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Steve Demetriou

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Steve Demetriou
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 35th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2023
Preceded byTavia Galonski
Personal details
Born1989 (age 36–37)
PartyRepublican
United States Military Academy

Steven James Demetriou (born 1989) is an American politician who has served in the Ohio House of Representatives for the 35th district since 2023.[1]

Legislative career

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During his tenure, Demetriou has focused on legislation related to technology policy, fiscal policy, and regulatory frameworks affecting emerging markets. He has sponsored and supported legislation addressing blockchain and cryptocurrency policy, including proposals related to the management of digital assets and the potential establishment of a state cryptocurrency reserve.[2]

As of the 136th Ohio General Assembly, Demetriou serves on the following committees:

  • Development
  • Small Business
  • Technology and Innovation
  • Ways and Means[3]

Redistricting and election context

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Demetriou was elected under state legislative maps that the Ohio Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in a series of decisions spanning February to July 2022, finding repeated partisan gerrymandering by the Ohio Redistricting Commission.[4][5][6][7][8]

Following redistricting by the Ohio Redistricting Commission, Steve Demetriou was elected to represent the 35th district in 2022, which included portions of Summit, Portage, and Geauga counties. Based on combined official county results, Demetriou received 29,260 votes (60.3%) to 19,237 votes (39.7%) for Democratic nominee Lori O’Neill, a margin of 10,023 votes, indicating a Republican-leaning district at the time.[9][10][11]

Demetriou was re-elected in 2024 from the same district, again composed of parts of Summit, Portage, and Geauga counties. Based on combined official results, he received 36,961 votes (52.6%) to 33,375 votes (47.4%) for Democratic nominee Mark Curtis, a margin of 3,586 votes, reflecting a more competitive district compared to the prior election.[12][13][14]

Campaign Finance

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Campaign finance filings from the Ohio Secretary of State show that Demetriou’s campaign committee, Demetriou For Ohio, received significant support from political action committees (PACs), party committees, and other political organizations across multiple reporting periods from 2023 through early 2026.[15] Filings indicate approximately $474,146.26 in contributions from PACs and political committees during this period.[15]

Major contributors included the Ohio Republican State Central & Executive Committee State Candidate Fund ($115,554), Affiliated Construction Trades Ohio Foundation PCE ($31,000), Political Education Patterns ($23,500), Matt Huffman for Ohio ($17,276.59), the Ohio Servant Leadership Fund ($16,615.67), Ohio Realtors Political Action Committee ($16,000), Friends of Bill Reineke ($12,500), Kohrman Jackson & Krantz PLL PAC ($12,500), Sheet Metal Workers’ COPE 33 ($12,500), and the Ohio Wine and Beer Political Action Committee ($12,000).[15]

Filings also show approximately $92,334.51 in itemized individual contributions, all from Demetriou or members of the Demetriou family in the available filings.[15]

Filings further show that Demetriou’s campaign committee made substantial contributions to other Republican candidates and political organizations, including approximately $145,200 to the Ohio House Republican Alliance and $85,000 to the Ohio House Republican Organizational Committee. Additional contributions included approximately $2,500 to Republican candidate Bill Roemer and approximately $1,000 to Republican candidate Kristina Roegner.[15]

Policy positions

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Education policy

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Demetriou has identified school choice as a policy priority. In a November 2022 interview following his election to the Ohio House, he stated that his legislative focus would include expanding school choice options, alongside efforts to reduce taxes.[16]

Tax and fiscal policy

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Demetriou has supported Republican tax and budget measures in the Ohio House. In 2023, he voted in favor of a state budget plan that included provisions for property tax relief and the implementation of a flat income tax structure, according to an official House statement and local reporting on budget votes by Portage County–area legislators.[17][18]

Cryptocurrency and technology policy

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Demetriou has supported legislation addressing cryptocurrency and blockchain regulation in Ohio. In 2025, he participated in House consideration of proposals described as establishing baseline legal provisions for digital currency and blockchain activity, including measures addressing state regulatory treatment of digital assets.[19][20][21]

In April 2025, discussions continued around proposals for a state cryptocurrency reserve, reflecting broader debate among Ohio officials over the role of digital assets in state financial policy.[22]

Energy and transportation regulation

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Demetriou voted in support of House Bill 201 during the 135th General Assembly, legislation that prohibits state agencies and local governments from restricting the sale or use of motor vehicles based on energy source and bars adoption of certain vehicle emissions standards. The bill was considered by the House Energy and Public Utilities Committee before passage.[23]

Voting record summaries

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Nonpartisan summaries of Demetriou’s voting record indicate alignment with Republican caucus positions on taxation, budgeting, and regulatory policy during his first term in office.[24]

Debate over state involvement in cryptocurrency markets

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Demetriou’s advocacy for a state-level cryptocurrency reserve and other crypto legislation provokes concern among some economists, watchdogs, and conservative fiscal-policy voices, who argue that public funds exposed to crypto’s volatility could threaten taxpayer security.[25][26]

Public library funding reductions

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The 2025 budget proposal (HB 96) backed by Demetriou would slash roughly US$100 million from statewide library funding, a move characterized by library administrators as “a threat to all library programs, materials and services.” Critics argue the cuts disproportionately affect rural and underfunded communities.[27]

Criticism over adult-content age-verification requirement

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Under the adult-content age verification law passed as part of the 2025 budget (tied to the Innocence Act), users must submit photo ID or personal data to verify age before viewing pornography online. Civil-liberties groups and some privacy advocates warn this creates potential for intrusive data collection, state surveillance, and inadvertent privacy violations.[28][29]

References

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  1. ^ "Steve Demetriou". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  2. ^ "Legislation Sponsored by Steve Demetriou". Ohio House of Representatives. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  3. ^ "Steve Demetriou Committees | Ohio House of Representatives". Ohio House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
  4. ^ "Revised Ohio House and Senate Maps Still Unconstitutional and Must Be Re-Drawn". Court News Ohio. Supreme Court of Ohio. February 7, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  5. ^ "Federal court intervenes in Ohio redistricting, orders state to implement 'unconstitutional' district maps". The Statehouse News Bureau. May 27, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  6. ^ "League of Women Voters of Ohio v. Ohio Redistricting Commission". Court News Ohio. Supreme Court of Ohio. November 2, 2022. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  7. ^ "Timeline: Ohio's gerrymandered maps and how Ohio politicians defied the court". Brennan Center for Justice. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  8. ^ "Ohio Supreme Court rules legislative maps unconstitutional". Ohio Capital Journal. January 13, 2022. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Summit2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Portage2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Geauga2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Summit2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Portage2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Geauga2024 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b c d e "Ohio Campaign Finance Disclosure Search". Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  16. ^ "Ohio's new 35th District House representative plans focus on school choice, cutting taxes". Ideastream Public Media. November 28, 2022. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  17. ^ "Rep. Demetriou votes on budget plan that delivers historic property tax relief for Ohioans, implements flat tax". Ohio House of Representatives. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  18. ^ "State passes budget bill; Portage legislators vote with party". The Portager. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  19. ^ "Should Ohio embrace digital currency? Lawmakers mull regulatory bill". The Statehouse News Bureau. March 26, 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  20. ^ "Ohio House lawmakers weigh cryptocurrency legislation". Ohio Capital Journal. March 14, 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  21. ^ "Ohio House Republicans pitch state investments in bitcoin". Cleveland.com. January 2025. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  22. ^ "Ohio treasurer not sold on state cryptocurrency strategic reserve idea". The Statehouse News Bureau. April 28, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
  23. ^ "House Bill 201". Ohio Legislature. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  24. ^ "Steve Demetriou's Political Summary". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  25. ^ "Ohio House lawmakers weigh cryptocurrency legislation". Ohio Capital Journal. March 14, 2025. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  26. ^ "Some Ohio Republicans want to invest your tax dollars in crypto". Signal Ohio. October 20, 2025. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  27. ^ "County Library Braces for Proposed $100M Funding Cut". Geauga Maple Leaf. April 8, 2025. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  28. ^ "Ohio Republicans pass pornography age verification ID law as part of state budget". Ohio Capital Journal. July 16, 2025. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  29. ^ "Incoming age verification law for adult content may prompt backlash". Yahoo News. September 26, 2025. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
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