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.

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.

Ohio is changing the rules for absentee voting ahead of the 2026 election. Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation on Dec. 19 to eliminate the grace period for mailed absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day. The move came as the Trump administration targets mail-in voting and the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear a case over ballot deadlines.

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.

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.

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.