Allison Russo, a Democratic state representative from Upper Arlington, is running for Ohio secretary of state in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She faces two opponents. Robert Sprague is the Republican nominee. Tom Pruss is the Libertarian candidate.

Asked why she is running, Russo said in our candidate questionnaire: "I'm running because no office is more critical to protecting Ohioans' power to hold their government accountable than Secretary of State … As Secretary of State, I'll be relentlessly pro-voter. I'll ensure every eligible voter has the information and tools they need to make their voice heard."

Candidate information

Party: Democrat

Residence: Upper Arlington, Ohio

Family: "I have been married to my husband Brian, a US Air Force veteran, for 26 years. We have three children and live in Upper Arlington."

Education: "I hold a Doctor of Public Health in Health Policy from the George Washington University and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham."

Occupation: "Before being elected to the Ohio Statehouse, I spent more than 20 years working on issues related to public health policy, advising federal agencies, health systems, and policymakers on how to improve systems and access to care among our most vulnerable populations. I continue to do this work in a limited capacity while I serve as a State Legislator."

Experience and public service

Russo represents Ohio House District 7, which includes Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights and portions of Columbus. She has served as a state representative since 2019, according to BallotReady. She also ran as the Democratic candidate in the 2021 OH-15 special election for U.S. Congress and served as a member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, according to Wikipedia.

Asked about her elected service, Russo said in our questionnaire: "I am currently an Ohio State Representative in House District 7. In my time as a legislator, I was elected by my colleagues to serve as the Ohio House Minority Leader, where I led the House Democratic Caucus for nearly four years before stepping back to run for Secretary of State."

Asked what accomplishments qualify her for the office, Russo said: "Serving on the Ohio Redistricting Commission gave me a front-row seat to our broken redistricting process … The confusing ballot language used on that issue reinforced why Ohio needs a Secretary of State who puts voters first."

On the issues

Critical differences with opponents: Russo said in our questionnaire: "I'm running to be a fair, independent, and unbiased arbiter of Ohio's elections—a guardrail against political pressure, not a rubber stamp for it … Ohio voters deserve a Secretary of State who protects both their right to vote and their personal information. I will stand up to political pressure, safeguard sensitive voter data, ensure eligible voters can access the ballot, and support local election officials in running fair, free, secure elections."

Ballot language and redistricting: "The Secretary of State should be a fair, impartial arbiter of Ohio's increasingly partisan election processes. Ballot language should be accurate, clear, and as unbiased as possible. As chair of the Ballot Board, the Secretary of State must ensure transparency about how and why ballot language is changed from the language originally approved for petition circulation."

Ballot drop boxes: "Ohioans deserve convenient, secure access to the ballot, and ballot drop boxes are a safe, proven way to make voting more accessible … Drop boxes must be monitored by video surveillance around the clock, with footage available as a public record. They can only be opened when both members of a bipartisan Board of Elections team are present …"

Issue 3 (photo ID): "Issue 3 is a political stunt—not a solution to a problem Ohio voters face. Ohio already has photo ID requirements and some of the strictest ID rules in the country … The key question is whether election rules should be constitutionalized or remain flexible enough to adapt as technology and identification systems change."

Russo has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO and the Delaware County Democrats, according to BallotReady.