2026 is an important election year for the future of American energy. The results from this year’s election will chart the course for Ohio’s energy producers and associated industries. At stake is control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Ohio’s five statewide offices, the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives, and Ohio’s Supreme Court.

 

OOGA will be providing election and voting information to the membership over the next several weeks as we count down to the election.

 

Here is a short preview of what is at stake for members:

 

Ohio Governor

Democratic:   Dr. Amy Acton

 

Republican:   Vivek Ramaswamy

 

Analysis: The 2026 Ohio gubernatorial race features a tight contest between Democratic nominee Dr. Amy Acton and Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy, showcasing a sharp clash of backgrounds, economic visions, and campaign strategies to succeed term-limited GOP Governor Mike DeWine.

 

DeWine, a Republican, appointed Acton director of the Ohio Department of Health in 2019. She is running alongside lieutenant governor candidate David Pepper (D), a lawyer and former Cincinnati councilmember.

 

Ramaswamy is a biotech entrepreneur and ran for president in 2024. He is running alongside lieutenant governor candidate Robert McColley (R), the president of the Ohio Senate.

 

Recent polling indicators show a razor-thin margin, with Acton holding a slight edge within the margin of error.

 

United States Senator

Democratic:   Former Senator Sherrod Brown

 

Republican:   Senator Jon Husted

 

Analysis: Republican Senator Jon Husted and former Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, are locked in a dead heat according to recent polls.

 

The race is expected to be one of the most competitive races of this year's midterms and could end up deciding whether Democrats or Republicans win control of the upper chamber of Congress.

 

Although Ohio backed President Donald Trump by double digits in 2024, Democrats see the race as competitive due to a stronger national environment and the candidacy of Brown, who has won statewide in the past despite the state’s rightward drift.

 

United States Congressional Districts

The majority of U.S. Congressional Districts are considered safe. But several are considered to be in play across the state of Ohio, and there is a newly elected congressman in the 6th District, who needs to defend his seat in the fall.

 

District 1:

Democratic:   U.S. Congressman Greg Landsman

 

Republican:   Eric Conroy

 

Analysis: The redrawn district features roughly a 53% Republican advantage, with the Cook Political Report rating the partisan index as "R+5" (meaning it votes 5% more Republican than the nation as a whole). Because of this, analysts initially categorized the district as a "Toss-up," though more recent ratings lean slightly toward the incumbent.

 

District 7:

Democratic:   Brian Poindexter

 

Republican:   U.S. Congressman Max Miller

 

Analysis: The race for Ohio's 7th Congressional District between incumbent Republican Max Miller and Democratic challenger Brian Poindexter has rapidly transformed from a safe Republican stronghold into one of the country's most volatile toss-up elections. Miller's decision to stay in the race despite escalating personal controversies has significantly lowered his baseline stability.

 

District 9:

Democratic:   U.S. Congressman Marcy Kaptur

 

Republican:   State Representative Derek Merrin

 

Analysis: Longtime Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur is in a race for her political life. Historically, she has outperformed other Democrats on the ballot. Her newly redrawn district has put this longtime Democrat stalwart in a tough battle. Republicans are looking to defeat her for the first time as she has been victorious in every election since 1983. State Representative and former mayor Derek Merrin is trying once again to flip the historically blue seat red this fall.

 

Ohio Supreme Court

There are two seats up in the Ohio Supreme Court. Currently, Republicans hold a 6-1 majority on the bench. A sweep by the Republican candidates would make the bench a 7–0 Republican majority, solidifying a pro-business and judicial-restraint leaning for future high-profile state constitutional, redistricting, and legislative battles.

 

Seat #1

Democratic:   Judge Marilyn Zayas

 

Republican:   Justice Dan Hawkins

 

Analysis: Incumbent Justice Dan Hawkins won his unexpired term in 2024 with 55% of the vote. Marilyn Zayas, who previously ran a statewide campaign for the Supreme Court in 2022, enters the race with prior statewide name recognition and an established voter base in southwest Ohio (Hamilton County).

 

Seat #2

Democratic:   Justice Jennifer Brunner

 

Republican:   Colleen O’Donnell

 

Analysis: Following Republican victories that unseated other incumbent Democratic justices in prior cycles, Brunner enters this race as the final statewide-elected Democrat in a judicial or executive branch post. O’Donnell won a tight four-way Republican primary on May 5, 2026, to secure the party nomination.

 

Ohio Attorney General

Democratic:   John Kulewicz

 

Republican: Keith Faber

 

Analysis: The 2026 Ohio Attorney General election features an open, competitive matchup between Democratic nominee John J. Kulewicz, a prominent Columbus-area litigator and local city councilor, and Republican nominee Keith Faber, the current Ohio State Auditor and former state Senate President. The race is centered heavily on contrasting philosophies of public service, anti-corruption strategies, and state oversight.

 

Ohio Auditor of State

Democratic:   Annette Blackwell

 

Republican:   Frank LaRose

 

Analysis: Current Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell are the major party nominees in the race for Ohio Auditor of State. LaRose brings extensive statewide name recognition to the race, having served as Ohio’s Secretary of State since 2019 and previously as a state senator. For the last ten years Blackwell has served as the Mayor and Safety Director of Maple Heights.

 

Ohio Secretary of State

Democratic:   Allison Russo

 

Libertarian:    Tom Pruss

 

Republican:   Robert Sprague

 

Analysis: There is a three-way matchup between Democrat Allison Russo, Republican Robert Sprague, and Libertarian Tom Pruss for Ohio Secretary of State. Russo currently serves as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives and was formerly the leader of the Ohio House Democratic caucus. Sprague is the current Ohio Treasurer and a former state legislator. Pruss is a small business owner who previously ran for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District. Ohio leans structurally Republican in statewide executive elections, giving Sprague a traditional baseline advantage. However, Russo brings high-profile legislative leadership experience and emerged from a rare, energetic contested Democratic primary.

 

Ohio Treasurer of State

Democratic:   Seth Walsh

 

Republican:   Jay Edwards

 

Analysis: Similar to the other statewide races, the Republican candidate for Treasurer of State, Jay Edwards, holds the upper hand on the likelihood of winning the seat. Former State Representative Jay Edwards won a contentious Republican primary on May 5, 2026, defeating State Senator Kristina Roegner. Cincinnati City Councilmember Seth Walsh advanced uncontested through the Democratic primary to secure the spot for treasurer.

 

Ohio General Assembly

While Republicans remain structurally favored to retain control of both chambers due to district mapping, the 2026 midterms present Democrats with their most viable environment in nearly two decades to chip away at the GOP's legislative supermajorities.

 

Half of the Ohio Senate’s 33 seats are up for grabs this year. The majority of Senate districts are safe for incumbents although there are a few competitive districts that are only becoming more difficult for Republicans to defend due to national trends favoring Democrats.

 

All 99 districts in the Ohio House of Representatives will be on the ballot in November. House Republicans will look to hold their supermajority against the House Democrats which will be much harder than previous elections.

 

Overall, state Republicans are expected to retain majorities in both the House and Senate. If you have a particular race you are interested in, please contact Stephanie Kromer at stephanie@ooga.org.

 

Click HERE to view the list of Ohio State Senate candidates.

 

Click HERE to view the list of Ohio House of Representatives candidates.

 

Issue 3: Proposed Constitutional Amendment

TO REQUIRE VOTERS TO PRESENT PHOTO IDENTIFICATION IN ORDER TO VOTE

 

Proposed by Joint Resolution of the General Assembly

 

To enact Section 5 of Article V of the Constitution of the State of Ohio

 

A majority yes vote is required for the adoption of Section 5.

 

This proposed amendment would:

• Require voters to present an approved form of government-issued photo identification in order to vote.
• Allow state law to provide for an alternative method of verifying a voter’s identity for a voter who has a sincere religious objection to being photographed and, therefore, does not possess an approved form of government-issued photo identification.
• Require that voters who do not vote in person provide an approved form of government-issued photo identification, unless the law authorizes those persons to vote by providing a signature and at least one other specified unique identifier.
• Define approved forms of government-issued photo identification as an unexpired Ohio driver license or state identification card; a United States passport or passport card; or a United States military identification card, Ohio National Guard identification card, or United States Department of Veterans Affairs identification card.

 

If approved, the amendment shall take effect immediately.

 

A "YES" vote means approval of the amendment. A "NO" vote means disapproval of the amendment.

 

Analysis: Lawmakers referred a constitutional amendment to the 2026 ballot that would permanently enshrine photo ID voting requirements into the state constitution, known as “Issue 3”. This ballot measure is anticipated to serve as a major mobilization tool for base voters on both sides, potentially shifting typical midterm turnout models.