The Political Ephemera contains ten campagin buttons from several Ohio politicans including John Glenn, Louis Stokes, Robert Taft, Jr, George Burditt, Howard Metzenbaum, and John J. Gilligan. All but one button for county commissioner were buttons or pins created for senate runs. Buttons from both Republican and Democrat candidates are included. Material is dated 1965-1974.

The Donald E. Lukens Papers, dated 1954-1991 with a bulk of the material dating 1966-1974, contains correspondence, scrapbooks, case files, reports, photographs, awards, bills, political cartoons, requests, pamphlets, and questionnaires regarding Lukens' political career, and to a lesser extent, his personal life. Materials in the collection reflect the multiple roles that Lukens functioned under as a member of the United States House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate. Some materials, such as the bills and subject files, reflect Lukens' role as a legislator as he reviewed political issues and voted on bills. Other materials, such as correspondence, case files and requests from constituents highlight Lukens' role as a public servant. Lukens also engaged in other political activities such as running for office, being a member of the Republican Party and giving speeches at events within his district.

The majority of the collection focuses on Lukens' first term as United States Representative from 1966-1970, and on his time as an Ohio Senator from 1971-1986, with the latter materials focusing mainly on 1973-1974. There are a few scrapbooks that contain news clippings regarding the events that caused Lukens to resign from office, and other files that are about Lukens' 1987-1990 term as a congressman in the United States House of Representatives.