[1] Under Ohio's first constitution, State Senators were elected to two year terms.

Article I, section 2 and 6 of Ohio's first constitution called for an enumeration of white male inhabitants of 21 years age every four years, with the number of representatives and senators for each county apportioned by the legislature based on this census.

[3] Article I, section 3 called for elections the second Tuesday in October.

[3] Ohio governor Edward Tiffin had been elected to the United States Senate at the conclusion of the previous General Assembly.

Thomas Kirker of Adams County, who had been re-elected Speaker of the Senate, became the acting governor, as dictated by the initial state constitution,[4] and served in this dual capacity the remainder of the General Assembly due to the state's failure to timely elect a successor for Tiffin.