Jon Husted

Financial management

During his tenure as Ohio Secretary of State, Husted reduced the office's budget by $14.5 million and eliminated the jobs of approximately one-third of its staff.^[9] The office had operated with a surplus for several years. In 2016, Husted requested that his office receive no taxpayer funding for the remainder of his term and instead use existing funds.^[9][10]

Election administration

As Ohio's chief elections official, Husted oversaw election administration policies including early voting schedules and rules governing absentee and provisional ballots.^[11] Voting rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, criticized some of these policies as restrictive and challenged them in court.^[12]

Shortly after taking office, Husted set uniform days and hours for early voting across the state,^[13] replacing a system that had allowed county boards of elections to set their own schedules. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Husted said the change was intended to ensure that voters were treated consistently across the state.^[14] Democratic officials, including Ohio Democratic Party chairman Chris Redfern, criticized the change and said it could reduce access in some areas, while Republican officials said the directive provided adequate early voting opportunities.^[15][16]

In March 2016, the ACLU of Ohio sent Husted's office a letter about whether 17-year-olds who would turn 18 by the general election could vote in the presidential primary.^[17] The issue was subsequently litigated, and on March 11, an Ohio judge ruled that such voters could participate in the primary.^[18]

Husted was the defendant in litigation over Ohio's voter roll maintenance practices. In Husted v. Randolph Institute, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 5–4 in favor of Ohio's procedures.^[19][20]

Business services

Husted partnered with Google's "Get Your Business Online" initiative to provide digital resources for small businesses.^[21]

In 2015, the secretary of state's office closed its in-house business call center and contracted services to the Cleveland Sight Center.^[22]

Opposition to pay-to-play for school extra-curricular activities

Husted expressed opposition to pay-to-participate fees for extracurricular activities in Ohio schools, including sports and band.^[23][24] He supported legislative efforts by State Senator Cliff Hite to restrict school districts' ability to charge participation fees, though the legislation did not advance.^[25]

Ohio FirstEnergy bribery case

In March 2026, Husted testified for the defense in the criminal trial of former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling related to the Ohio FirstEnergy bribery scandal, the largest corruption case in Ohio history.^{[30][31][32][33][34]} Testifying remotely, Husted said he was present at a dinner meeting in 2018 with then governor-elect DeWine and two FirstEnergy executives who were later indicted in a $60 million bribery scheme to pass House Bill 6, which provided $500 million in state bailout funds for nuclear and coal power plants.^[35]

In 2017, FirstEnergy had donated $1 million earmarked "Husted campaign" to Freedom Frontier, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that does not disclose its donors. A Husted spokesperson said that the campaign had not received the donation.^[36]

The FirstEnergy scandal led to a 20-year sentence for former Ohio House of Representatives speaker Larry Householder and charges for three others involved in bribery in 2021.^[37][38] Husted's 2026 testimony was part of a related trial of FirstEnergy executives that resulted in a mistrial in March 2026 and is scheduled for retrial in September 2026.^[39]

Appointment

On January 17, 2025, Governor DeWine announced his appointment of Husted to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by JD Vance following his resignation to serve as vice president of the United States. Husted had originally declined the potential appointment and intended to run for governor in 2026.^[40]

2026 special election

Husted is running in the November 2026 special election to serve the remainder of Vance's U.S. Senate term.^[41]

Tenure

On January 21, 2025, Husted and former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody were sworn in by Vice President JD Vance. Husted was escorted by DeWine and fellow Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno. His appointment lasts until a special election in November 2026.^[2][42]

Committee assignments

Husted was assigned to the following committees for the 2025–2026 term:^[48]

• Committee on Aging (Special)
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
  • Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight
  • Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Innovation and Safety
  • Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  • Subcommittee on Education and the American Family
  • Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
  • Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Education

Husted has supported school choice policies in Ohio, including charter schools and programs that expand access to private and religious education.^[49]

Husted was among Ohio officials who received campaign contributions from individuals associated with the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT), a large online charter school that later closed amid findings that it had overreported student attendance.^[50]

Elections

As Ohio Secretary of State, Husted described his approach to elections as making it "easy to vote and hard to cheat", and supported policies including standardized early voting hours and voter roll maintenance practices.^[51][52]

His tenure included legal disputes over election procedures, including voter roll maintenance policies that were upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States in Husted v. Randolph Institute.^[53]

Foreign policy

In 2025, Husted supported sanctions against Russia, unless Russia pursued a "lasting peace" with Ukraine.^[54]

Husted voted against war powers resolutions intended to limit President Trump's ability to wage the 2026 Iran war without congressional consent.^[55][56]