Ohio's 3rd congressional district


Ohio's 3rd congressional district is located entirely in Franklin County and includes most of the city of Columbus. The current district lines were drawn in 2011, following the redistricting based on the 2000 census. The district is barely contiguous. In some portions, it is almost, but not quite, split in two by the neighboring 12th and 15th districts.
It was one of several districts challenged in a 2018 lawsuit seeking to overturn Ohio's congressional map due to alleged unconstitutional gerrymandering. According to the lawsuit, "District 3 is shaped like a snowflake and fractures Franklin County and the city of Columbus."
It is currently represented by Democrat Joyce Beatty.

Election results from presidential races

List of members representing the district

Recent election results

The following chart shows historic election results. Bold type indicates victor. Italic type indicates incumbent.
YearDemocraticRepublicanOther
1920William G. Pickrel: 59,214Roy G. Fitzgerald: 59,214Clarence M. Gauger: 6,441
1922Warren Gard: 46,127Roy G. Fitzgerald: 52,111Joseph Woodward : 2,280
1924John P. Rogers: 43,426Roy G. Fitzgerald: 73,513Joseph Woodward : 1,021
1926T. A. McCann: 33,253Roy G. Fitzgerald
1928Frank L. Humphrey: 55,767Roy G. Fitzgerald: 101,050
1930Byron B. Harlan: 62,107Roy G. Fitzgerald: 60,249
1932Byron B. Harlan: 85,069Edith McClure Patterson: 66,107Jere F. Mincher : 4,178
1934Byron B. Harlan: 67,695Howard F. Heald: 56,480Jere F. Mincher : 1,293
Walter Jones : 724
1936Byron B. Harlan: 101,115Robert N. Brumbaugh: 70,023Leonidas E. Speer: 9,886
1938Byron B. Harlan: 58,139Harry N. Routzohn: 73,534
1940Greg J. Holbrock: 103,291Harry N. Routzohn: 93,002
1942Greg J. Holbrock: 48,338Harry P. Jeffrey: 51,477
1944Edward J. Gardner: 104,247Harry P. Jeffrey: 94,064
1946Edward J. Gardner: 65,749Raymond H. Burke: 71,171
1948Edward G. Breen: 110,204Raymond H. Burke: 79,162
1950Edward G. Breen: 92,840Paul F. Schenck: 77,634
1951* Paul F. Schenck
1952Thomas B. Talbot: 107,551Paul F. Schenck*: 112,325
1954Thomas B. Talbot: 74,585Paul F. Schenck: 82,701
1956R. William Patterson: 93,782Paul F. Schenck: 135,152
1958Thomas B. Talbot: 93,401Paul F. Schenck: 102,806
1960R. William Patterson: 102,237Paul F. Schenck: 167,117
1962Martin A. Evers: 85,573Paul F. Schenck: 113,584
1964Rodney M. Love: 129,469Paul F. Schenck: 119,400
1966Rodney M. Love: 53,658Charles W. Whalen, Jr.: 62,471
1968Paul Tipps: 32,012Charles W. Whalen, Jr.: 114,549
1970Dempsey A. Kerr: 26,735Charles W. Whalen, Jr.: 86,973Russell G. Butcke : 3,545
1972John W. Lelak Jr.: 34,819Charles W. Whalen, Jr.: 111,253
1974 Charles W. Whalen, Jr.: 82,159
1976Leonard E. Stubbs Jr.: 33,873Charles W. Whalen, Jr.: 100,871Wilmer M. Hurst: 5,758
John R. Austin: 4,872
1978Tony P. Hall: 62,849Dudley P. Kircher: 51,833Alfred R. Deptula: 2,122
1980Tony P. Hall: 95,558Albert H. Sealy: 66,698Richard L. Righter: 2,903
Robert E. Tharpe: 1,710
1982Tony P. Hall: 119,926 Kathryn E. Brown : 16,828
1984Tony P. Hall: 151,398
1986Tony P. Hall: 98,311Ron Crutcher: 35,167
1988Tony P. Hall: 141,953Ron Crutcher: 42,664
1990Tony P. Hall: 116,797
1992Tony P. Hall: 146,072Peter W. Davis: 98,733
1994Tony P. Hall: 105,342David A. Westbrock: 72,314
1996Tony P. Hall: 144,583David A. Westbrock: 75,732Dorothy H. Mackey : 13,905
1998Tony P. Hall: 114,198John S. Shondel: 50,544
2000Tony P. Hall: 177,731 Regina Burch : 36,516
2002Rick Carne: 78,307Mike Turner: 111,630Ronald Williamitis: 14
2004Jane Mitakides: 116,082Mike Turner: 192,150
2006Rick Chema: 86,389Mike Turner: 121,885
2008Jane Mitakides: 115,976Mike Turner: 200,204
2010Joe Roberts : 71,455Mike Turner: 152,629
2012Joyce Beatty : 201,921Chris Long : 77,903Richard Ehrbar III : 9,462
Jeff Brown : 264
Bob Fitrakis : 6,388

1951 special election

*In 1951, after Breen's resignation for ill health, Schenck was elected in a special election to complete Breen's term.

2002

In 2002, when then-U.S. Rep. Tony P. Hall decided to accept an appointment as a U.N. ambassador, Richard Alan Carne took his place as the Democratic nominee for the congressional seat. Carne lost the race to former Dayton mayor Michael R. Turner.

2006 election

On August 13, 2006, Democratic candidate Stephanie Studebaker— who was the party's nominee to run against the incumbent Republican— was arrested, alongside her husband, on charges of domestic violence. Two days later, she withdrew from the race, leaving the Ohio Democratic Party without a candidate in the district. A Special primary election to select a new Democratic candidate was held on 15 September 2006. Richard Chema won that election with nearly 75% of the vote, but lost to Republican Michael R. Turner in the general election.

2010

Historical district boundaries