2018 Ohio Secretary of State election

The 2018 Ohio Secretary of State election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Ohio Secretary of State, concurrently with elections to the United States Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, and other state and local elections. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2018, though both the Republican and Democratic nominees ran uncontested.^[1]

2018 Ohio Secretary of State election

← 2014 November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06) 2022 →
Registered	8,070,917
Turnout	55.79%
Candidate Frank LaRose Kathleen Clyde Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,214,273 2,052,098 Percentage 50.67% 46.96%
County results Congressional district results Precinct results LaRose:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100% Clyde:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100% Tie:      40–50%      No data
Secretary of State before election Jon Husted Republican Elected Secretary of State Frank LaRose Republican

Incumbent secretary Jon Husted was term-limited and instead was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor.^[2] Republican state senator Frank LaRose defeated Democratic state representative Kathleen Clyde in the general election.^[3]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Frank LaRose, state senator from the 27th district (2011–present)^[4]

Withdrawn

• Dorothy Pelanda, state representative from the 86th district (2011–present) (endorsed LaRose)^[5][6]

Results

Republican primary results^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank LaRose	606,697	100.0%
Total votes			606,197	100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Kathleen Clyde, state representative from the 75th district (2011–present)^[8][9]

Primary endorsements

Kathleen Clyde

Organizations

• Pro-Choice Ohio^[10]

Results

Democratic primary results^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kathleen Clyde	514,959	100.0%
Total votes			514,959	100.0%

General election

Endorsements

Frank LaRose (R)

U.S. governors

• Bob Taft, former Governor of Ohio (1999–2007), former Ohio Secretary of State (1991–1999), and state representative from the 65th district (1977–1981)^[6]

Statewide officials

• Ken Blackwell, former Ohio Secretary of State (1999–2007), former Treasurer of Ohio (1994–1999), and nominee for governor in 2006^[6]

State representatives

• Dorothy Pelanda, state representative from the 86th district (2011–2019) (originally ran against LaRose)^[6]

Newspapers and other media

• The Columbus Dispatch^[11]

Organizations

• Buckeye Firearms Association^[12]
• Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio^[13]
• Ohio Chamber of Commerce^[14]
• Ohio Society of CPAS^[15]

Kathleen Clyde (D)

U.S. presidents

• Barack Obama, President of the United States (2009–2017), U.S. Senator from Illinois (2005–2008), and Illinois state senator from the 13th district (1997–2004)^[16]

Executive branch officials

• Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States (2009–2017) and U.S. Senator from Delaware (1973–2009)^[17]

U.S. senators

• Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senator from Ohio (2007–present), U.S. representative from OH-13 (1993–2007), former Ohio Secretary of State (1983–1991), and state representative from the 61st district (1975–1983)^[18]

Labor unions

• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers^[19]

Newspapers and other media

• Akron Beacon Journal^[20]
• The Plain Dealer^[21]
• The Toledo Blade^[22]

Organizations

• EMILYs List^[23]
• Human Rights Campaign^[24]
• Planned Parenthood Action Fund^[25]

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Governing[26]	Tossup	October 11, 2018

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Frank LaRose (R)	Kathleen Clyde (D)	Undecided
Gravis Marketing[27]	October 29–30, 2018	789 (LV)	± 3.5%	40%	38%	22%
Baldwin Wallace University[28]	October 19–27, 2018	1,051 (LV)	± 3.8%	33%	39%	21%
Suffolk University[b][29][30]	October 4–8, 2018	500 (RV)	± 4.4%	33%	42%	19%
Baldwin Wallace University[31]	September 28 – October 8, 2018	1,017 (LV)	± 3.5%	32%	32%	27%
Change Research (D)[c][32][33]	August 31 – September 4, 2018	822 (LV)	± 3%	42%	40%	18%
Fallon Research[34]	May 21–25, 2018	800 (V)	± 3.46%	32%	31%	37%
Public Policy Polling (D)[d][35]	April 25–26, 2018	770 (V)	3.5%	40%	43%	17%

Results

2018 Ohio Secretary of State election^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank LaRose	2,214,273	50.67%
	Democratic	Kathleen Clyde	2,052,098	46.96%
	Libertarian	Dustin Nanna	103,506	2.37%
	Write-in	Michael Bradley	79	0.00%
Total votes			4,369,956	100.00%
	Republican hold

By congressional district

LaRose won 12 of 16 congressional districts.^[36]

District	LaRose	Clyde	Representative
1st	52%	46%	Steve Chabot
2nd	54%	43%	Brad Wenstrup
3rd	28%	70%	Joyce Beatty
4th	63%	34%	Jim Jordan
5th	59%	38%	Bob Latta
6th	64%	33%	Bill Johnson
7th	60%	38%	Bob Gibbs
8th	64%	33%	Warren Davidson
9th	35%	62%	Marcy Kaptur
10th	51%	46%	Mike Turner
11th	18%	80%	Marcia Fudge
12th	53%	45%	Troy Balderson
13th	43%	55%	Tim Ryan
14th	52%	46%	David Joyce
15th	54%	44%	Steve Stivers
16th	54%	44%	Anthony Gonzalez

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. Poll sponsored by the Cincinnati Enquirer
3. Poll sponsored by Innovation Ohio
4. Poll sponsored by the Ohio Democratic Party