Ohio voters chose a new governor and decided 12 county developmental disabilities levies. Here’s what the results mean and which decisions in Columbus and Washington could affect the services people and families use.
Updated November 4, 2026 | ElevateDD
What Ohio voters decided
Ohio voters elected Dr. Amy Acton (D) as governor and Sherrod Brown (D) to the U.S. Senate in Ohio’s special election. Allison Russo (D) won the secretary of state race. Unofficial returns also showed voters approving State Issue 3, the voter identification amendment.
In the latest unofficial statewide returns, John Kulewicz (D) led for attorney general, Frank LaRose (R) led for state auditor, and Seth Walsh (D) led for state treasurer. Marilyn Zayas (D) and Jennifer Brunner (D) led in their respective Ohio Supreme Court races.
Republicans were projected to retain the Ohio House and were expected to retain the Ohio Senate. Democrats were projected to take control of both chambers of the incoming U.S. Congress. These majorities help determine who leads committees and which bills come up for hearings and votes. The current state and federal legislatures can still act before the new terms begin.
County developmental disabilities levy results
Five of Ohio’s 12 county developmental disabilities levies passed and seven failed, based on unofficial November 3 election returns. A renewal continues a levy, a renewal and increase continues it at a higher rate, and a new levy authorizes an additional tax.
| County | Levy on the Ballot | Term | Unofficial Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | 2.1 mills renewal + 1 mill increase | 3 years | Failed |
| Champaign | 1.5 mills new | 5 years | Failed |
| Cuyahoga | 2.25 mills new | 10 years | Passed |
| Delaware | 1.8 mills new | 5 years | Passed |
| Henry | 2.5 mills new | 5 years | Passed |
| Jefferson | 1.7 mills renewal | 10 years | Passed |
| Logan | 2 mills new | 5 years | Failed |
| Mahoning | 2.4 mills new | 5 years | Failed |
| Marion | 3 mills renewal | 5 years | Passed |
| Meigs | 2 mills new | 5 years | Failed |
| Pike | 2 mills new | 5 years | Failed |
| Tuscarawas | 1.2 mills new | 10 years | Failed |
County boards can use levy revenue to support early intervention, service coordination, and the local share of some Medicaid-funded services. The effect of a failed levy depends on whether existing revenue is expiring, what the board planned to fund, and what other resources are available. Your county board of developmental disabilities can explain what the result means locally and when it expects to share any service or budget updates. For more on how Ohio’s system is funded, see What’s at Stake for Ohio’s Developmental Disabilities Services This November.
What happens in Columbus in January?
New Ohio legislative terms begin January 1, and the 137th Ohio General Assembly convenes January 4, 2027. The House and Senate organize, select leaders, and assign members to committees that review bills and hear public testimony. The governor’s term begins January 11. Until the current General Assembly ends, lawmakers can still hold hearings and pass bills. Unfinished bills generally must be introduced again in the new General Assembly.
How Ohio’s next operating budget takes shape
Ohio’s operating budget covers two fiscal years. The next budget, for fiscal years 2028 and 2029, runs from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2029. It sets how much state agencies may spend and can also change how programs operate.
| When | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 and winter 2027 | State agencies submit funding requests. The Office of Budget and Management reviews them as the governor’s team develops its recommendations. |
| By March 15, 2027 | Ohio law requires the governor to submit a budget proposal by March 15 in a year when a new governor takes office. |
| Spring into June | House and Senate committees hear testimony and can revise the bill. Both chambers must agree on the same text, often after a conference committee works through differences. Hearing and vote dates depend on the legislative calendar. |
| Before the July 1 fiscal-year start | The budget goes to the governor, who can sign it and veto individual items in an appropriations bill. Agencies then put the enacted budget into effect, with timing varying by provision. |
What happens when Congress returns?
The U.S. House and Senate are scheduled to return to legislative business on Monday, November 9, 2026, after brief procedural meetings on November 5. This period between the election and the start of the next Congress is often called a lame-duck session. Lawmakers currently in office can still negotiate funding, hold hearings, and pass bills. The incoming 120th Congress begins its term at noon on January 3, 2027. Bills that have not become law by then generally must be introduced again.
The first major deadline to watch is December 11. A temporary funding law, called a continuing resolution, generally funds covered federal operations through that date unless full-year funding is enacted sooner. Watch whether Congress passes full-year funding or extends temporary funding. The president’s budget request recommends spending levels. House and Senate appropriations bills put forward congressional funding proposals. The enacted law determines what federal agencies can spend. Agency rules, such as proposed Head Start standards, move through a separate process and have their own timelines.
Federal decisions to watch
Special education and early intervention.
The president’s budget request would combine IDEA’s Section 619 preschool grants and five Part D national programs into the main Part B grants to states, while keeping Part C Early Intervention funding separate. The House Appropriations Committee’s bill retains a separate preschool grant. Separately, under an agreement between the departments of Education and Health and Human Services, Health and Human Services will help administer grants and provide technical assistance while Education retains statutory responsibility and oversight. Watch the final funding language and whether either bill restricting transfers of Education Department functions, S. 5046 or H.R. 10232, advances before Congress adjourns.
Head Start and inclusive child care.
The proposed Head Start rule would replace detailed standards on participation, services during IDEA eligibility determination, family support, and coordination with local IDEA agencies with a broader requirement to follow applicable disability laws. For families, those detailed standards describe what a program does when a child needs support. Watch for a final rule and its effective date. A separate child care proposal has been reported. An official notice would show what the agency proposes and how families could comment.
Medicaid, food assistance, and home visiting.
Ohio Medicaid says new work or community activity requirements begin January 1, 2027 for certain adults in its Group VIII expansion coverage. Exemptions apply. Ohio Medicaid’s guidance explains which coverage group is affected and what documentation people may need. The federal share of state administrative costs for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fell from 50% to 25% at the start of federal fiscal year 2027. A separate provision ties some states’ share of benefit costs to payment error rates, generally beginning in federal fiscal year 2028. Watch how Ohio accounts for these costs in its budget and whether Congress reauthorizes the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program beyond federal fiscal year 2027.
Community integration and civil rights.
A June 18 opinion from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel argues for a narrower reading of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 in the context of state institutional services. In July, the department said it would no longer rely on its earlier Olmstead guidance when enforcing Title II of the ADA. The Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision remains precedent on when unjustified institutional isolation constitutes discrimination. Watch for further agency action and court decisions affecting how people seek services in their communities. To learn more, see Understanding Texas v. Kennedy: What the Section 504 Decision Means for Community Integration.
What families can do now
Stay informed with ElevateDD. Follow ElevateDD’s news page and subscribe for updates on disability policy at the Ohio Statehouse and in Washington, D.C., including what new proposals and decisions could mean for people with developmental disabilities and their families. Read ElevateDD news · Subscribe to advocacy updates
Register for the ConnecteDD webinar with Director Lyndsay Nash. Join ElevateDD on Thursday, November 19, from noon to 1 p.m. for Developmental Disability Landscape: Today and Looking Ahead. Director Nash of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities will join ElevateDD President and CEO Troy Hunter to discuss Ohio’s developmental disability services, the challenges facing the system, and what to watch heading into 2027. Register for the webinar
Ask about local services. Your county board of elections posts levy results. Your county board of developmental disabilities can explain how those results factor into local funding and service decisions. Ohio local election results directory
Follow Ohio’s budget and share your experience. Find your state legislators, check finance committee calendars, and look for instructions on submitting testimony. If you share your experience, describe the service you use, the barrier you face, and the change that would help. Ohio General Assembly · Legislative Service Commission budget resources