Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo. (Photo by Nick Evans, Ohio Capital Journal.)
Democratic Ohio House state Rep. Allison Russo announced her candidacy Thursday for Ohio Secretary of State in 2026.
This announcement comes a little more than two months after Russo stepped down as Ohio House Minority Leader, a position she held since January 2022.
“I am running because I want there to be trust and transparency in the Office of the Secretary of State, and making sure that voters feel confident that when they go into the ballot box and cast their votes, that their vote matters,” Russo said in an interview with the Ohio Capital Journal.
Russo was first elected as a state representative in November 2018 and her term ends on Dec. 31, 2026. She ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2021, losing to U.S. Rep. Mike Carey 58% to 42%.
“When I think about what is one of the most important, impactful statewide offices, other than the governor, it is secretary of state because the job of secretary of state is to protect the ability of Ohioans to vote,” Russo said. “I am running because I feel that I’m the most qualified to walk in on day one and get the job done.”
Current Republican Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague and retired Air Force intel officer Marcell Strbich are running in the Republican primary for secretary of state.
Bryan Hambley, a cancer doctor with University of Cincinnati Health, is running in the Democratic primary for secretary of state, and will now be in a primary with Russo.
In a release Thursday, Hambley welcomed Russo to the primary race, saying that he’s looking forward to a positive and honest campaign focused on delivering Ohioans a democracy where every community can thrive.
“My fellow Ohioans have told me, loud and clear, that Ohio needs new voices in state government and a less partisan Secretary of State,” Hambley said. “This is why I am running: to make our elections fair and ensure Ohioans can hold politicians accountable.”
Russo does not think the secretary of state office should be partisan.
“My primary focus will be on making sure that people have access to their right to vote, and ensuring that ballot language is honest, it’s transparent, and respects the intent of voters, regardless of how I feel about an issue that has been brought before us by Ohioans,” she said.
The Democratic lawmaker from Upper Arlington supports citizen-led redistricting commissions.
“I do not think that politicians should be drawing our own districts,” she said. “I fundamentally believe that if we’re going to truly have a fair redistricting process, that we have to take politicians out of it.”
Russo served on the Ohio Redistricting Commission with current Secretary of State Frank LaRose in 2023 and has criticized LaRose throughout his time in office — from ballot language to redistricting to the money LaRose spent on the 2023 August Special Election.
“I’ve had a front row seat watching how this Republican supermajority and the current secretary of state have undermined both the voice of voters at the ballot box, but also the will of voters,” Russo said. “I feel that fundamentally, voting is a right, it’s not a privilege, and that power should be restored back to where it belongs, and that is with voters and with the people.”
Ohio 2026 election
Ohio voters will cast their ballot for a new governor in 2026, along with all of Ohio’s other statewide executive offices, as all current officeholders are term-limited.
Dr. Amy Acton, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health, is the only announced Democratic candidate running for governor. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and political newcomer Heather Hill are competing for the GOP nomination. The Ohio Republican Party officially endorsed Ramaswamy in May.
Current Republican Ohio Auditor Keith Faber and former Democratic state representative Elliot Forhan are running for attorney general in 2026.
Current Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is running for auditor in 2026.
A Republican primary for the nomination for Ohio treasurer includes former state Sen. Niraj Antani, current state Sen. Kristina Roegner, former state Rep. Jay Edwards and Lake County Treasurer Michael Zuren.
“I think what we’ve seen with these statewide office candidates on the Republican side is just musical chairs,” Russo said.
No Democrats have yet announced their candidacy in 2026 for Ohio auditor or treasurer.
There is one Ohio Supreme Court race in 2026. Democratic Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner is being challenged by four Republicans — Rocky River Municipal Judge Joseph Burke, former Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Colleen O’Donnell, Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge Andrew King and Second District Court of Appeals Judge Ron Lewis.
The last time a Democratic candidate won any of Ohio statewide executive offices was back in 2006 when Ted Strickland was elected governor, Marc Dann was elected attorney general, Richard Cordray was elected treasurer and Bruner was elected secretary of state.
But that does not intimidate Russo.
“I don’t shy away from hard work,” she said. “I think there is a lot at stake in 2026. We have seen almost three decades of a Republican trifecta, and unfortunately, the outcomes that we have gotten because of Republicans being fully in control of the state have not been good.”
Also in 2026, former Ohio Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown will challenge appointed Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, who replaced JD Vance in the chamber. Husted is seeking his first election to the position.
Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky.
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