U.S. citizens registered to vote will have the opportunity to decide on many government leadership roles on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. This ballot guide is intended to give you a better understanding of the candidates for five statewide races so you can decide who you want to vote for. We encourage you to do further research and to also vote for district candidates beyond what this guide provides.
Asian Services in Action is a non-partisan 501(c)3 organization. The guide’s contents are taken from the candidates’ websites or their Ballotpedia survey responses.
Translated versions of the ballot guide are available in the following languages:
Ka'Ren (coming soon)
This project was financially assisted by the Ohio State Bar Foundation. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the Ohio State Bar Foundation.
Governor
A governor is the head of government for the state.
| Candidate Info | Amy Acton (D) | Don Kissick (L) | Vivek Ramaswamy (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running Mate | David Pepper | James L. Mills | Robert A. McColley |
| Background | Acton served as the Director of Ohio Department of Public Health under Governor Dewine. She served as the director of Project LOVE, Columbus nonprofit dedicated to promoting childhood immunization. She’s a doctor and community leader from Youngstown, Ohio. She currently resides in Bexley, Ohio with her husband and children. | Kissick served for 6 years in the U.S. Navy and served in both Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He ran previously for U.S. Senate (2024) and U.S. House Ohio D-5 (2018). Currently, he resides in Ottawa, Ohio with his wife and two children. | Ramaswamy is an entrepreneur and founder of Roivant Sciences (a biopharmaceutical company). He has previously run as a Republican Presential Nominee in the 2024 election before ending his campaign in support of Donald Trump. He currently resides in Columbus, Ohio with his wife and children. |
| Cost of Living/Employment | I will work with our Attorney General to restore the budget of the Office of the Consumers’ Counsel so that we can better protect consumers against excessive rate hikes and predatory practices. My administration will lower costs for Ohio families by expanding access to cost-saving programs such as Ohio’s Home Energy Assistance Program, the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP), and Home Weatherization Assistance Program, and makes sure these programs continue to deliver for Ohioans in the face of attacks from Washington. All additional costs for Data Center construction and maintaince like electricity, gas, water, environmental protection, and other services must be covered by the data centers and investors, and not Ohio taxpayers and communities. | I will simplify licensing and regulation for small businesses, especially gig workers, tradespeople, small businesses, in-home childcare, and other types of local entrepreneurs. We are in favor of the end property tax amendment that’s on the ballot right now and in its place, we prefer to see local consumption-based taxes and because there is no transparency around where the lottery is going (since it's a general education fund), we're thinking it is being used as a stop gap for other areas of the budget. | Slash property taxes immediately to protect families, seniors, and homeowners from being priced out of their communities. Phase out the state income tax—starting with eliminating capital gains taxes—so every Ohioan keeps more of what they earn. Expand natural gas and deploy innovative energy technologies to strengthen Ohio’s energy supply and reduce electric bills for every family. |
| Corruption | As Governor, I will insist on transparency, mandate more disclosure, reform our campaign finance system, and open bidding, contracting, and appointment processes to ensure decisions are made on behalf of the public, and not private interests or big donors. | We want to see no more corporate bribery- for so long there have been corporate contributions coming to politicians from regulated monopolies in utilities, healthcare, telecom, and insurance. We want to ban legislators from becoming lobbyists for 5 years after they’re in office We also want total transparency in government contracts and budgets and to have that information identifiable and searchable in a public database. | |
| Education | As Governor, I will restore public school funding to a constitutional level, get control of the opaque private school voucher system with runaway costs, and use those savings to invest in students, teachers and proven best practices to make Ohio a national leader in education once again. | Raise academic standards with a focus on 3rd-grade literacy, 8th-grade numeracy, and 12th-grade civics. Empower parents with transparency and meaningful choices over where and how their children learn. Pay our best teachers more by rewarding excellence and attracting top talent into the profession. Promote healthy meals and daily physical education so kids can learn with strong minds and strong bodies. Expand career-technical education and apprenticeships to create real pathways to good-paying jobs. | |
| Business/Employment | As governor, my number one priority will be to secure a tax cut for Ohio’s working families to put money back in their pockets, lift families out of poverty, and make sure Ohioans see their hard work pay off. This state has put special interests and wealthy elites before working families in this state for far too long. | (Data Center-specific) We support transparency, private property rights, environmental stewardship, and ensuring that Ohio communities- not politically connected corporations- have the final say over projects that impact their future. | |
| Crime | Enforce stricter bail and sentencing for repeat violent offenders. Back the blue by empowering local police and sheriffs to arrest violent criminals quickly and decisively. Address severe psychiatric illness so officers can focus on fighting crime. Strengthen public safety across the state so families feel secure in their neighborhoods. | ||
| Personal Dignity | All Ohioans deserve to be treated fairly and equally under the law. As governor, I am committed to standing up against discrimination and ensuring that every Ohioan — including members of the LGBT community — receives equal protection under the law. I will push for anti-discrimination laws so Ohioans aren’t unjustly fired from their job or denied housing, other public accommodations, or equal pay because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. As governor, I will be focused on bringing our communities together, not on sowing hatred and division; every Ohioan deserves to live freely and be treated with dignity. | In favor of a state constitutional amendment that protects marriage equality. Get government bureaucracy out of the marijuana industry as the government has continued to try to regulate the profits of only a few companies for distribution. We strongly oppose ICE being that they are an unaccountable federal enforcement agency that illegally detains people without cause, are hidden behind masks, and operate without clear identification. | |
| www.actonforgovernor.com | www.donkissick.com | www.vivekforohio.com |
Senator
U.S. Senators represent the voters of the state to draft and vote for laws, approve or reject cabinet candidates, and conduct impeachment trials for the whole country.
| Candidate Info | Sherrod Brown (D) | Jon Husted (R) | William B. Redpath (L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Brown served at Ohio’s U.S. Senator from 2007-2025. He was a U.S. Representative for Ohio from 1993-2007. Before that, he served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1975-1983. | Husted served as the Ohio secretary of state from 2011-2019. From 2019 to 2025 he served as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. In 2025, Husted was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy left by JD Vance after he became Vice President. | Redpath is a CPA from Findlay, Ohio. He is a nine-time Libertarian candidate for public office. He has been a member of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) for a total of 24 years, including as Chair of the LNC from 2006 to 2010. |
| Priorities | Dignity of work. Ensuring Ohioans get the retirement they are owed, maintaining Social Security, and keeping jobs in Ohio, not overseas. | Put Ohio workers first Bolstering the middle class and creating jobs. Returning power from the federal government to the states and local officials. | Reduce Federal government spending. Open immigration would be the greatest anti-poverty program ever. Free immigration would increase the amount of global economic production. Anti-war in the Middle East. |
| www.sherrodbrown.com | www.jonhustedforsenate.com | www.billredpath.com |
Secretary of State
The Secretary of State oversees the administration of elections across Ohio. They supervise and enforce Ohio’s election laws, help make decisions on redistricting, and work to ensure a fair and free vote.
| Candidate Info | Tom Pruss (L) | Allison Russo (D) | Robert Sprague (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Pruss was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. He works in the printing and marketing industry. He is the Vice President of the Northwest Ohio Polish Cultural Center. | Representative Allison Russo is the former Minority Leader of the Ohio House of Representatives. Allison Russo holds a doctoral degree in health policy from The George Washington University and a master's degree in public health epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She lives in Upper Arlington with her husband and their three children. | Robert Sprague started his political career by becoming City Treasurer of Findlay. In 2007, he would continue to aid the city of Findlay financially by becoming Auditor. In 2011, state representative. In 2019-present, state treasurer. Sprague is the father of five, a member of a church in Findlay, and graduated from Duke as cum laude. |
| Priorities | Protect Ballot Access for All, Government Transparency, Secure Elections Without Voter Suppression, Support Ohio Small Businesses | Lifting the next generation, Community Modernizing businesses, Transparency, Secure elections Democracy, Economic Security | Cutting waste, Eliminate Death Tax, Election Security, Balanced budgets, |
| www.votepruss.com | www.allisonrusso.com | www.spragueforohio.com |
Attorney General
The Attorney General of Ohio is the state’s Chief Law Officer. This position is responsible for representing the state’s public interest and provides legal counsel to state agencies and state Officials. They represent the state in any civil or criminal cases before the Ohio Supreme in which the state might have interest
| Candidate Info | Keith Faber (R) | John J. Kulewicz (D) |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Devoted husband and father of two Now serving as Ohio’s 33rd Auditor of State | Husband and father of two Served on the Upper Arlington City Council since 2020 Husband and father of two Served on the Upper Arlington City Council since 2020 |
| Priorities | Protecting taxpayer dollars, Ending drug epidemics, Supporting law enforcement, Supporting Survivors of Human Trafficking | Lower cost of living, Safety and law enforcement, Transparency |
| www.keithfaber.org/ | www.john4ohioag.com |
Treasurer
The state treasurer is responsible for collecting state taxes, manages state funds, and distributes/disburses them to appropriate purposes.
| Candidate Info | Jay Edwards (R) | Seth Walsh (D) |
|---|---|---|
| Background | He is from Nelsonville, Ohio. He earned a B.S. in mathematics from Ohio University. He started a real estate company that he still manages today. Served as state representative for Ohio’s 94th District (2017–2024). He served as House Majority Whip and later chaired the House Finance Committee. | Cincinnati City Councilmember since 2022. Member of the Cincinnati Retirement System Board of Trustees. Chairman of the Cincinnati Elections Commission and President of the Friends of the Taft Family Legacy Served as Executive Director of the College Hill Urban Redevelopment Corporation |
| Priorities | Protecting taxpayer dollars, Ending drug epidemics, Supporting law enforcement, Supporting Survivors of Human Trafficking | Supports Ohioan agriculture, Investing in public sector employers, Protecting taxpayer dollars, Uplifting neighborhoods |
| www.edwardsforohio.com/ | www.sethwalshforohio.com |
