COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio has 533 Black elected officials serving at local, county and state levels, according to a new directory compiled by the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus and its foundation. The listing also highlights a stark geographic gap: 51 of the state’s 88 counties have no Black elected officials. The directory is intended to help residents identify Black officials and show where representation exists across government. The state does not track elected officials by race, according to the caucus and foundation. Organizers say voters have long asked for information about how many Black Ohioans hold public office. The figures point to underrepresentation in some of the most powerful offices. Political consultant Emily Quick Schriver said Black Ohioans make up about 1.8 million residents and that representation in the state Legislature aligns with their share of the population. But she noted that no person of color holds a statewide elected executive office or sits on the Ohio Supreme Court. Black representation is also limited in countywide posts such as prosecutor, sheriff, coroner and auditor, said Shayla Davis, president of the OLBC Foundation. She said the directory could help make public service seem attainable, particularly in counties where residents may not see Black officials in office. State Sen. Willis Blackshear Jr., a Dayton Democrat, said constituents have asked for this kind of information and that many people do not know who represents them at the local, county or state level. His father served for a decade as Montgomery County recorder and, at the time, was the county’s only Black countywide elected official. Blackshear said the directory could help young people see that elected office is within reach. Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President Terrence Upchurch, a Cleveland Democrat, described the directory as a tool for connecting and mobilizing Black lawmakers to support communities facing affordability challenges and inequities in health care. Davis said the directory will be updated after each election. It also includes some Black officials appointed to positions that are elected in other parts of the state. The directory is available at directory.olbcfoundation.org.