Upper Arlington state Rep. Allison Russo is running for Ohio secretary of state as a Democrat. She faces Republican Robert Sprague and Libertarian Tom Pruss.

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

Residence: Upper Arlington

Party: Democrat

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: "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 in the Ohio House since 2019 and currently represents District 7, according to BallotReady.

Asked about previous office, Russo said in our questionnaire: "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 was the Democratic candidate in the 2021 special election for Ohio's 15th Congressional District, according to her Wikipedia page.

On the issues

Differences from 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."

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. … As Secretary of State, I will enforce these safeguards, strengthen public awareness of them, and make election administration more transparent."

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. … 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."

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.