Ohio Senate race (special) 2026: Husted vs. Brown
General election, November 3, 2026 · U.S. Senate in Ohio. Appointed incumbent Jon Husted (R) — Vance seat
Jon Husted
Appointed U.S. senator from Ohio and former lieutenant governor, secretary of state and House speaker; the Republican nominee in the 2026 special election.
Read the documented profile of Jon HustedSherrod Brown
American politician; U.S. senator from Ohio (2007–2025); 2026 Democratic nominee in the special election for U.S. Senate from Ohio
The general-election field as the board records it: Husted (R) vs. Sherrod Brown (D) vs. Bill Redpath (L) vs. Greg Levy (I)
The race at a glance
Board data as of . Ratings are the raters' own current calls; polls are the newest public ones with their field dates; money is what the committees reported. Nothing here is a forecast.
- Seat
- Appointed incumbent Jon Husted (R) — Vance seat
- Primary
- : R Husted unopposed 736,413; D Brown 712,106 (89.4%) def. Ron Kincaid
- Ratings
- Cook Toss Up (); Sabato Toss-up (); IE Toss-up (Tilt R→Toss-up )
- Newest public polling
- InsiderAdvantage (R) Sep 8–9 n=1,200 LV: Brown 47 / Husted 42; Abacus Aug 26–28 n=306: Brown 52 / Husted 46; Fox News Aug 6–10 n=1,008 RV: Brown 53 / Husted 45
- Reported money
- FEC : Husted $14,360,028 raised / $9,419,311 COH; Brown $38,566,234 / $16,229,741
- Notable
- Trump endorsed Husted . Every public poll since June shows Brown ahead.
Key dates in Ohio
Read from the Ohio Secretary of State. The full guide, with the official tools, is on the Ohio page.
- Voter registration deadlineMonday, October 5, 2026, for the November 3, 2026 general election. A registration form (a new registration, or a change of name or address) must be postmarked or received by October 5, 2026. Ways to register: online through the Secretary of State's online voter registration system (olvr.ohiosos.gov); by mail; or in person at your county board of elections or at another registration site such as a Bureau of Motor Vehicles office or a public library. boe.ohio.gov
- Early in-person voting beginsTuesday, October 6, 2026, at 8:00 a.m., at your county board of elections (each board prints the address of its early voting center). The Montgomery, Greene, Miami, Franklin and Summit county boards of elections print the same schedule: October 6–9 (Tuesday–Friday), 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; October 12–16 (Monday–Friday), 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; October 19–23 (Monday–Friday), 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, October 24, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Monday, October 26, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, October 27, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday, October 28 to Friday, October 30, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, October 31, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Sunday, November 1, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. boe.ohio.gov
- Deadline to request an absentee (mail) ballotTuesday, October 27, 2026: your county board of elections must RECEIVE your absentee ballot application by the close of business that day, the seventh day before Election Day. County boards print the closing time as 8:30 p.m.: Hamilton County, “until 8:30 pm on October 27th”; Lorain County, “Tuesday, October 27 by 8:30 P.M.” The application must be mailed or delivered in person; the Summit and Greene county boards say faxed or e-mailed requests from domestic voters are not accepted. votehamiltoncountyohio.gov
- Deadline to return an absentee (mail) ballotTuesday, November 3, 2026, 7:30 p.m. — the ballot must be RECEIVED by your county board of elections by then; this is a received-by deadline, not a postmark deadline. The Secretary of State's absentee application (Form 11-A, 06/2026) says: “Ohio law requires all absentee ballots to be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day,” whether the ballot comes back by mail, in the drop box located at your county board of elections, or in person at the board office. Exception printed on the same form: ballots from members of the uniformed services and from voters outside the United States must be received by the fourth day after the election. boe.ohio.gov
- Election DayTuesday, November 3, 2026 — general election. boe.ohio.gov
- Polling place hours on Election Day6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. vote.franklincountyohio.gov
Voting in Ohio: dates, rules and official tools
Questions and answers
Who is running for U.S. Senate in Ohio in 2026?
Husted (R) vs. Sherrod Brown (D) vs. Bill Redpath (L) vs. Greg Levy (I) (as of Sep 15, 2026).
When is the election?
The general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Voter registration deadline: Monday, October 5, 2026, for the November 3, 2026 general election. A registration form (a new registration, or a change of name or address) must be postmarked or received by October 5, 2026. Ways to register: online through the Secretary of State's online voter registration system (olvr.ohiosos.gov); by mail; or in person at your county board of elections or at another registration site such as a Bureau of Motor Vehicles office or a public library.
How do the raters see this race?
Cook Toss Up (Aug 20); Sabato Toss-up (Aug 26); IE Toss-up (Tilt R→Toss-up Sep 3) (as of Sep 15, 2026).
What do the polls show?
InsiderAdvantage (R) Sep 8–9 n=1,200 LV: Brown 47 / Husted 42; Abacus Aug 26–28 n=306: Brown 52 / Husted 46; Fox News Aug 6–10 n=1,008 RV: Brown 53 / Husted 45 (as of Sep 15, 2026).
How much money has been reported?
FEC Jun 30: Husted $14,360,028 raised / $9,419,311 COH; Brown $38,566,234 / $16,229,741 (as of Sep 15, 2026).