Who is running in Lucas County, Ohio in 2026
- County Commissioner
- Lisa A. Sobecki, Laura Brown and Brenden Johnson
- County Auditor
- Katie Moline and Carolyn Munn
- U.S. Senator (special election)
- Sherrod Brown, Jon Husted, Bill Redpath and Greg Levy
- Governor / Lieutenant Governor
- Amy Acton / David Pepper, Vivek Ramaswamy / Rob McColley and Don Kissick / James L. Mills
- Attorney General
- John J. Kulewicz and Keith Faber
- Secretary of State
- Allison Russo, Robert Sprague and Tom Pruss
- Auditor of State
- Annette Blackwell and Frank LaRose
- Treasurer of State
- Seth Walsh and Jay Edwards
- Ohio Supreme Court (term starting Jan. 1, 2027)
- Marilyn Zayas and Daniel R. Hawkins
- Ohio Supreme Court (term starting Jan. 2, 2027)
- Jennifer Brunner and Colleen O'Donnell
- U.S. Representative, District 9
- Marcy Kaptur, Derek Merrin and Kathy McKinstry
- State Senate, District 11
- Paula Hicks-Hudson, James Nowak and Kenneth W. Sharp
- Ohio House District 41
- Erika White and Ian Chamberlin
- Ohio House District 42
- Elgin Rogers Jr. and Robert McMahon
- Ohio House District 43
- Michele Grim, David Karmol and Zach Hall
- Ohio House District 44
- David J. Fournier, Lyndsey A. Stough and Edward L. Schimmel
Lucas County
Ohio county offices are partisan. Toledo's mayor and council, and most township, village and school board seats, are elected in odd years, so none are on this ballot.
County Commissioner
Vote for oneLisa A. Sobecki
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratServed eight years on the Toledo Public Schools board, including as president, and chaired her AFSCME chapter as a caseworker at Lucas County Job and Family Services. Endorsed by the county Democratic Party.
Sources: Lucas County, Lucas County, Lucas County Democrats
Laura Brown
Not enough info RepublicanWe found nothing about this candidate's background or positions. The only Laura Brown campaign site we found belongs to a Pennsylvania township supervisor, not this candidate.
Sources: Lucas County Board of Elections, Ballotpedia
Brenden Johnson
Not enough info LibertarianTold Ballotpedia his goals are fiscal responsibility and electoral reform, and that the two major parties put up roadblocks for other parties. No record in office to judge.
Sources: Ballotpedia
County Auditor
Vote for oneKatie Moline
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratRan the 2024 property revaluation, in which her office handled nearly 7,000 value challenges and returned about $3.8 million to owners, then commissioned an outside audit of how the revaluation was done. Endorsed by the county Democratic Party.
Sources: Lucas County Auditor, Lucas County Democrats
Carolyn Munn
Not enough info RepublicanTreasurer of the Lucas County Republican Party and a longtime county poll worker. No record in office to judge.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia
Maumee City Council (special election)
Not profiledMaumee voters fill an at-large council seat: Philip A. Leinbach or John A. Scott. The race is nonpartisan and we found nothing on either candidate beyond their names on the ballot.
Judges
Not profiledContested: Nedal Adya vs. Lisa D. McGowan for Common Pleas, Domestic Relations; Tom Puffenberger vs. Jaime Agnew for Common Pleas, Probate; Myron C. Duhart (D) vs. CJ Kamm (R) for the 6th District Court of Appeals. Unopposed: Ian B. English (Common Pleas, General), Amy E. Stoner (Common Pleas, Juvenile) and Michael R. Goulding (R, 6th District Court of Appeals). Party is shown where the board lists one. We haven't profiled judges yet.
State and federal
All of Lucas County is in the 9th Congressional District. State Senate District 11 is the only Senate seat on Lucas County ballots this year. The county is split among Ohio House Districts 41 to 44; check your sample ballot to see which is yours.
U.S. Senator (special election)
Vote for oneFills the rest of JD Vance's term, through January 2029. Husted was appointed to the seat in January 2025. Stephen Faris, Anthony Holliman and Timothy Telymonde are registered write-in candidates.
Sherrod Brown
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratJon Husted
Not good people RepublicanEndorsed by Donald Trump, who rallied for him in Vandalia on October 3, and his first ad opens and closes on that endorsement. In 2017 FirstEnergy gave $1 million earmarked "Husted campaign" to a nonprofit that doesn't disclose donors; his spokesperson said the campaign never received it.
Sources: Signal Ohio, WKRC, Wikipedia
Bill Redpath
Not enough info LibertarianA longtime Libertarian Party activist who twice chaired its national committee and has run for governor, Senate and House in Virginia. His top priorities are ending tariffs and cutting federal spending, including corporate welfare and farm subsidies.
Sources: The Ballot Brief, Wikipedia
Greg Levy
Not enough info IndependentA self-described socialist running on a $$30 minimum wage who takes no corporate or PAC money. In October a new super PAC that used a printer tied to Republican and MAGA Inc.-linked consultants spent nearly $$400,000 on mailers promoting him; his campaign called them "a form of digital blackface."
Sources: Spectrum News, Wikipedia
Governor / Lieutenant Governor
Vote for oneOpen seat: Gov. Mike DeWine is term-limited. Governor and lieutenant governor are elected together as a ticket. Four write-in tickets are also registered: Timothy Grady / Andrea Neutzling, Renea Turner / Jalen Turner, Ron Ula / Michael C. Lehnerd, and Heather Hill / Patrick Manley.
Amy Acton / David Pepper
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratLed the state's early COVID-19 response under DeWine, and proposes a child tax credit of up to $1,000 for families earning up to $85,000. Endorsed by the Ohio Nurses Association and the state firefighters' union; Pepper wrote "Laboratories of Autocracy" about statehouse corruption.
Sources: Wikipedia, Ballotpedia, Acton campaign, Leadership Now
Vivek Ramaswamy / Rob McColley
Not good people RepublicanEndorsed by Donald Trump and the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, and calls himself an American nationalist. In August 2026 a federal judge let a whistleblower suit go forward that says he pressured an executive at Strive Asset Management to break securities law.
Sources: Wikipedia, Ohio GOP, Ballotpedia
Don Kissick / James L. Mills
Not enough info LibertarianWants to abolish property taxes on owner-occupied homes and family farms, saying Ohio doesn't have a revenue problem. Mills says immigration enforcement should be civil, not militarized, with a clear path to citizenship.
Sources: Statehouse News Bureau, Village Press, Lima News / Your Hometown Stations
Attorney General
Vote for oneOpen seat. Dave Yost resigned in June 2026, and Gov. DeWine appointed Andy Wilson to serve out the term; Wilson is not on the ballot.
John J. Kulewicz
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratKeith Faber
Compromised RepublicanEndorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, its first Republican pick for this office in 20 years, and by the Club for Growth PAC. On the redistricting commission he opposed the 2024 amendment to hand map-drawing to an independent citizens commission.
Sources: Signal Ohio, Wikipedia
Secretary of State
Vote for oneOpen seat: Frank LaRose is term-limited and running for auditor. The secretary of state runs Ohio elections.
Allison Russo
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratFought the August 2023 Issue 1, which would have made it harder for citizens to amend the constitution, and called LaRose's handover of private voter data to the Trump Justice Department a betrayal. Some voting-rights advocates fault her 2023 vote for Republican-backed legislative maps, which she calls "the best of two bad options."
Sources: Ohio Democratic County Chairs, WVXU, Wikipedia
Robert Sprague
Compromised RepublicanWants to eliminate ballot drop boxes, which his campaign calls "vulnerable to ballot harvesting and fraud," and to add up-front citizenship checks, though noncitizen voting is already illegal and rare. Endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy for governor.
Sources: Democracy Docket, Wikipedia
Tom Pruss
Not enough info LibertarianRunning on ballot access for smaller parties, saying the office "has been used as a gatekeeper for the two major parties." Has run before for Toledo school board, Lucas County clerk of courts and Congress.
Sources: Elections Simplified, Ballotpedia
Auditor of State
Vote for oneOpen seat: Keith Faber is running for attorney general.
Annette Blackwell
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratThe city's first woman and first Black mayor, she took office with Maple Heights in state fiscal emergency and wrote its five-year turnaround plan. Before that she worked on property taxes at KeyBank, Deloitte and Ryan LLC.
Sources: City of Maple Heights, Erie County Democrats
Frank LaRose
Not good people RepublicanGave the Trump Justice Department Ohio's full voter list, private data included, and in 2023 fired his press secretary over social media posts critical of Trump. Said the August 2023 Issue 1 wasn't about one issue, then told a party dinner it was "100% about keeping a radical pro-abortion amendment" out of the constitution.
Treasurer of State
Vote for oneOpen seat: Robert Sprague is running for secretary of state. Both candidates carry a question mark; we lean toward Walsh.
Seth Walsh
Compromised (best choice in this race) DemocratRan neighborhood development groups in Sedamsville and College Hill before council. In 2023 an aide he forced out filed an ethics complaint saying staff did campaign work on city time; the city paid her $30,000 and denied wrongdoing, and we found no ruling on the complaint.
Sources: Campaign site, WVXU
Jay Edwards
Compromised RepublicanVoted for House Bill 6, the FirstEnergy bailout at the center of a $60 million bribery case, though he wasn't accused of wrongdoing. Reported more than 42 gifts worth $75 or more in 2025 from CEOs, fundraisers and lobbyists, then said he never received some of them.
Sources: Wikipedia, Signal Ohio
Ohio Supreme Court (term starting Jan. 1, 2027)
Vote for oneSince 2022 Ohio prints a party label next to Supreme Court candidates and nominates them in party primaries. Republicans wrote that law to help their candidates, and Republican nominees run on it, so we count the Republican label against a justice. We don't hold the label against Democrats, who opposed the change and have to run under it.
Marilyn Zayas
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratThe first person of Latino heritage elected to an Ohio appeals court, she says she will never endorse a political candidate and has taken no corporate money from energy, banking or insurance interests. The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association rates her "Excellent."
Sources: West Chester Liberty Herald, New Albany-Gahanna Beacon, Judge4Yourself
Daniel R. Hawkins
Not good people RepublicanCalls himself a "strong Conservative for Ohio's Supreme Court" and is backed by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce PAC and the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio. The Norman S. Minor Bar Association rates him "Not Recommended."
Sources: Judge the Heads, Statehouse News Bureau, Signal Ohio, Judge4Yourself
Ohio Supreme Court (term starting Jan. 2, 2027)
Vote for oneSame rule as the race above: we count the Republican party label against a justice, not the Democratic one. Brunner sued to overturn the party-label law.
Jennifer Brunner
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratIs suing in federal court to take party labels off Ohio judicial ballots, arguing the 2021 law violates free speech. Founded the Franklin County felony drug court as a trial judge, and won the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2008.
Sources: Judge the Heads, Supreme Court of Ohio
Colleen O'Donnell
Not good people RepublicanHer campaign site boasts that as an immigration judge she "never once granted asylum," and says she is running to "preserve a conservative majority on the Court." Endorsed by the Buckeye Firearms Association, Ohio Right to Life PAC and the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association.
Sources: Campaign site, Endorsement email
State Issue 3
Yes or noWe describe what the issue does and don't make recommendations. It is Ohio's only statewide issue this year, put on the ballot by the Republican-led legislature.
- Issue 3, photo ID to vote: Writes Ohio's existing photo ID requirement for voting into the state constitution. In-person voters would need an unexpired Ohio driver's license or state ID, a U.S. passport, or a military or VA ID. Mail voters could use a photo ID or, where state law allows, a signature plus another identifier. It changes nothing right away, but repealing or loosening the rule would then take another statewide vote. A yes vote adds it to the constitution; a no vote leaves photo ID as an ordinary state law.
U.S. Representative, District 9
Vote for oneA rematch: Kaptur beat Merrin by about 2,400 votes in 2024. Ohio's 2025 congressional map made the district more Republican, and it is rated a toss-up.
Marcy Kaptur
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratEndorsed by the Ohio AFL-CIO, the UAW, the Steelworkers and Toledo Firefighters Local 92. Voted against the 2025 tax-and-spending bill, and for the 2025 Laken Riley Act, which expanded detention of immigrants charged with theft or violent crimes.
Sources: Wikipedia, Ohio Democratic Party, The Ballot Brief
Derek Merrin
Not good people RepublicanIn 2021 was one of about 20 lawmakers to vote against expelling former Speaker Larry Householder after his bribery indictment, and had taken money from Householder's PAC. Trump endorsed him in May, calling him an "America First Patriot"; Americans for Prosperity Action endorsed him October 1.
Sources: 13abc, American Presidency Project, AFP Action, Wikipedia
Kathy McKinstry
Not enough info IndependentRunning as a write-in on "people over parties." We found no specific positions or record to judge.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia
State Senate, District 11
Vote for onePaula Hicks-Hudson
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratVoted against SB 293, which ended the grace period for mail ballots, and against overriding Gov. DeWine's veto of a limit on school and local levies. Endorsed by the Ohio Federation of Teachers.
Sources: Ohio Senate, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Wikipedia
James Nowak
Not enough info RepublicanSays raising taxes is never the answer to budget problems and wants less regulation. We found no endorsements or record in office.
Sources: Ballotpedia
Kenneth W. Sharp
Not enough info LibertarianWe found nothing on his background or positions.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Civoren
Ohio House District 41
Vote for oneErika White
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratVice president of the Greater Northwest Ohio AFL-CIO and former health chair of the Toledo NAACP. Endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Moms Demand Action, the Ohio Environmental Council and Toledo Firefighters Local 92.
Sources: Ohio House, Campaign site
Ian Chamberlin
Not enough info RepublicanRunning on tax relief for seniors, families and veterans and on affordable energy, and has signed a pledge backing congressional term limits. No record in office to judge.
Sources: Campaign site, U.S. Term Limits
Ohio House District 42
Vote for oneElgin Rogers Jr.
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratIntroduced HB 501 to let more wrongfully convicted Ohioans collect restitution, and secured about $1.2 million for Mission Point, supportive housing for chronically homeless people in downtown Toledo. Endorsed by the Ohio Federation of Teachers.
Sources: Ohio House, Ohio House, Ohio Federation of Teachers
Robert McMahon
Not enough info RepublicanIn a podcast clip he says he wants government that "gets out of the way." We found nothing else about his positions or background.
Sources: VoterPac video, Ballotpedia
Ohio House District 43
Vote for oneMichele Grim
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratOn council she led Toledo's medical debt relief program with Lucas County, which has wiped out more than $230 million in medical debt for over 112,000 people, and she is pushing a state medical debt bill. Endorsed by the Ohio Federation of Teachers.
Sources: Campaign site, Ohio House, Ohio Federation of Teachers
David Karmol
Compromised RepublicanCalls himself a "free-market, Reagan Republican" and wants serious jail time for repeat offenders. Endorsed by the Toledo Police Command Officers' Association and the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association.
Sources: Campaign site, Campaign site, iVoterGuide
Zach Hall
Not enough info LibertarianSays he wants safer neighborhoods and protection of civil liberties, and to break the two-party "duopoly." No record in office to judge.
Sources: Libertarian Party
Ohio House District 44
Vote for oneOpen seat.
David J. Fournier
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratOpposes tax breaks for data centers and moving public money into private schools. Endorsed by the Ohio Education Association, the Ohio AFL-CIO, Toledo Firefighters Local 92 and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio.
Sources: Campaign site, Ohio Federation of Teachers
Lyndsey A. Stough
Seems like good people IndependentRunning without party money on lower costs and fully funded public schools. Backs ending gerrymandering, open primaries and ranked-choice voting.
Sources: Campaign site, BallotReady, Ballotpedia
Edward L. Schimmel
Compromised RepublicanEndorsed by Ohio Right to Life PAC, the NRA, Buckeye Firearms Association, Americans for Prosperity and the Toledo Police Command Officers' Association.
Sources: Campaign site, Buckeye Blueprint
Local issues
We describe what each issue does and don't make recommendations. State Issue 3, the voter ID amendment, is covered with the statewide races.
Issue 13, Imagination Station levy (renewal)
For or againstRenews a 0.17-mill countywide tax for the Toledo science center, first approved in 2008. Every voter in the county sees it. The center says it costs $3.22 a year per $100,000 of home value. 13abc.
Issue 8, Toledo Lucas County Public Library levy (additional)
For or againstA new 3-mill tax for library operations, which the library says it needs after the state cut library funding in 2025. Its existing 3.7-mill levy runs through 2027. 13abc.
Issue 9, Toledo Public Schools levy (additional)
For or againstA new 6.9-mill property tax the board says would raise more than $30 million a year toward a $68 million deficit and keep the district out of the red through 2030. 13abc.
Issue 16, City of Toledo income tax (temporary 0.25%)
For or againstA temporary quarter-percent increase in Toledo's earned income tax, expected to raise about $25 million a year for police and fire, neighborhood safety, violence interrupters and blight cleanup. It does not tax Social Security income. 13abc.
Other local issues
VariesToledo charter amendments (Issues 17, 18 and 19); school income taxes in Evergreen (0.25% renewal), Maumee (1.25%), Springfield (0.5%) and Sylvania (1%, paired with a 1.7-mill property tax cut); Sylvania's Resource Conservation and Equal Access Ordinance (Issue 14); charter amendments in Maumee and Oregon; an Oregon senior citizens levy (0.5 mill, additional); a Washington Township police levy (3.25 mills, additional); a Springfield Township fire and EMS renewal; Berkey 911 and operating renewals; the Swanton library renewal; a Monclova Township limited home rule question; and Sunday sales questions for single businesses in Springfield 3 and Waterville 2. Check your sample ballot. Full list.
More Ohio guides
Governor, statewide offices and ballot measures: Ohio statewide races.
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