Allison Russo, a Democratic state representative from Upper Arlington, is running for Ohio secretary of state in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

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."

Robert Sprague, a Republican, and Tom Pruss, a Libertarian, are also running for the seat.

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.

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."

Experience and public service

Russo has served as state representative for House District 7 since 2023. She said in our questionnaire: "… 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."

She also served on the Ohio Redistricting Commission and ran as the Democratic candidate in the 2021 OH-15 special election for U.S. Congress, according to Wikipedia.

Asked what accomplishments qualify 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. The confusing ballot language used on that issue reinforced why Ohio needs a Secretary of State who puts voters first."

On the issues

Differences from opponents: Russo said: "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. The contrast with my opponent is clear. He has embraced fringe claims about election fraud, called for eliminating ballot drop boxes, and backed making it harder for eligible Ohioans to vote by mail."

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."

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."

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."

The race is statewide. Russo has received endorsements from the Delaware County Democrats and the AFL-CIO, according to BallotReady.