The Nov. 3, 2026 election will be the first major referendum on President Donald Trump's second term. At the state level, Ohioans will see a shakeup in leadership with the departure of Gov. Mike DeWine as other term-limited officials pursue new jobs.

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The year in Ohio politics saw several developments that will set up high-stakes battles in 2026. Ohio welcomed new Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate this year while a former senator announced a political comeback bid. A legendary former football coach became the state’s lieutenant governor.

Next year’s political news, in Ohio and across the country, is likely to revolve around the 2026 Midterm Elections. State leaders have made some big changes to how Ohioans will vote in the Midterms and how elections are run and secured.

As 2025 wraps up, we’re looking back at what the Ohio legislature has accomplished this year, and looking ahead at what new policies Ohioans should be aware of in 2026.

The upcoming year is shaping up to be a massive one in the political sphere, particularly in the Buckeye State.

Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said his hand was forced, given the uncertain outcome of a Mississippi case that the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide next summer.

The fact that voter fraud is rare in our state is because lawmakers take fraud seriously and those who try to game the system are punished. And because the threats to election security are always evolving, state law should evolve alongside those threats to ensure that Ohio elections remain honest and accurate.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a bill into law that would require nearly every ballot to be counted on election night. The governor wishes he could have vetoed it, he said.

Look for wild vote count fluctuation for days after polls close. Counteroffensives include an executive order by President Trump, followed by a challenge to Mississippi's counting process that has not reached the U.

Ohio is rolling out a new method for sharing voter records with other states, following its withdrawal from a long-running national data-sharing system in 2023.