Pink Rose Society

Ohio 2026 Secretary of State Race

An open race for Ohio Secretary of State — the state's chief elections officer — between Republican Robert Sprague (current State Treasurer) and Democrat Allison Russo (former Ohio House Minority Leader). The seat is open because Frank LaRose is term-limited and running for State Auditor.

The matchup

What the office controls

The Secretary of State administers statewide elections, issues directives binding all 88 county boards, maintains the voter-registration database and roll-maintenance ("purge") policy, sets rules on drop boxes and provisional ballots, and certifies results. See Election Administration in Ohio and Voting Rights in Ohio.

Why it matters

For a pro-democracy publication this is the highest-stakes down-ballot race: the winner writes the rules that decide who can vote and how easily, statewide, for years. Part of the Ohio 2026 Elections slate.

Sources