A Democrat, Slesnick represented portions of Stark County, including Canton and Massillon.
When William J. Healy II resigned from the Ohio House to become Mayor of Canton, nine people, including Slesnick, sought appointment to the seat.
He won the nomination with 29.02% of the electorate, and completed the remainder of Healy's term.
[1] In his campaign for his first full term, Slesnick faced Republican Richard Hart.
In the 2010 cycle, Slesnick ran for reelection against Republican Travis Secrest, and won with 62.89% of the vote.