Former Provisions of the Constitution of the State of Ohio, 1851 Former Art. II, § 2

Representatives shall be elected biennially by the electors of the respective counties;  their term of office shall commence on the first day of January next thereafter, and continue two years.

Senators shall be elected by the electors of the respective senatorial districts;  their term of office shall commence on the first day of January next after their election.  Approximately one-half of the total number of senators shall be elected for a term of four years commencing on the first day of January, 1959, the remainder to be elected for a term of two years commencing on the first day of January, 1959.  For terms commencing on the first day of January, 1961, and thereafter, the senatorial term of office shall be four years, except that the term of an additional senator provided for in section 6a of Article XI, Ohio Constitution, shall be two years.

In senatorial districts having two or more senators, approximately one-half shall be elected for a four year term to commence on the first day of January, 1959, and the remainder shall be elected for a two year term to commence on the first day of January, 1959.

In single member senatorial districts, the senator in the lowest numbered senatorial district shall be elected for a term of four years commencing on the first day of January, 1959;  the senator in the next highest numbered senatorial district shall be elected for a term of two years commencing on the first day of January, 1959;  and the remainder shall be elected so that every other one, numerically, shall be elected for a term of four years to commence on the first day of January, 1959.

The Governor, Auditor, and Secretary of State, or any two of them, shall ascertain and determine which senators shall be elected to four year terms commencing on the first day of January, 1959, and which senators shall be elected to four year terms commencing on the first day of January, 1961.  The Governor shall cause such determination to be published, in such manner as shall be directed by law.

The terms of all senators commencing prior to January 1, 1959 shall be two years.