Everything you need to know about Ohio’s May primary

Ohio's primary election is scheduled for May 5, 2026. The state's primaries are open and partisan, allowing voters to participate without prior party registration. Various statewide and regional races will be decided, including U.S. Senate, Governor, and U.S. House of Representatives contests. Candidates from the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian parties will compete. Some candidates, such as incumbent Jon Husted for U.S. Senate and Jim Jordan for U.S. House District 4, face primary opponents, while others, like Joyce Beatty for U.S. House District 3, run unopposed in their primary but will still appear on the May ballot. Voters can also expect to see Libertarian candidates on the ballot, although some races lack Libertarian contestants. Notably, Republican candidate Heather Hill for Governor will be on the ballot, but votes for her will be void due to her running mate, Stuart Moats, withdrawing from the race.