November 3, 2026 | ||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Ohio |
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The 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Ohio. Republican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Democratic former state health director Amy Acton are the nominees for their respective parties. Republican incumbent governor Mike DeWine is ineligible to seek a third consecutive term.
Primary elections were held on May 5, with Ramaswamy defeating minimal opposition for the Republican nomination and Acton running unopposed for the Democratic nomination. If elected, Ramaswamy would become Ohio's first Indian American and billionaire [1] governor and the first Hindu governor in the United States. [a] Acton would be the first woman elected to the office [b] and the state's first Jewish governor.
Democrats have not won a gubernatorial election in Ohio since 2006. The winner of the election will be inaugurated on January 11, 2027. [2]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [f] | Margin of error | Heather Hill | Casey Putsch | Vivek Ramaswamy | Dave Yost | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill gets disqualified [8] | |||||||||
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [78] | April 7–14, 2026 | 383 (LV) | – | 12% | 12% | 76% | – | ||
| Putsch declares his candidacy [5] | |||||||||
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [79] | October 2–14, 2025 | 287 (RV) | – | 18% | – | 76% | – | 6% [g] | – |
| Yost withdraws his candidacy [14] | |||||||||
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [80] [81] | April 18–24, 2025 | 359 (RV) | – | 4% | – | 64% | 13% | 19% [h] | – |
| Fabrizio, Lee & Associates (R) [82] | April 6–10, 2025 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 1% | – | 71% | 10% | 11% [i] | 8% |
| – | – | 75% | 19% | – | 6% | ||||
| – | – | 77% | – | 17% [j] | 6% | ||||
| Ramaswamy declares his candidacy [3] | |||||||||
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [83] | February 14–21, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.0% | 9% | – | 61% | 24% | – | 9% |
| National Public Affairs (R) [84] [A] | February 2–5, 2025 | 602 (RV) | ± 4.0% | – | – | 46% | 18% | 2% [k] | 34% |
| WPA Intelligence (R) [85] [B] | January 28–30, 2025 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | – | – | 57% | 26% | 6% [l] | 10% |
| Fabrizio, Lee & Associates (R) [86] [C] | January 26–27, 2025 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | – | – | 52% | 18% | 3% [m] | 27% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 676,562 | 82.4 | ||
| Republican |
| 144,184 | 17.6 | |
| Total votes | 820,746 | 100.0 | ||
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [f] | Margin of error | Amy Acton | Sherrod Brown | Tim Ryan | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Ryan declines to run for governor | ||||||||
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [79] | October 2–14, 2025 | 377 (RV) | – | 50% | – | 41% | 8% [n] | – |
| Sherrod Brown announces his candidacy for the U.S. Senate [127] | ||||||||
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [80] [81] | April 18–24, 2025 | 335 (RV) | – | 20% | 59% | 16% | 14% [o] | – |
| 52% | – | 38% | 10% [p] | – | ||||
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [83] | February 14–21, 2025 | 335 (RV) | ± 4.0% | 20% | 59% | 17% | – | 4% |
| 46% | – | 45% | – | 9% | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 767,360 | 100.0 | ||
| Total votes | 767,360 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libertarian |
| 8,705 | 97.8 | |
| Libertarian |
| 180 | 2.2 | |
| Total votes | 8,885 | 100.0 | ||
On September 2, Ramaswamy accepted invitations to participate in gubernatorial debates hosted by CNN and WLWT and called on Acton to join him. Acton's campaign subsequently declined, citing what it characterized as inaccurate and personal attacks in Ramaswamy's campaign advertising. As a result, no debates between the two major-party nominees have been scheduled. [133]
On September 6, Acton was attacked at a campaign event at the Canfield Fair. An armed individual lunged at her and was apprehended by local authorities. Several campaign volunteers suffered minor injuries. [134] The suspect, Patrick Havas, was charged with "two counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct." He is the brother of Andrew Havas, a Republican operative and former Franklin County campaign chair for Senator Jon Husted. [135]
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report [136] | Tossup | October 1, 2026 |
| Decision Desk HQ [137] | Tossup | October 9, 2026 |
| Fox News [138] | Tossup | July 23, 2026 |
| Inside Elections [139] | Tossup | October 1, 2026 |
| RealClearPolitics [140] | Tossup | June 5, 2026 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball [141] | Tossup | September 29, 2026 |
| Silver Bulletin [142] | Likely D (flip) | September 29, 2026 |
| Campaign finance reports as of June 5, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Amy Acton (D) | $5,363,780 | $2,230,781 | $8,136,282 |
| Vivek Ramaswamy (R) | $25,435,113 | $12,568,962 | $30,742,722 |
| Source: Ohio Secretary of State [151] | |||
Aggregate polls
| Source of poll aggregation | Dates administered | Dates updated | Vivek Ramaswamy (R) | Amy Acton (D) | Other/ | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 270toWin [152] | September 16 – October 4, 2026 | October 4, 2026 | 43.8% | 49.3% | 6.9% | Acton +5.5% |
| Decision Desk HQ [153] | through October 6, 2026 | October 8, 2026 | 43.6% | 47.8% | 8.6% | Acton +4.2% |
| FiftyPlusOne [154] | through October 6, 2026 | October 8, 2026 | 44.2% | 48.3% | 7.5% | Acton +4.1% |
| RealClearPolitics [155] | September 1 – October 6, 2026 | October 8, 2026 | 44.3% | 48.1% | 7.6% | Acton +3.8% |
| Silver Bulletin [156] | through October 5, 2026 | October 8, 2026 | 44.4% | 49.5% | 5.3% | Acton +5.1% |
| Average | 44.1% | 48.6% | 7.3% | Acton +4.5% | ||
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [f] | Margin of error | Vivek Ramaswamy (R) | Amy Acton (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| co/efficient (R) [157] | October 5–6, 2026 | 925 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 45% | 43% | 3% [r] | 8% |
| SSRS [158] [D] | September 29 – October 5, 2026 | 760 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 42% | 50% | 8% [s] | 1% |
| New York Times/Siena University [159] | September 22 – October 1, 2026 | 616 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 45% | 49% | – | 6% |
| YouGov [160] | September 18–30, 2026 | 3,780 (LV) | ± 2.5% | 44% | 48% | 1% | 6% |
| Big Data Poll (R) [161] | September 26–27, 2026 | 680 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 48% [t] | 47% | 5% [u] | — |
| 46% | 44% | 3% [r] | 7% | ||||
| 735 (RV) | 47% [t] | 46% | 7% [v] | — | |||
| 45% | 43% | 4% [w] | 8% | ||||
| Marist University [162] | September 24–27, 2026 | 1,298 (RV) | ± 3.8% | 44% | 50% | 3% | 3% |
| Suffolk University [163] [E] | September 23–27, 2026 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 41% | 50% | 3% [x] | 6% |
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [164] | September 1–10, 2026 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 45% | 48% | 7% [y] | – |
| Wedgewood Polls [165] | August 11–13, 2026 | 800 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 46% | 47% | – | 7% |
| Beacon Research (D)/ Shaw & Co. Research (R) [166] [F] | August 6–10, 2026 | 1,008 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 50% | 48% | – | 2% |
| Tulchin Research (D) [167] [G] | July 29 – August 4, 2026 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 44% | 46% | 5% [u] | 5% |
| New York Times/Siena University [168] | June 15–28, 2026 | 601 (LV) | ± 4.7% | 47% | 47% | – | 6% |
| Fabrizio Ward (R)/ Impact Research (D) [169] [H] | June 14–16, 2026 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 44% | 47% | 1% | 9% |
| Tulchin Research (D) [170] [G] | June 2–4, 2026 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 44% | 47% | – | 9% |
| Beacon Research (D)/ Shaw & Co. Research (R) [171] [F] | May 28 – June 1, 2026 | 1,015 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 49% | 50% | – | 1% |
| Primary elections are held | |||||||
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [78] | April 7–14, 2026 | 1,000 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 48% | 47% | 5% [y] | – |
| Echelon Insights (R) [172] [I] | April 3–9, 2026 | 413 (LV) | ± 5.8% | 49% | 44% | – | 7% |
| Quantus Insights (R) [173] | March 13–14, 2026 | 809 (LV) | ± 3.8% | 45% | 46% | 3% [z] | 6% |
| EMC Research (D) [174] [J] | February 10–22, 2026 | 1,343 (LV) | ± 2.7% | 43% | 53% | – | 4% |
| Emerson College [175] | December 6–8, 2025 | 850 (RV) | ± 3.3% | 45% | 46% | – | 9% |
| Data Targeting (R) [176] [K] | December 3–8, 2025 | 603 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 45% | 43% | – | 12% |
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [79] | October 2–14, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 50% | 47% | 3% [aa] | – |
| Hart Research (D) [177] [L] | September 19–22, 2025 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 45% | 46% | – | 9% |
| Emerson College [178] | August 18–19, 2025 | 1,000 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 49% | 39% | – | 12% |
| Impact Research (D) [179] [M] | July 24–28, 2025 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 47% | 46% | – | 7% |
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [80] [81] | April 18–24, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.1% | 50% | 45% | 5% [y] | – |
| Ramaswamy declares his candidacy | |||||||
| Public Policy Polling (D) [180] [N] | February 19–20, 2025 | 642 (RV) | ± 3.9% | 44% | 45% | – | 11% |
Vivek Ramaswamy vs. Tim Ryan
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [f] | Margin of error | Vivek Ramaswamy (R) | Tim Ryan (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [79] | October 2–14, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 49% | 47% | 4% [ab] | – |
| Emerson College [178] | August 18–19, 2025 | 1,000 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 49% | 41% | – | 10% |
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [80] [81] | April 18–24, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.1% | 51% | 44% | 5% [y] | – |
| Public Policy Polling (D) [180] [N] | February 19–20, 2025 | 642 (RV) | ± 3.9% | 48% | 42% | – | 10% |
Dave Yost vs. Amy Acton
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [f] | Margin of error | Dave Yost (R) | Amy Acton (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [80] [81] | April 18–24, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.1% | 46% | 45% | 9% [ac] | – |
Dave Yost vs. Tim Ryan
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [f] | Margin of error | Dave Yost (R) | Tim Ryan (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [80] [81] | April 18–24, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.1% | 46% | 44% | 10% [p] | – |
Jim Tressel vs. Amy Acton
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [f] | Margin of error | Jim Tressel (R) | Amy Acton (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [80] [81] | April 18–24, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.1% | 46% | 44% | 10% [p] | – |
Jim Tressel vs. Tim Ryan
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size [f] | Margin of error | Jim Tressel (R) | Tim Ryan (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green State University/YouGov [80] [81] | April 18–24, 2025 | 800 (RV) | ± 4.1% | 46% | 43% | 11% [ad] | – |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | |||||
| Democratic | |||||
| Libertarian |
| ||||
| Write-in | |||||
| Total votes | 100.0 | ||||
Partisan clients
Republican Rep. Warren Davidson has endorsed businessman Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign for Ohio's open governorship, ending what little talk there'd been that the congressman might seek the post.
Pressed on his previous interest in being governor, and the decision to accept the appointment to the US Senate, Husted said he 'switched my mind probably 100 times.'
Amy Acton, a Democratic candidate for governor, has been endorsed by Jim Petro, a Republican former Ohio attorney general and state auditor, according to the Youngstown Vindicator
A small army of prominent Democrats have already endorsed her, including the state's only two living Democratic ex-governors, Dick Celeste and Ted Strickland.
Amy Acton, a Democratic candidate for governor, has been endorsed by Ohio Senate Minority Whip Kent Smith, a Euclid Democrat.
Amy Acton, a Democratic candidate for governor, has been endorsed by Cuyahoga County Council President Dale Miller, as well as Cuyahoga County Councilmembers Robert Schleper Jr. and Sunny Simon.
Official campaign websites