May 5, 2026 Primary Election
On February 19, Ohio’s Secretary of State announced that the following candidates will be listed on Democratic Party ballots for state-wide positions in the primary election this May. These candidates (listed alphabetically by name) met the minimum signature requirements to qualify for the May 5, 2026 primary election ballot:
United States Senator:
Sherrod Brown (D)
Ron Kincaid (D)
Governor and Lieutenant Governor:
Amy Acton, David Pepper (D)
Attorney General:
Elliott Forhan (D)
John J. Kulewicz (D)
Secretary of State:
Bryan Hambley (D)
Allison Russo (D)
Auditor of State:
Annette Blackwell (D)
Treasurer of State
Seth Walsh (D)
Justice of the Supreme Court – Full Term Commencing 01/01/2027:
Marilyn Zayas (D)
Justice of the Supreme Court – Full Term Commencing 01/02/2027:
Jennifer Brunner (D)
Key Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: The last day to register to vote in advance of the primary election is April 6. Make sure your registration is up to date so you can participate. To check your registration, use this search tool on the Board of Elections website.
Early In-Person Voting: Early voting begins on April 7 and continues through Sunday, May 3. This option allows you to cast your ballot ahead of Election Day at the Knox County Board of Elections office at 104 East Sugar Street in Mount Vernon. The complete Early Voting schedule is available here.
Absentee Ballot Requests: If you prefer to vote by mail, please note that requests for absentee ballots are due by April 28 at 8:30 pm. However, it’s important that you get your absentee ballot as early as possible since they need to be:
+ postmarked by May 4 and received by the Board of Elections by May 9, if mailed OR
+ hand-delivered to the Board of Elections (104 E. Sugar Street) by 7:30 pm on May 5.
Absentee ballots cannot be accepted at your regular polling location.
Election Day: Polls will be open on May 5 from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm. Be sure to bring a valid form of identification with you to your Election Day polling location.
Participating in the election is an important way to make your voice heard on issues that matter to you and our community.
NEW! How a Recently Passed Bill (Ohio SB293) Affects Voters
Ohio Senate Bill 293 changes absentee (mail‑in) voting rules. Under this law, mail‑in ballots must be received by the Board of Elections by the time polls close on Election Day in order to be counted. Ballots arriving after Election Day will not be opened or counted.
The law also puts at risk some voter registrations. If for whatever reason (and it might not be your fault!), your Social Security number and/or drivers license number do not match what the state has on file, your registration will be flagged as a potential non-citizen trying to vote. If this happens to you, the Board of Elections will mail you a card telling you about this issue, and you will need to visit the Board of Elections with proof of the correct information. If you do not do this, and you try to vote, your vote will have to be “provisional,” and you will still have to present proof of the correct information to the Board of Elections within 4 days after the election in order for your vote to be counted. And, if you don’t do this, your voter registration will be purged.
Bottom line: Check your voter registration status prior to the election, watch your mail closely for any important information from the Board of Elections, and follow the provided instructions carefully!
To make sure your vote counts, check your voter registration, and watch your mail for important information about your registration. Consider voting early at 104 E. Sugar Street, or if you need to submit your ballot by mail, do so as soon as you receive your ballot!