Governor of Ohio
Amy Acton
Former Director of the Ohio Department of Health (2019–2020)D
- Race
- Governor of Ohio
- Election
- 2026-11-03
- Opponents
- Vivek Ramaswamy (R); Don Kissick (LIB)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did3 statements · 0 votes
I will protect reproductive freedom so that every woman can access safe, legal abortion care, contraception, fertility treatments, and miscarriage care.
Protect legal access to abortion
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotGovernor
2026-11-03
| Vivek Ramaswamy R | challenger |
| Amy Acton D | challenger |
| Don Kissick LIB | challenger |
Running with Lt. Gov. candidate David Pepper, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. Unopposed in the May 5 Democratic primary.
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
I will protect reproductive freedom so that every woman can access safe, legal abortion care, contraception, fertility treatments, and miscarriage care.
Campaign issue page says she would protect access to abortion care as governor.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Public money should be for public schools.
Campaign issue page calls for reforming the state voucher system and says public money should go to public schools.[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
fully fund our local law enforcement
Campaign issue page says she would fully fund local law enforcement.[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Amy Acton is a physician and public health researcher from Youngstown who served as Ohio Department of Health director under Republican Gov. Mike DeWine from 2019 to 2020, leading the state's early COVID-19 response. She is the Democratic nominee for governor, running with David Pepper. Her campaign centers on an affordability agenda that includes child tax credits, an online prescription-drug platform called Ohio Rx, and a conditional moratorium on data-center expansion.[1][2][3]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Amy Acton was born in Youngstown, Ohio, and earned a bachelor's degree from Youngstown State University and a medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University in 1990.[1] She completed residencies in pediatrics and preventive medicine and earned a master's in public health from Ohio State University.[1]
Acton taught public health at Ohio State University, where an Associated Press report describes her as an associate professor, and worked at the Columbus Foundation.[1][7] Gov. Mike DeWine appointed her Director of the Ohio Department of Health in February 2019; she left the post in June 2020.[1] She remained as the governor's chief health adviser until August 2020.[7]
After leaving state government, Acton returned to the Columbus Foundation and later directed the city of Columbus's Project L.O.V.E., a childhood vaccination initiative.[1][7] She has not previously held elective office and launched her campaign for governor in January 2025.[7]
In their own words
Priorities
- Lowering costs for working families through her 'ActOn Lowering Costs' agenda, including child tax credits of $500 to $1,000 a year, a refundable credit for lower-income families and an Ohio Rx platform to reduce prescription-drug costs.[8]
- Easing enrollment in Medicaid, joining cities that have relieved residents' medical debt, and restoring energy-efficiency programs cut in House Bill 6.[8]
- A conditional moratorium on rapid data-center expansion, requiring companies to supply their own energy and build on former industrial sites rather than farmland.[9]
Statements, quoted without a stance
- Faster transition away from fossil fuels
“I'll lower energy bills for Ohioans by enhancing production and incorporating the lowest-cost and cleanest sources of energy.”[10]
On her campaign issue page "Lowering Energy Costs"
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/amy-acton
Compare all 3 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.Amy Acton · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 2.Ohio governor race: Acton releases lots of affordability ideas, but few specifics on funding them · Statehouse News Bureau / WYSU · 2026-04-06 News report
- 3.Acton lands Ohio firefighters endorsement, pitches affordability agenda in governor's race · FOX19 NOW (WXIX) · 2026-08-05 News report
- 4.Ensuring Reproductive Freedom · Acton for Governor campaign website Candidate's own words
- 5.Improving Ohio’s Education · Acton for Governor campaign website Candidate's own words
- 6.Building Safer Communities · Acton for Governor campaign website Candidate's own words
- 7.Dr. Amy Acton, who helped lead Ohio's early pandemic response, joins 2026 governor's race · 13abc (Associated Press) · 2025-01-07 News report
- 8.Ohio governor race: Acton releases lots of affordability ideas, but few specifics on funding them · Statehouse News Bureau / WYSU · 2026-04-06 News report
- 9.Acton lands Ohio firefighters endorsement, pitches affordability agenda in governor's race · FOX19 NOW (WXIX) · 2026-08-05 News report
- 10.Lowering Energy Costs · Acton for Governor campaign website Candidate's own words