Secretary of State
Vote for 1; 4-year term commencing 1/11/2027. Open seat (incumbent term-limited).
Candidate list checked 2026-10-11 against Ashtabula County BOECandidates (3)
Candidate statements, official records, and guide summaries are labeled below. A linked source identifies the basis for that specific claim; a pending label means the claim has not yet been individually checked.
Compare all 3 candidates side by sideOpen comparison
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About ballot issue views: A candidate's stated position appears only when we have a source for it. An empty entry means this guide has not added a sourced statement; it does not mean the candidate is undecided.
| Compare | Robert Sprague Republican | Allison Russo Democrat | Tom Pruss Libertarian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background | The Ohio Treasurer’s official biography says Sprague became Treasurer in January 2019 and previously served as Findlay city auditor and treasurer and in the Ohio House from 2011 through 2018. Ohio Treasurer of State: Robert Sprague biography Evidence type: official record · The Ohio Treasurer’s official biography lists Sprague’s current and previous offices. | Russo’s campaign biography says she has served four terms in the Ohio House and previously served as House Minority Leader. Allison Russo campaign biography and priorities Evidence type: candidate statement · Russo’s campaign biography describes her four Ohio House terms and service as House Minority Leader. | The Libertarian Party’s candidate biography says Pruss owns a printing and mail-marketing business and previously ran for Toledo School Board and Lucas County Clerk of Courts. It describes candidacies for those offices, not service in them. Libertarian Party candidate biography for Tom Pruss Evidence type: candidate statement · The Libertarian Party biography describes Pruss’s printing business and says he previously ran for two local offices; it does not say he held them. |
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Robert Sprague Republican
Photo: Public domain via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sprague
View Robert Sprague’s candidate profile and sources
Background
The Ohio Treasurer’s official biography says Sprague became Treasurer in January 2019 and previously served as Findlay city auditor and treasurer and in the Ohio House from 2011 through 2018. Ohio Treasurer of State: Robert Sprague biography Evidence type: official record · The Ohio Treasurer’s official biography lists Sprague’s current and previous offices.
Campaign Promises & Positions
- Sprague proposes requiring photo ID for mailed ballots and eliminating ballot drop boxes. Robert Sprague campaign election-security plan Evidence type: candidate statement · Sprague’s campaign proposes photo ID for mail voting and eliminating drop boxes.
- He proposes checking citizenship status during voter registration using federal data. Robert Sprague campaign election-security plan Evidence type: candidate statement · Sprague’s campaign proposes checking citizenship during registration with federal data.
- He proposes paper ballots or voting machines that produce an auditable paper trail, and post-election reviews of election processes. Robert Sprague campaign election-security plan Evidence type: candidate statement · Sprague’s campaign proposes paper ballots or auditable paper records and post-election custody reviews.
Voting Record
- This profile does not include an elections-administration record for Sprague; his current statewide office is Treasurer, not Secretary of State. Ashtabula County BOE official 2026 candidate list Evidence type: editorial summary · This guide does not summarize a Secretary of State record for Sprague; the official ballot-list source confirms his candidacy.
Stated Views on Ballot Issues
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Ohio Issue 3: voter identification amendment: Support
Sprague said photo ID is fundamental to election security and should be added to Ohio’s Constitution.
Checked 2026-10-11 · Hometown Stations, Sprague discusses Issue 3 (September 2, 2026)
Promise vs. Record
Selected proposals are attributed to Sprague’s campaign. They are not evaluated here for legal feasibility or likely results; no overall match score is assigned. Robert Sprague campaign election-security plan Evidence type: editorial summary · The guide attributes these proposals to Sprague’s campaign and does not assess their feasibility or predicted effects.
Allison Russo Democrat
Photo: CC BY 2.0 via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allison_Russo
View Allison Russo’s candidate profile and sources
Background
Russo’s campaign biography says she has served four terms in the Ohio House and previously served as House Minority Leader. Allison Russo campaign biography and priorities Evidence type: candidate statement · Russo’s campaign biography describes her four Ohio House terms and service as House Minority Leader.
Campaign Promises & Positions
- Russo says she would protect voters’ voices and work to keep Ohio elections fair, secure, and accessible. Allison Russo campaign homepage Evidence type: candidate statement · Russo’s campaign says the Secretary of State should protect voters’ voices and keep elections fair, secure, and accessible.
- She says she would protect voters’ personal data and restore trust in elections. Allison Russo campaign homepage Evidence type: candidate statement · Russo’s campaign says she would protect personal data and restore trust in elections.
- She says she would make government accountable to the people it serves. Allison Russo campaign homepage Evidence type: candidate statement · Russo’s campaign says she would make government accountable to Ohioans.
Voting Record
- This profile includes Russo’s campaign-reported Ohio House service but does not assess individual House votes or a prior election-administration record. Allison Russo campaign biography and priorities Evidence type: editorial summary · This guide does not audit individual House votes or claim prior election-administration service; the campaign biography is cited for her House tenure.
Stated Views on Ballot Issues
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Ohio Issue 3: voter identification amendment: Oppose
Russo publicly opposed Issue 3 and said she was concerned about the photo-ID requirements and whether the listed forms would remain usable.
Checked 2026-10-11 · Heidelberg University, Constitution Day conversation (September 17, 2026)
Promise vs. Record
Selected priorities are attributed to Russo’s campaign. This profile does not infer an election-administration record from her House service and assigns no overall match score. Allison Russo campaign homepage Evidence type: editorial summary · The guide presents selected campaign priorities and does not infer election-management experience from legislative service.
Tom Pruss Libertarian
View Tom Pruss’s candidate profile and sources
Background
The Libertarian Party’s candidate biography says Pruss owns a printing and mail-marketing business and previously ran for Toledo School Board and Lucas County Clerk of Courts. It describes candidacies for those offices, not service in them. Libertarian Party candidate biography for Tom Pruss Evidence type: candidate statement · The Libertarian Party biography describes Pruss’s printing business and says he previously ran for two local offices; it does not say he held them.
Campaign Promises & Positions
- Would maintain accurate voter rolls with transparency, secure voting systems, and clear statewide election procedures. Tom Pruss campaign platform Evidence type: candidate statement · This summarizes the campaign’s stated priorities for voter rolls, election security, and election procedures.
- Would make election data more accessible, improve public reporting, and increase accountability in campaign-finance reporting. Tom Pruss campaign platform Evidence type: candidate statement · This summarizes the campaign’s stated priorities for election-data access, public reporting, and campaign-finance accountability.
- Would streamline business filings, improve online systems, and reduce unnecessary regulation and red tape. Tom Pruss campaign platform Evidence type: candidate statement · This summarizes the campaign’s stated priorities for business filings, online services, and regulation.
Voting Record
- No election-administration or legislative voting history is included in this guide. The Libertarian Party biography describes previous candidacies for local office, not officeholding. Libertarian Party candidate biography for Tom Pruss Evidence type: editorial summary · The cited biography describes candidacies rather than officeholding; this guide does not list a legislative or election-administration record.
Stated Views on Ballot Issues
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Ohio Issue 3: voter identification amendment: Oppose
Pruss opposed Issue 3, calling it political theatre and raising concerns about how it could affect later decisions on mail voting.
Checked 2026-10-11 · Ohio Capital Journal, What is Issue 3? (July 29, 2026)
Promise vs. Record
These are selected statements from Pruss’s campaign platform. This guide does not compare them with a sourced record of his election-administration decisions and assigns no match score. Tom Pruss campaign platform Evidence type: editorial summary · This identifies the scope of the selected comparison and does not infer a record or match score.