Ohio Governor election results 2026: Acton wins, AP says

Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio's governor's race on Nov. 3, the Associated Press declared at 10:57 p.m., WLWT reported. Acton becomes the first woman elected governor of Ohio and the first Democrat to win the office since 2006.

Loveland-area residents voted in the race across Hamilton, Clermont and Warren counties. All three counties were among those tracked on election night as results rolled in statewide.

Ramaswamy, a 41-year-old Cincinnati native and biotech entrepreneur, conceded shortly before midnight, according to a WFMJ live blog. He said he called Acton to congratulate her, WLWT reported.

"This was a tough race, but the campaign is over, and I want to make something very clear to the people of Ohio; I will be a governor for all Ohioans," Acton said after taking the stage, according to WLWT.

Unofficial results

Unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State showed Acton leading with 7,440 of 8,834 precincts, or 84.2%, reporting statewide, the Clermont Guardian reported.

Statewide, 4,074,101 ballots were cast out of 8,018,054 registered voters, a turnout of 50.8%, according to the Clermont Guardian, citing the Ohio Secretary of State. The secretary of state's office reported 4,335 outstanding overseas and military absentee ballots and 28,228 outstanding provisional ballots still to be counted in the official canvass.

Results are unofficial until the secretary of state certifies them. The Ohio Secretary of State completes the official canvass approximately three weeks after the election.

In Clermont County, Ramaswamy carried the county with 57.1% (51,058 votes) to Acton's 39.4% (35,208 votes), with all 168 precincts reporting, according to the Clermont Guardian. Kissick received 3.5% there, or 3,094 votes. Clermont County recorded 90,233 ballots cast for a turnout of 60.2%.

Local stakes

The governor's race headlined a busy ballot for Loveland, Symmes Township and Milford voters. The May primary set the matchup after Ramaswamy won the Republican nomination and Acton ran unopposed on the Democratic side, as we reported May 6.

Loveland sits at the intersection of Hamilton, Clermont and Warren counties, and contests for State House, State Senate, county commissions and judgeships also appeared on the Nov. 3 ballot, according to the Columbus Dispatch's election guide.

How the race unfolded

Acton, 60, served as Ohio's health director during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. She ran with lieutenant governor candidate David Pepper, a Cincinnati native, WLWT reported. Ramaswamy, who ran for president in 2024, chose Ohio Senate President Rob McColley as his running mate.

Neither candidate had won elected office before, the Dispatch reported. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine could not run again because of term limits. Both Trump and DeWine had endorsed Ramaswamy, PBS NewsHour reported.

The campaign drew national attention after Ramaswamy's team aired an ad featuring Acton's estranged mother. Acton was removed from her mother's custody at age 12 after her stepfather was indicted for raping her, PBS NewsHour reported. DeWine called the ad "just wrong" and urged Ramaswamy to pull it, according to the Dispatch. The campaign stopped airing it.

More than $149 million in TV and radio ad spending was spent or reserved as of Nov. 2, with about three-quarters on Ramaswamy's behalf, cleveland.com reported. Ramaswamy personally loaned his campaign more than $40 million, according to cleveland.com.

County-level results for Hamilton and Warren counties will be updated through the Ohio Secretary of State's live results page at LiveResults.OhioSoS.gov.