Governor
presidential
Election name2026 Ohio gubernatorial election
CountryOhio
Ongoingyes
Previous election2022 Ohio gubernatorial election
Previous year2022
Next election2030 Ohio gubernatorial election
Next year2030
Election dateNovember 3, 2026
Nominee 1Vivek Ramaswamy
Party 1Ohio Republican Party
Running mate 1Rob McColley
Nominee 2Amy Acton
Party 2Ohio Democratic Party
Running mate 2David Pepper
Before electionMike DeWine
Before partyOhio Republican Party

The 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Ohio. Incumbent Republican governor Mike DeWine is ineligible to seek re-election to a third consecutive term. Primary elections were held on May 5, with Acton winning unopposed and Ramaswamy winning with only nominal opposition.

Democrats have not won a gubernatorial election in Ohio since 2006, nor a partisan statewide race since 2018. If elected, Ramaswamy would become the first Indian-American governor of Ohio and the first Hindu governor in the United States, while if Acton is elected, she would become the first woman[a] elected governor, and would be the state's first Jewish governor.

The winner of the election will be inaugurated on January 11, 2027.[1]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

  • Casey Putsch, automotive entrepreneur[4]

Disqualified

  • Renea Turner[6]
    • Running mate: Jalen Turner[7]
  • Heather Hill, business owner, and former president of the Morgan County School Board[8][9]
    • Running mate: Stuart Moats, business owner and reality TV star[10]

Withdrawn

Declined

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Heather
Hill
Casey
Putsch
Vivek
Ramaswamy
Dave
Yost
OtherUndecided
April 25, 2026Hill gets disqualified[9]
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[21]April 7–14, 2026383 (LV)–12%12%76%–
December 16, 2025Putsch declares his candidacy[4]
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[22]October 2–14, 2025287 (RV)–18%–76%–6%[c]–
May 16, 2025Yost withdraws his candidacy[13]
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[23][24]April 18–24, 2025359 (RV)–4%–64%13%19%[d]–
Fabrizio, Lee & Associates (R)[25]April 6–10, 2025500 (LV)± 4.4%1%–71%10%11%[e]8%
––75%19%–6%
––77%–17%[f]6%
February 25, 2025Ramaswamy declares his candidacy[2]
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[26]February 14–21, 2025800 (RV)± 4.0%9%–61%24%–9%
National Public Affairs (R)[27][A]February 2–5, 2025602 (RV)± 4.0%––46%18%2%[g]34%
WPA Intelligence (R)[28][B]January 28–30, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%––57%26%6%[h]10%
Fabrizio, Lee & Associates (R)[29][C]January 26–27, 2025600 (LV)± 4.0%––52%18%3%[i]27%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Withdrawn

  • Jacob Chiara (endorsed Acton)[33]

Declined

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Amy
Acton
Sherrod
Brown
Tim
Ryan
OtherUndecided
November 22, 2025Tim Ryan declines to run for governor
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[22]October 2–14, 2025377 (RV)–50%–41%8%[j]–
August 18, 2025Sherrod Brown announces his candidacy for the U.S. Senate[41]
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[23][24]April 18–24, 2025335 (RV)–20%59%16%14%[k]–
52%–38%10%[l]–
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[26]February 14–21, 2025335 (RV)± 4.0%20%59%17%–4%
46%–45%–9%

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
Race to the WH[44]April 21, 2026
Sabato's Crystal Ball[45]May 28, 2026
Inside Elections[46]March 26, 2026
The Cook Political Report[47]March 19, 2026

Polling

Aggregate polls

Source of poll
aggregation
Dates
administered
Dates
updated
Vivek
Ramaswamy (R)
Amy
Acton (D)
Other/Undecided[m]Margin
270toWin[48]April 20–21, 2026April 21, 202648.5%45.5%6.0%Ramaswamy +3.0%
Decision Desk HQ[49]through April 14, 2026April 21, 202647.9%45.4%6.7%Ramaswamy +2.5%
Race to the WH[50]through April 14, 2026April 21, 202647.4%46.0%6.6%Ramaswamy +1.4%
RealClearPolitics[51]December 16, 2025 – April 14, 2026April 20, 202646.0%46.3%7.7%Acton +0.3%
Average47.5%45.8%6.7%Ramaswamy +1.7%
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Vivek
Ramaswamy (R)
Amy
Acton (D)
OtherUndecided
May 5, 2026Primary elections are held
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[21]April 7–14, 20261,000 (RV)± 4.5%48%47%5%[n]–
Echelon Insights (R)[52][D]April 3–9, 2026413 (LV)± 5.8%49%44%–7%
Quantus Insights (R)[53]March 13–14, 2026809 (LV)± 3.8%45%46%3%[o]6%
EMC Research (D)[54][E]February 10–22, 20261,343 (LV)± 2.7%43%53%–4%
Emerson College[55]December 6–8, 2025850 (RV)± 3.3%45%46%–9%
Data Targeting (R)[56][F]December 3–8, 2025603 (LV)± 4.0%45%43%–12%
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[22]October 2–14, 2025800 (RV)± 4.5%50%47%3%[p]–
Hart Research (D)[57][G]September 19–22, 2025800 (LV)± 3.0%45%46%–9%
Emerson College[58]August 18–19, 20251,000 (RV)± 3.0%49%39%–12%
Impact Research (D)[59][H]July 24–28, 2025800 (LV)± 3.5%47%46%–7%
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[23][24]April 18–24, 2025800 (RV)± 4.1%50%45%5%[n]–
February 25, 2025Ramaswamy declares his candidacy
Public Policy Polling (D)[60][I]February 19–20, 2025642 (RV)± 3.9%44%45%–11%

Vivek Ramaswamy vs. Tim Ryan

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Vivek
Ramaswamy (R)
Tim
Ryan (D)
OtherUndecided
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[22]October 2–14, 2025800 (RV)± 4.5%49%47%4%[q]–
Emerson College[58]August 18–19, 20251,000 (RV)± 3.0%49%41%–10%
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[23][24]April 18–24, 2025800 (RV)± 4.1%51%44%5%[n]–
Public Policy Polling (D)[60][I]February 19–20, 2025642 (RV)± 3.9%48%42%–10%

Dave Yost vs. Amy Acton

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Dave
Yost (R)
Amy
Acton (D)
OtherUndecided
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[23][24]April 18–24, 2025800 (RV)± 4.1%46%45%9%[r]–

Dave Yost vs. Tim Ryan

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Dave
Yost (R)
Tim
Ryan (D)
OtherUndecided
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[23][24]April 18–24, 2025800 (RV)± 4.1%46%44%10%[l]–

Jim Tressel vs. Amy Acton

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Jim
Tressel (R)
Amy
Acton (D)
OtherUndecided
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[23][24]April 18–24, 2025800 (RV)± 4.1%46%44%10%[l]–

Jim Tressel vs. Tim Ryan

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Jim
Tressel (R)
Tim
Ryan (D)
OtherUndecided
Bowling Green State University/YouGov[23][24]April 18–24, 2025800 (RV)± 4.1%46%43%11%[s]–

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Acton would be the first woman elected governor, but would be the second to serve in the position. Nancy Hollister served as governor, albeit for only 11 days, following George Voinovich's resignation to join the U.S. Senate. To date, Hollister is the only woman to have served as governor of Ohio.
  2. ^ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  3. ^ "Someone else" with 6%
  4. ^ Jim Tressel with 14%
  5. ^ Jim Tressel with 11%
  6. ^ Jim Tressel with 17%
  7. ^ Robert Sprague and Jeremiah Workman with 1%
  8. ^ Robert Sprague with 6%
  9. ^ Robert Sprague with 2%; Jeremiah Workman with 1%
  10. ^ "Someone else" with 8%
  11. ^ "Neither" with 14%
  12. ^ "Someone else" with 10%
  13. ^ Calculated by taking the difference of 100% and all other candidates combined.
  14. ^ "Someone else" with 5%
  15. ^ "Some other candidate" with 3%
  16. ^ "Someone else" with 3%
  17. ^ "Someone else" with 4%
  18. ^ "Someone else" with 9%
  19. ^ "Someone else" with 11%

Partisan clients

  1. ^ Poll sponsored by Yost's campaign
  2. ^ Poll sponsored by Club for Growth
  3. ^ Poll sponsored by Ramaswamy's campaign
  4. ^ Poll sponsored by NetChoice
  5. ^ Polling commissioned by Ohio Environmental Council, an environmental organization
  6. ^ Poll sponsored by T. Roosevelt Action, a nonprofit organization committed to advocating for the rights of hunters and anglers across the United States.
  7. ^ Poll sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Teachers
  8. ^ Poll sponsored by Acton's campaign
  9. ^ Poll sponsored by 314 Action, an organization dedicated to electing Democratic scientists to public office.

References

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  3. ^ Gomez, Henry J. (January 6, 2026). "Vivek Ramaswamy taps Ohio state Senate president as his running mate in campaign for governor". NBC News. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  4. ^ Dugger, Victoria (December 16, 2025). "Tiffin native announces run for Ohio governor, challenges Vivek Ramaswamy". WKYC. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
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  9. ^ Balmert, Jessie (April 22, 2026). "Running mate quits, voiding votes for Ohio governor candidate". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
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Official campaign websites