The following is a history of the political composition of the Ohio General Assembly from 1900 through 2006. In only a single session did a third party seat more than two members and that came in the 1913-1914 session when the Progressive Party won three House seats. According to historical documents of the House, political affiliations of members began with the 77th Session in 1906-1907. The 1906-1908 period was one of transition to accommodate election law revisions that, among other changes, provided for elections in even, rather than odd-numbered years. Footnotes appear at the end of this document.

SESSION	HOUSE	SENATE
1900-1901	R-65; D-45	R-19; D-11; I-1
1902-1903	R-68; D-42	R-21; D-12
1904-1905	R-88; D-22	R-29; D-4
1906-1907	R-62; D-57; I-2	R-18; D-18; I-1 (Republican Lt. Governor)
1908	R-62; D-57; I-2	R-18; D-18; I-1 (Republican Lt. Governor)
1909-1910	R-71; D-46	R-18; D-18; I-1 (Republican Lt. Governor)
1911-1912	D-70; R-49	D-19; R-15
1913-1914	D-87; R-33; P-3	D-26; R-7
1915-1916	R-72; D-50; P-1	R-20; D-13
1917-1918	D-72; R-56	D-25; R-11
1919-1920	R-77; D-47	R-21; D-12
1921-1922(1)	R-113; D-12	R-36; D-1
1923-1924	R-103; D-27	R-31; D-4
1925-1926	R-110; D-20	R-33; D-2
1927-1928	R-103; D-33	R-35; D-2
1929-1930	R-122; D-11	R-31; D-0
1931-1932	R-70; D-58	R-18; D-14
1933-1934	D-84; R-51	D-16; R-16 (Democratic Lt. Governor)
1935-1936	R-68; D-67	D-19; R-13
1937-1938	D-105; R-33	D-31; R-5
1939-1940	R-100; D-36	R-27; D-8
1941-1942	R-78; D-60	R-19; D-17
1943-1944	R-111; D-25	R-28; D-5
1945-1946	R-89; D-47	R-20; D-13
1947-1948	R-123; D-16	R-32; D-4
1949-1950	D-69; R-66	D-19; R-14
1951-1952	R-89; D-36; I-1	R-26; D-7
1953-1954	R-102; D-34	R-23; D-10
1955-1956	R-89; D-47	R-21; D-12
1957-1958	R-97; D-42	R-22; D-12
1959-1960	D-78; R-61	D-20; R-13
1961-1962	R-84; D-55	R-20; D-18
1963-1964	R-88; D-49	R-20; D-13
1965-1966(2)	R-75; D-62	R-16; D-16 (Republican Lt. Governor)
1967-1968(3)	R-62; D-37	R-23; D-10
1969-1970	R-64; D-35	R-21; D-12
1971-1972	R-54; D-45	R-20; D-13
1973-1974	D-58; R-41	R-17; D-16
1975-1976	D-59; R-40	D-21; R-12
1977-1978(4)	D-62; R-37	D-21; R-12
1979-1980	D-62; R-37	D-18; R-15
1981-1982(5)	D-56; R-43	R-18; D-15
1983-1984	D-62; R-37	D-17; R-16
1985-1986	D-59; R-40	R-18; D-15
1987-1988	D-60; R-39	R-18; D-15
1989-1990	D-59; R-40	R-19; D-14
1991-1992(6)	D-61; R-38	R-21; D-12
1993-1994	D-53; R-46	R-20; D-13
1995-1996(7)	R-56; D-42; I-1	R-20; D-13
1997-1998	R-60; D-39	R-21; D-12
1999-2000	R-59; D-40	R-21; D-12
2001-2002	R-59; D-40	R-21; D-12
2003-2004	R-62; D-37	R-22; D-11
2005-2006(8)	R-60; D-39	R-22; D-11

FOOTNOTES:

1. In 1921, Ohio voters rejected a constitutional amendment proposed by the General Assembly providing for the creation of 26 Senate districts.
   
2. In May 1965, Ohio voters rejected a constitutional amendment proposed by the General Assembly providing for the apportionment of the Ohio Senate and House districts.
   
3. In 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its historic "one man, one vote" decision regarding methods used by the states to apportion legislative districts. This decision and its progeny had the practical effect of barring single county legislative districts which were used in Ohio and other states, including Tennessee, the state that was the focus of the Supreme Court's ruling. In May 1967, Ohio voters rejected a constitutional amendment proposed by the General Assembly providing for the apportionment of the Ohio Senate and House districts. The proposed amendment was revised and then resubmitted to voters at the November 1967 General Election where it was adopted. The amendment created the Ohio Apportionment Board as it presently exists to draw the 33 Senate and 99 House districts based largely upon the state's population.
   
4. Ohio's lieutenant governor served as presiding officer of the Ohio Senate through 1978, but could vote only to break tie votes. Former Lieutenant Governor Richard F. Celeste, who went on to serve as governor, was the last lieutenant governor to preside over the Senate and was the last to cast a tie-breaking vote. In June 1976, Ohio voters adopted an amendment (SJR 4, 111th General Assembly) to the Ohio Constitution removing the lieutenant governor as the presiding officer of the Senate. The 112th General Assembly enacted legislation (SB 115) implementing the amendment, effective with the beginning of the 113th General Assembly (1979-1980). Since that time the Senate has elected its own presiding officer, traditionally a member of the majority party caucus.
   
5. In November 1981, Ohio voters rejected an amendment to the Ohio Constitution creating a commission that would have responsibility for apportioning the 132 legislative districts. The proposed amendment was placed on the ballot by a successful initiative petition effort undertaken by an organization that was described as being backed largely by Republican-oriented interests.
   
6. In November 1992, Ohio voters adopt amendments to the Ohio Constitution imposing term limits on Ohio General Assembly members and Ohio's Congressional delegation. The limit for Senate members is two consecutive four-year terms and four consecutive two-year terms for House members. The Congressional term limit, however, was invalidated after Congressional representatives secured an U.S. Supreme Court ruling holding that citizens do not have the right to impose such limits.
   
7. The Independent was C.J. Prentiss of Cleveland in the 8th House District. Ms. Prentiss, a Democrat, was forced to seek election as an Independent after questions arose regarding her nominating petitions in the 1994 primary election. She withdrew from the Democratic primary and ran as an Independent in the November general election that year. Although elected as an Independent, she aligned herself with the Democratic caucus during the 1995-1996 legislative term.
8. Rep. Derrick Seaver of the 78th House District, was elected as a Democrat in Nov. 2004 but announced shortly after that he was changing parties to become a Republican.