2026 Ohio Secretary of State election
November 3, 2026
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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
Candidates
Declared
- Robert Sprague, Ohio State Treasurer (2019–present) (previously ran for governor)[2]
- Marcell Strbich, retired Air Force officer and combat veteran[3]
Withdrawn
- 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[4]
Declined
- Jay Edwards, member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 94th district (2017–2025) (running for state treasurer)[5]
Endorsements
Robert Sprague
- Labor unions
Marcell Strbich
- Executive branch officials
- Michael Flynn, former United States National Security Advisor (2017)[a][7]
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Robert Sprague |
Marcell Strbich |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| co/efficient (R)[8] | January 20–22, 2026 | 819 (LV) | ± 3.4% | 4% | 12% | 84% |
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- 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]
Endorsements
Allison Russo
- Organizations
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Declared
- Tom Pruss, nominee for Ohio's 9th congressional district in 2024[13]
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[14] | Likely R | August 7, 2025 |
Notes
- ^ Flynn was a Democrat during his time as National Security Advisor, but became a registered Republican in 2021
- ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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". Central 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.
- ^ "Ohio Secretary of State 2026 Republican Primary". January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "314 Action Fund Endorses Allison Russo for Ohio Secretary of State". 314action.org. January 29, 2026. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- ^ "EMILYs List Expands Ohio Electoral Push with Endorsements of Knickerbocker, Brunner, Zayas, and Russo". emilyslist.org. March 5, 2026. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
- ^ Henry, Megan (February 6, 2026). "Here are the candidates running for Ohio statewide office in 2026 • Ohio Capital Journal". Ohio Capital Journal. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
- ^ Jacobson, Louis (August 7, 2025). "Previewing the 2026 Secretary of State Races". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
External links
Official campaign websites