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Ohio's 15th Congressional District special election, 2021 (August 3 Democratic primary)
- Election date: Aug. 3
- Registration deadline(s): Jul. 6[1]
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Start of early voting: Jul. 7[2]
- Absentee voting deadline(s): Aug. 2 (postmarked) & Aug. 13th (received)[1]
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID
- Poll times: 6:30am to 7:30pm[1]
118th →
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Mike Carey (R) defeated Allison Russo (D) to win the special election in Ohio's 15th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Carey and Russo won their respective primaries on August 3, 2021, to advance to the special general election on November 2, 2021.[3] The filing deadline was May 17, 2021.[4]
The special election filled the vacancy left by Steve Stivers (R), who resigned to become the President and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, effective May 16, 2021.[5] This page focuses on Ohio's 15th Congressional District special Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's special Republican primary and the special general election, see the following pages:
- Ohio's 15th Congressional District special election, 2021 (August 3 Republican primary)
- Ohio's 15th Congressional District special election, 2021
| Ohio voter? Dates you need to know. | |
|---|---|
| Candidate Filing Deadline | May 17[6] |
| Registration Deadline | Jul. 6 (primary) & Oct. 4 (general)[1] |
| Absentee Voting Deadline | Nov. 1 (postmarked) & Nov. 12 (received)[1] |
| Primary Elections | August 3 |
| General Election | November 2 |
| Voting information | |
| Polling place hours | 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
As of September 17, 2025, 17 special elections have been called during the 117th Congress. From the 113th Congress to the 116th Congress, 50 special elections were held. For more data on historical congressional special elections, click here.
Candidates and election results
Allison Russo defeated Greg Betts in the special Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 15 on August 3, 2021.
Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 15
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Allison Russo | 84.2 | 13,704 |
 | Greg Betts  | 15.8 | 2,576 | |
| Total votes: 16,280 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Nine of 88 Ohio counties—10.2 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Ashtabula County, Ohio | 18.80% | 12.78% | 13.54% | ||||
| Erie County, Ohio | 9.48% | 12.29% | 13.86% | ||||
| Montgomery County, Ohio | 0.73% | 4.62% | 6.22% | ||||
| Ottawa County, Ohio | 19.51% | 4.30% | 6.24% | ||||
| Portage County, Ohio | 9.87% | 5.52% | 8.99% | ||||
| Sandusky County, Ohio | 22.58% | 2.71% | 4.64% | ||||
| Stark County, Ohio | 17.17% | 0.47% | 5.46% | ||||
| Trumbull County, Ohio | 6.22% | 23.00% | 22.43% | ||||
| Wood County, Ohio | 7.99% | 4.84% | 7.13% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Ohio with 51.7 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 43.6 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Ohio cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 93.3 percent of the time (28 out of 30 elections), more than any other state in the country. In that same time frame, Ohio supported Republican candidates for president more often than Democratic candidates, 60 to 40 percent. Between 2000 and 2016, Ohio voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Ohio. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[7][8]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 39 out of 99 state House districts in Ohio with an average margin of victory of 35.7 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 33 out of 99 state House districts in Ohio with an average margin of victory of 34 points. Clinton won seven districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 60 out of 99 state House districts in Ohio with an average margin of victory of 17.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 66 out of 99 state House districts in Ohio with an average margin of victory of 28.3 points. Trump won seven districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 38.79% | 59.24% | R+20.5 | 30.29% | 65.04% | R+34.7 | R |
| 2 | 39.31% | 58.68% | R+19.4 | 29.22% | 66.46% | R+37.2 | R |
| 3 | 51.29% | 46.45% | D+4.8 | 42.61% | 50.69% | R+8.1 | R |
| 4 | 37.14% | 61.16% | R+24 | 29.02% | 66.54% | R+37.5 | R |
| 5 | 43.04% | 54.83% | R+11.8 | 26.99% | 68.78% | R+41.8 | R |
| 6 | 47.63% | 51.35% | R+3.7 | 49.34% | 47.10% | D+2.2 | R |
| 7 | 47.89% | 50.80% | R+2.9 | 43.80% | 52.04% | R+8.2 | R |
| 8 | 81.58% | 17.75% | D+63.8 | 81.13% | 16.64% | D+64.5 | D |
| 9 | 85.23% | 14.11% | D+71.1 | 86.73% | 10.91% | D+75.8 | D |
| 10 | 89.62% | 9.61% | D+80 | 85.79% | 11.52% | D+74.3 | D |
| 11 | 88.72% | 10.64% | D+78.1 | 83.99% | 13.93% | D+70.1 | D |
| 12 | 84.03% | 15.46% | D+68.6 | 82.01% | 15.91% | D+66.1 | D |
| 13 | 76.21% | 22.24% | D+54 | 72.94% | 22.56% | D+50.4 | D |
| 14 | 63.03% | 35.54% | D+27.5 | 53.61% | 42.03% | D+11.6 | D |
| 15 | 59.18% | 39.28% | D+19.9 | 48.53% | 46.89% | D+1.6 | D |
| 16 | 49.37% | 49.54% | R+0.2 | 50.78% | 45.09% | D+5.7 | R |
| 17 | 61.41% | 36.78% | D+24.6 | 53.34% | 41.75% | D+11.6 | D |
| 18 | 70.04% | 27.78% | D+42.3 | 73.61% | 20.76% | D+52.8 | D |
| 19 | 47.99% | 50.56% | R+2.6 | 51.84% | 42.94% | D+8.9 | R |
| 20 | 57.45% | 41.22% | D+16.2 | 54.13% | 41.35% | D+12.8 | D |
| 21 | 48.03% | 50.52% | R+2.5 | 54.17% | 40.64% | D+13.5 | R |
| 22 | 65.70% | 32.50% | D+33.2 | 67.15% | 27.74% | D+39.4 | D |
| 23 | 48.63% | 49.65% | R+1 | 44.07% | 50.55% | R+6.5 | R |
| 24 | 48.32% | 50.18% | R+1.9 | 52.82% | 42.02% | D+10.8 | R |
| 25 | 84.94% | 13.90% | D+71 | 82.21% | 14.45% | D+67.8 | D |
| 26 | 82.21% | 16.89% | D+65.3 | 78.59% | 18.45% | D+60.1 | D |
| 27 | 37.72% | 60.95% | R+23.2 | 44.19% | 50.48% | R+6.3 | R |
| 28 | 47.68% | 51.09% | R+3.4 | 49.74% | 45.54% | D+4.2 | R |
| 29 | 36.38% | 61.99% | R+25.6 | 32.63% | 63.29% | R+30.7 | R |
| 30 | 29.86% | 68.57% | R+38.7 | 29.47% | 65.80% | R+36.3 | R |
| 31 | 68.65% | 29.81% | D+38.8 | 69.01% | 26.01% | D+43 | D |
| 32 | 77.38% | 21.44% | D+55.9 | 76.98% | 19.40% | D+57.6 | D |
| 33 | 74.59% | 24.41% | D+50.2 | 74.33% | 22.24% | D+52.1 | D |
| 34 | 77.67% | 21.29% | D+56.4 | 74.56% | 22.10% | D+52.5 | D |
| 35 | 65.71% | 32.53% | D+33.2 | 54.68% | 40.82% | D+13.9 | D |
| 36 | 51.22% | 47.16% | D+4.1 | 43.84% | 51.40% | R+7.6 | R |
| 37 | 48.21% | 50.59% | R+2.4 | 48.22% | 47.58% | D+0.6 | R |
| 38 | 45.12% | 53.31% | R+8.2 | 39.47% | 56.20% | R+16.7 | R |
| 39 | 83.01% | 15.69% | D+67.3 | 77.40% | 18.70% | D+58.7 | D |
| 40 | 42.26% | 56.01% | R+13.7 | 37.44% | 58.22% | R+20.8 | R |
| 41 | 41.76% | 56.43% | R+14.7 | 41.26% | 53.19% | R+11.9 | R |
| 42 | 37.30% | 61.04% | R+23.7 | 34.78% | 60.50% | R+25.7 | R |
| 43 | 52.03% | 46.30% | D+5.7 | 44.83% | 51.71% | R+6.9 | R |
| 44 | 85.18% | 13.57% | D+71.6 | 78.27% | 17.63% | D+60.6 | D |
| 45 | 67.48% | 30.35% | D+37.1 | 54.70% | 38.87% | D+15.8 | D |
| 46 | 61.17% | 36.89% | D+24.3 | 51.98% | 42.46% | D+9.5 | D |
| 47 | 44.22% | 54.03% | R+9.8 | 39.17% | 55.41% | R+16.2 | R |
| 48 | 45.37% | 52.95% | R+7.6 | 38.85% | 56.51% | R+17.7 | R |
| 49 | 63.88% | 33.96% | D+29.9 | 50.58% | 44.46% | D+6.1 | D |
| 50 | 42.15% | 56.06% | R+13.9 | 32.22% | 63.32% | R+31.1 | R |
| 51 | 39.52% | 58.86% | R+19.3 | 34.67% | 60.85% | R+26.2 | R |
| 52 | 32.15% | 66.62% | R+34.5 | 34.41% | 61.10% | R+26.7 | R |
| 53 | 37.68% | 60.48% | R+22.8 | 31.90% | 64.04% | R+32.1 | R |
| 54 | 33.88% | 64.77% | R+30.9 | 35.15% | 59.94% | R+24.8 | R |
| 55 | 54.00% | 44.36% | D+9.6 | 46.06% | 49.11% | R+3 | R |
| 56 | 66.42% | 31.87% | D+34.5 | 56.04% | 39.48% | D+16.6 | D |
| 57 | 45.16% | 52.88% | R+7.7 | 33.67% | 61.31% | R+27.6 | R |
| 58 | 77.98% | 20.84% | D+57.1 | 63.99% | 32.77% | D+31.2 | D |
| 59 | 51.32% | 47.23% | D+4.1 | 39.03% | 57.44% | R+18.4 | D |
| 60 | 53.77% | 44.35% | D+9.4 | 43.53% | 51.59% | R+8.1 | D |
| 61 | 44.47% | 54.03% | R+9.6 | 37.08% | 58.60% | R+21.5 | R |
| 62 | 27.91% | 70.65% | R+42.7 | 24.13% | 71.55% | R+47.4 | R |
| 63 | 60.72% | 37.58% | D+23.1 | 44.17% | 51.91% | R+7.7 | D |
| 64 | 59.27% | 38.87% | D+20.4 | 44.19% | 51.55% | R+7.4 | D |
| 65 | 31.46% | 66.93% | R+35.5 | 28.92% | 66.19% | R+37.3 | R |
| 66 | 33.65% | 64.53% | R+30.9 | 23.17% | 73.04% | R+49.9 | R |
| 67 | 38.37% | 60.33% | R+22 | 39.82% | 55.21% | R+15.4 | R |
| 68 | 36.74% | 61.59% | R+24.9 | 34.19% | 61.06% | R+26.9 | R |
| 69 | 41.18% | 57.12% | R+15.9 | 35.30% | 60.15% | R+24.9 | R |
| 70 | 39.57% | 58.40% | R+18.8 | 28.98% | 66.22% | R+37.2 | R |
| 71 | 44.17% | 53.76% | R+9.6 | 36.24% | 58.84% | R+22.6 | R |
| 72 | 41.74% | 56.02% | R+14.3 | 26.53% | 69.18% | R+42.6 | R |
| 73 | 38.72% | 59.60% | R+20.9 | 37.58% | 56.86% | R+19.3 | R |
| 74 | 39.24% | 59.00% | R+19.8 | 29.26% | 66.33% | R+37.1 | R |
| 75 | 55.14% | 42.80% | D+12.3 | 45.12% | 49.88% | R+4.8 | D |
| 76 | 40.16% | 58.30% | R+18.1 | 36.58% | 59.26% | R+22.7 | R |
| 77 | 42.94% | 55.55% | R+12.6 | 36.83% | 58.45% | R+21.6 | R |
| 78 | 43.27% | 54.75% | R+11.5 | 27.72% | 67.97% | R+40.3 | R |
| 79 | 50.25% | 48.15% | D+2.1 | 39.71% | 55.79% | R+16.1 | R |
| 80 | 30.58% | 67.60% | R+37 | 23.49% | 72.12% | R+48.6 | R |
| 81 | 36.13% | 61.79% | R+25.7 | 23.47% | 71.04% | R+47.6 | R |
| 82 | 35.40% | 62.61% | R+27.2 | 23.64% | 71.47% | R+47.8 | R |
| 83 | 35.44% | 62.41% | R+27 | 25.53% | 68.92% | R+43.4 | R |
| 84 | 22.84% | 75.48% | R+52.6 | 15.84% | 80.56% | R+64.7 | R |
| 85 | 34.91% | 63.23% | R+28.3 | 23.23% | 72.46% | R+49.2 | R |
| 86 | 40.44% | 57.59% | R+17.2 | 29.69% | 64.99% | R+35.3 | R |
| 87 | 37.79% | 59.89% | R+22.1 | 23.50% | 71.42% | R+47.9 | R |
| 88 | 48.08% | 49.40% | R+1.3 | 33.72% | 59.59% | R+25.9 | R |
| 89 | 53.82% | 44.44% | D+9.4 | 40.79% | 54.12% | R+13.3 | R |
| 90 | 45.61% | 52.45% | R+6.8 | 28.10% | 68.50% | R+40.4 | R |
| 91 | 37.47% | 60.53% | R+23.1 | 23.48% | 72.83% | R+49.3 | R |
| 92 | 44.40% | 54.02% | R+9.6 | 30.49% | 65.30% | R+34.8 | R |
| 93 | 38.50% | 59.36% | R+20.9 | 22.81% | 73.57% | R+50.8 | R |
| 94 | 52.86% | 44.54% | D+8.3 | 41.52% | 53.47% | R+12 | R |
| 95 | 39.50% | 58.11% | R+18.6 | 24.30% | 71.52% | R+47.2 | R |
| 96 | 47.46% | 50.40% | R+2.9 | 29.81% | 66.31% | R+36.5 | D |
| 97 | 45.24% | 52.60% | R+7.4 | 29.04% | 66.33% | R+37.3 | R |
| 98 | 40.54% | 57.23% | R+16.7 | 27.38% | 67.61% | R+40.2 | R |
| 99 | 52.60% | 45.25% | D+7.4 | 37.09% | 58.30% | R+21.2 | D |
| Total | 50.67% | 47.69% | D+3 | 43.69% | 51.84% | R+8.2 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
- Special elections to the 117th United States Congress (2021-2022)
- Ohio's 15th Congressional District special election, 2021
- Ohio's 15th Congressional District special election, 2021 (August 3 Republican primary)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Ohio Secretary of State, "2021 Ohio Elections Calendar," accessed March 19, 2021
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "Early Voting," accessed March 19, 2021
- ↑ WFMJ NBC 21, "Governor Mike DeWine calls special election for Ohio's 15th Congressional District," April 26, 2021
- ↑ WFMJ NBC 21, "Governor Mike DeWine calls special election for Ohio's 15th Congressional District," April 26, 2021
- ↑ ABC 6, "Steve Stivers resigns from Congress to lead Ohio Chamber of Commerce," April 19, 2021
- ↑ WFMJ NBC 21, "Governor Mike DeWine calls special election for Ohio's 15th Congressional District," April 26, 2021
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
