Democrat campaigns for secretary of state

TIFFIN — The Democratic candidate for Ohio secretary of state, Bryan Hambley, says he opposes gerrymandering and wants to make it easy for Ohioans to vote. Hambley, a Cincinnati cancer doctor who specializes in leukemia treatment, is running for a post that will be settled in the 2026 election, along with the race for governor and other statewide races. Republican Robert Sprague, the current state treasurer, also is running for the job. State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, has expressed interest but has not announced a decision. The current secretary of state, Republican Frank LaRose, is leaving office. The secretary of state is Ohio's top elections official and also maintains documents filed by state businesses. Hambley, in a phone interview when he campaigned recently in the Cleveland area, said it's finally time to end gerrymandering in Ohio when lines are drawn for districts for politicians representing Ohioans in the Ohio General Assembly and in Congress. "When politicians are drawing their own districts, they become less responsive to citizens who live in those districts," he said. The way to fix the problem is an independent redistricting commission, similar to one proposed in a state question that voters turned down last year, he said. Hambley said he also will fight for wording on state questions that is clear and truthful. He contends that one the reasons the state question on redistricting failed last year is that the language was deceptive and confused voters. "We need honesty in our ballot language," he said. Hambley said he supports making it easy to vote. He opposes a current proposal in a bill by Gavarone to stop using drop off ballot boxes. Hambley said he grew up on a small family farm. He and his wife, Jana, a trauma surgeon, have two small children. Sprague spoke briefly at the April 2 Lincoln Day dinner the Erie County Republican Party hosted at Kalahari Convention Center. Sprague mentioned his campaign for secretary of state and said he backs requiring government ID cards to prove that people are eligible to vote; currently there are other documents voters can present at polling places, like utility bills. "We will only allow American citizens to vote," he said. Gavarone has authored numerous bills dealing with elections and serves on Ohio's Ballot Board, which approves the language for ballot issues. While she has expressed interest in running for secretary of state, she said in a recent interview that she has not made a decision. "Right now, I am focusing on the Second Senate district and the budget and all the work we're doing right now in the Senate," Gavarone said.