2026 Ohio Secretary of State election
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| Elections in Ohio |
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The 2026 Ohio Secretary of State election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the Secretary of State of Ohio. Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose is term-limited and ineligible to run for re-election. He is running for State Auditor of Ohio.[1]
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Robert Sprague, Ohio State Treasurer (2019–present) (previously ran for governor)[2]
- Marcell Strbich, retired Air Force officer and combat veteran[3]
Potential
[edit]- Theresa Gavarone, majority leader of the Ohio Senate (2019–present)[a][4]
Withdrawn
[edit]- Niraj Antani, member of the Ohio Senate (2021–2024), member of the Ohio House of Representatives (2014–2020), and candidate for Ohio's 2nd congressional district in 2024 (running for state treasurer)[5]
Declined
[edit]- Jay Edwards, member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 94th district (2017–2025) (running for state treasurer)[6]
Endorsements
[edit]Robert Sprague
- Labor unions
Marcell Strbich
- Executive branch officials
- Michael Flynn, former United States National Security Advisor (2017)[b][8]
Democratic primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Declared
[edit]- Bryan Hambley, oncologist at UC Health[9]
- Allison Russo, former minority leader of the Ohio House of Representatives (2022–2025) and nominee for Ohio's 15th congressional district in 2021[10]
General election
[edit]Predictions
[edit]| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[11] | Likely R | August 7, 2025 |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Gavarone became Majority Leader in 2025 but has represented the 2nd district since 2019
- ^ Flynn was a Democrat during his time as National Security Advisor, but became a registered Republican in 2021
References
[edit]- ^ Leigh, Harri (February 10, 2025). "Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announces bid for state auditor". Spectrum News. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ^ Balmert, Jessie; BeMiller, Haley (February 5, 2025). "Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague to run for secretary of state, backs Ramaswamy for governor". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
- ^ "Strbich Surpasses $200K Raised in First Six Weeks of Campaign". PR Newswire. July 29, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
- ^ "Republican Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague enters 2026 GOP primary for Secretary of State • Ohio Capital Journal". Ohio Capital Journal. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ^ Glynn, Erin (February 12, 2025). "Former Ohio Sen. Niraj Antani drops out of secretary of state race to run for treasurer". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ^ Pelzer, Jeremy (April 11, 2025). "Ex-lawmaker Jay Edwards enters crowded GOP primary for Ohio Treasurer in 2026". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
- ^ "The Central Midwest Carpenters is proud to endorse Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio Governor, Keith Faber for Ohio Attorney General, and Robert Sprague for Ohio Secretary of State". Cental Midwest Carpenters on Facebook. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ^ Pelzer, Jeremy (November 6, 2025). "Ohioans overwhelmingly vote to fund libraries in wake of state funding cuts: Capitol Letter". Cleveland News. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ^ Wilkinson, Howard (January 8, 2025). "Ohio has its first 2026 Democratic candidate for Secretary of State". Ideastream. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
- ^ Petcash, Doug (August 21, 2025). "State Rep. Allison Russo announces bid for Ohio Secretary of State". WBNS-TV. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Jacobson, Louis (August 7, 2025). "Previewing the 2026 Secretary of State Races". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
External links
[edit]Official campaign websites