Westerville-area Democratic Rep. Mary Lightbody to resign
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A central Ohio Democratic state representative will resign next week.
Rep. Mary Lightbody, of Westerville and the state’s fourth House district, will resign effective Jan. 9. In her third term as state representative, the former public school teacher will move out of state to be with her family, she wrote in a letter to House leadership Wednesday.
“During the holiday season spent with my family and loved ones, I came to the realization that now is the time for me to turn my full attention to my personal life, specifically my grandchildren, and dedicate my time and energy to ensuring their lives are happy, healthy, and successful,” Lightbody wrote.
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The resignation comes two weeks after Lightbody announced she would not seek reelection in 2024. She emphasized then that she was in good health, again citing her family as a reason for her decision.
Per state law, Democratic House members will appoint Lightbody’s replacement to serve the rest of her term, which expires at the end of 2024. The fourth House district represents Westerville, parts of New Albany, Gahanna and Blacklick.
Originally from east of Cleveland, Lightbody moved to Plain Township with her family in 1988, according to her campaign website. With a doctorate in science, math and technology education, Lightbody has nearly three decades of teaching experience, including eight years at Columbus City Schools and 14 at Ohio State University’s Newark campus.
Ligthbody was elected to the Ohio House in 2018 and since then has focused her efforts on public education, reproductive health and LGBTQ+ rights.
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She sponsored a host of education-related bills, including legislation to establish scholarship programs and pipelines for aspiring Ohio teachers and a bipartisan bill to temporarily authorize people with expired educator licenses to teach K-12 amid the growing teacher shortage.
Lightbody also sponsored and supported bills protecting LGBTQ+ rights, and was a vocal opponent of controversial bills targeting LGBTQ+ youth, including a bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors and another to ban the teaching of “sexuality content” in schools.
“It has been an honor of a lifetime to serve my students as their teacher and my constituents as their representative, both of which have prepared me well for my next role as grandmother,” Lightbody’s resignation letter reads.
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