
1858
1859
sp: 14
1860
1861
sp: 7
sp: 13
1862
1864
1866
1867
sp: 2
1868
sp: 8
1870
sp: 10
1872
sp: 1
1874
1876
1878
1880
sp: 19
1882
1883
sp: 16
sp: 17
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
sp: 16
1894
sp: 2
sp: 3
1896
1898
sp: 19
1899
sp: 16
1900
1902
1903
sp: 16
1904
sp: 19
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
sp: 14
1920
1922
1924
1926
1927
sp: 2
1928
1930
1931
sp: 1
sp: 20
1932
1934
1936
sp: 11
sp: AL
1938
1940
sp: 17
sp: 22
1942
1944
1946
1947
sp: 4
1948
1950
1951
sp: 3
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
sp: 6
1962
1964
1965
sp: 7
1966
1968
1970
sp: 19
1972
1974
sp: 1
1976
1978
1980
1981
sp: 4
1982
sp: 17
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1993
sp: 2
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2005
sp: 2
2006
2
2007
sp: 5
2008
sp: 11
2010
2012
2014
2016
sp: 8
2018
sp: 12
2020
2021
sp: 11
sp: 15
2022
2024
sp: 6 :
State government
General elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1803
1805
1807
1808
1810
1812
1814
1816
1818
1820
1822
1824
1826
1828
1830
1832
1834
1836
1838
1840
1842
1844
1846
1848
1850
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
1877
1879
1881
1883
1885
1887
1889
1891
1893
1895
1897
1899
1901
1903
1905
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Complete list
Lieutenant Governor elections
Complete list
Secretary of State elections
2022
Complete list
Attorney General elections
2008 sp
2010
2014
2018
2022
Complete list
State Auditor elections
Complete list
State Treasurer elections
Complete list
State Supreme Court elections
Complete list
State House elections
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
State Senate elections
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2004
Issue 1
2011
Issue 2
2018
Issue 1
2022
Issue 1
2023
August Issue 1
November Issue 1
Issue 2
2024
Issue 1 :
Akron
Mayoral elections
2023 :
Cincinnati
Mayoral elections
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
City Council elections
List of elections :
Cleveland
Mayoral elections
1901
1933
1935
1937
1939
1941
1943
1945
1947
1949
1951
1953
1955
1957
1959
1961
1962 (special)
1963
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1975
1977
1978 (recall)
1979
1981
1985
1989
1993
1997
2001
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
City Council elections
2021 :
Columbus
Mayoral elections
1899
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
1919
1911
1913
1915
1919
1923
1927
1931
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983
1987
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
City Council elections
2023 :
Cuyahoga County
County executive elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
County Council elections
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018 :
Toledo
Mayoral elections
2013
2015 (special)
2017
2021 :
vte :
The voters of the U.S. state of Ohio elect an attorney general for a four-year term. The winning candidate is shown in bold.
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Other |
| 2022 | Jeffrey Crossman : 1,647,644 | Dave Yost : 2,484,753 | |
| 2018 | Steve Dettelbach : 2,021,194 | Dave Yost : 2,226,368 | |
| 2014 | David Pepper : 1,178,426 | Mike DeWine : 1,882,048 | |
| 2010 | Richard Cordray : 1,772,728 | Mike DeWine : 1,821,414 | Marc Allan Feldman (Libertarian) : 107,521 Robert M. Owens (Constitution) : 130,065 |
| 2008 | Richard Cordray : 2,890,953 | Michael Crites : 1,956,252 | Robert M. Owens (I) : 246,002 |
| 2006 | Marc Dann: 2,035,825 | Betty D. Montgomery: 1,833,846 | |
| 2002 | Leigh Herington: 1,123,318 | James M. Petro: 2,007,411 | |
| 1998 | Richard Cordray: 1,240,102 | Betty D. Montgomery: 2,037,864 | |
| 1994 | Lee Fisher: 1,625,247 | Betty D. Montgomery: 1,716,451 | |
| 1990 | Lee Fisher: 1,680,698 | Paul E. Pfeifer: 1,679,464 | |
| 1986 | Anthony J. "Tony" Celebrezze Jr.: 1,821,587 | Barry Levey: 1,222,102 | |
| 1982 | Anthony J. "Tony" Celebrezze Jr.: 2,036,243 | Charles R. Saxbe: 1,203,797 | James L. Schuller: (Libertarian): 81,974 |
| 1978 | William J. Brown: 1,700,262 | George Curtis Smith: 968,220 | |
| 1974 | William J. Brown: 1,645,933 | George Curtis Smith: 1,140,556 | |
| 1970 | William J. Brown: 1,613,926 | John D. Herbert: 1,297,419 | Al Budka (WI): 94 |
| 1966 | Robert E. Sweeney: 1,233,805 | William B. Saxbe: 1,522,038 | |
| 1962 | Robert E. Sweeney: 198,800 | William B. Saxbe | |
| 1958 | Mark McElroy: 1,561,575 | William B. Saxbe: 1,466,881 | |
| 1956 | Stephen M. Young: 1,559,742 | William B. Saxbe: 1,719,620 | |
| 1954 | Paul F. Ward: 1,051,364 | C. William O'Neill: 1,335,557 | |
| 1952 | Paul F. Ward: 1,373,114 | C. William O'Neill: 1,871,200 | |
| 1950 | Herbert S. Duffy: 1,246,076 | C. William O'Neill: 1,406,358 | |
| 1948 | Herbert S. Duffy: 1,433,565 | Hugh S. Jenkins: 1,349,516 | |
| 1946 | Harry T. Marshall:134,829 | Hugh S. Jenkins: 173,107 | |
| 1944 | George A. Hurley: 1,407,207 | Hugh S. Jenkins: 1,473,180 | |
| 1942 | Herbert S. Duffy: 665,131 | Thomas J. Herbert: 983,732 | |
| 1940 | George D. Nye: 1,401,627 | Thomas J. Herbert: 1,552,462 | |
| 1926 | Charles B. Zimmerman | Edward C. Turner | |
| 1922 | Stephen M. Young : 744,693 | Charles C. Crabbe : 780,192 | |
| 1920 | Joseph McGhee : 824,172 | John G. Price : 1,058,561 | Joseph W. Sharts : 44,180 George Edwards : 1,720 |
| 1916 | Joseph McGhee : 558,719 | Edward C. Turner : 549,169 | Jacob L. Bachman : 38,432 George Hawke : 6,839 |
| 1912 | Timothy S. Hogan | Freeman T. Eagleson | Robert R. Nevin (Progressive) |
| 1910 | Timothy S. Hogan | Ulysses G. Denman | |
| 1908 | Timothy S. Hogan : 521,819 | Ulysses G. Denman : 551,084 | John C. Madden (Soc) : 31,804 George S. Hawke (Pro) : 10,854 John P. Turner (Ind) : 586 Joseph A. Meyer (Peo) : 178 Max Eisenberg (Soc Lab) : 851 |
| 1905 | James A. Rice : 418,954 | Wade H. Ellis : 461,402 | John C. Madden (Soc) : 18,669 Walter S. Lister (Pro) : 13,636 James Matthews (Soc Lab) : 1,836 |
| 1903 | Frank S. Monnette : 360,916 | Wade H. Ellis : 470,589 | John C. Madden (Soc) : 19,922 Thomas W. Shreve (Pro) : 13,313 Otto Steinhoff (Soc Lab) : 2,145 |
| 1901 | W. B. McCarty | John M. Sheets | |
| 1899 | William H. Dore | John M. Sheets | |
| 1897 | William H. Dore : 401,338 | Frank S. Monnette : 427,337 | Olin J. Ross : 7,585 Cyrus A. Reider : 5,935 Daniel Wilson : 1,512 Charles F. Armistead : 453 John W. Roseborough : 3,112 |
| 1895 | George A. Fairbanks 329,252 | Frank S. Monnette 427,485 | |
| 1893 | John P. Bailey 346,707 | John K. Richards 422,449 | |
| 1891 | John P. Bailey 345,245 | John K. Richards 373,816 | |
| 1889 | Jesse M. Lewis 373,335 | David K. Watson 377,140 | |
| 1887 | William H. Leete 327,551 | David K. Watson 357,433 | |
| 1885 | James Lawrence 341,762 | Jacob A. Kohler 360,802 | |
| 1883 | James Lawrence 360,184 | Moses B. Earnhart 347,589 | |
| 1881 | Frank C. Daugherty 287,470 | George K. Nash 315,655 | |
| 1879 | Isaiah Pillars 316,778 | George K. Nash 336,100 | |
| 1877 | Isaiah Pillars 269,506 | George K. Nash 252,155 | |
| 1875 | Thomas E. Powell 292,487 | John Little 296,858 | |
| 1873 | Michael A. Daugherty 213,413 | John Little 213,983 | |
| 1871 | Edward S. Wallace 218,077 | Francis Bates Pond 237,718 | |
| 1869 | John M. Connell 227,903 | Francis Bates Pond 235,285 | |
| 1867 | Frank H. Hurd : 240,847 | William H. West : 243,449 | |
| 1865 | David M. Wilson : 193,466 | William H. West : 225,278 | |
| 1864 | Lyman R. Critchfield : 183,747 | William P. Richardson : 238,104 | |
| 1862 | Lyman R. Critchfield : 183,232 | Chauncey N. Olds : 178,855 | |
| 1860 | David W. Stambaugh : 189,999 | James Murray : 215,277 | |
| 1858 | Durbin Ward : 162,136 | Christopher Wolcott : 182,985 | |
| 1856 | Samuel M. Hart : 154,313 | Christopher Wolcott : 176,155 | John M. Buselfreed (American) 23,095 |
| 1855 | George W. McCook : 132,216 | Francis D. Kimball : 168,868 | |
| 1853 | George W. McCook : 149,957 | Cooper K. Watson (Free Soil) : 35,504 | William Harvey Gibson (Whig) : 97,394 |
| 1851 | George E. Pugh : 147,059 | William A. Rogers (Free Soil) : 12,883 | Henry Stanbery (Whig) : 119,429 |