Allison Russo, a Democratic state representative from Upper Arlington, is running for Ohio secretary of state in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Republican Robert Sprague and Libertarian Tom Pruss are also running for the seat.

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."

Russo also holds a bachelor's degree in microbiology from Mississippi University for Women, according to BallotReady.

Endorsements: Delaware County Democrats, AFL-CIO

Experience and public service

Occupation and work history: "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."

Previous offices: "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."

Russo also served as a member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission and ran as the Democratic candidate in the 2021 OH-15 special election for U.S. Congress, according to her Wikipedia page.

Accomplishments: Asked what qualifies her for the role, Russo said, "Serving on the Ohio Redistricting Commission gave me a front-row seat to our broken redistricting process. In 2024, I advocated for citizen-led redistricting so an independent commission—not politicians—would draw our districts … I've also served on the House General Government Committee, where I've reviewed and debated dozens of election-related bills affecting Ohio's elections."

On the issues

Differences with opponents: "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: "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."

Drop boxes: "Ohioans deserve convenient, secure access to the ballot, and ballot drop boxes are a safe, proven way to make voting more accessible … As Secretary of State, I will enforce these safeguards, strengthen public awareness of them, and make election administration more transparent."

Issue 3 and voter 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 … Ohio needs election policies that protect both security and access while allowing administrators and lawmakers to respond efficiently as circumstances change, not more partisan political stunts."

Russo's responses come from our candidate questionnaire.