Delaware County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
14 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 9 Delaware County races, led by the Delaware County Commissioner contest.
County offices
CommissionerRyan Grissinger (D) · Renee Vaughan (R)
Ryan Grissinger (Democratic) and Renee Vaughan (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Delaware County Commissioner.
Ryan Grissinger Democratic
- Publish an annual 10-year growth impact forecast for county infrastructure and services
- Require new developments to fund their proportional share of infrastructure costs
- Hold transparent, countywide planning with public input across the county's townships
Per the campaign site.
About Ryan Grissinger
Grissinger is the founder and CEO of Polaris Pixels, an AI consulting firm, and previously spent nearly a decade as chief technology officer of Roof Maxx, per his campaign site. He has 30 years of business experience, including scaling a franchise company to 350 locations nationwide, per the Delaware Source.
Renee Vaughan Republican
- Keep road, school and public safety infrastructure paced with growth
- Pursue responsible development balanced with fiscal responsibility
- Coordinate planning between the county, local governments and the private sector
Per the campaign site.
About Renee Vaughan
Vaughan has served as a Genoa Township trustee since being first elected in 2019, and is a former special education teacher with degrees from the University of Cincinnati, the University of Pittsburgh and Slippery Rock University, per her campaign site.
Open seat: sitting commissioner Barb Lewis is not seeking reelection after serving since 2015, per the Delaware Gazette. Ryan Grissinger won the Democratic nomination unopposed; Renee Vaughan won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary, per the Delaware Source.
Full race pageAuditorGeorge Kaitsa (R)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
George Kaitsa (Republican) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Delaware County Auditor.
George Kaitsa Republican Incumbent
Kaitsa has served as Delaware County auditor since being appointed in 2009 and elected to a full term in 2010, per his official biography. He previously served as the Ohio Department of Development's first chief financial officer and as deputy director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, and holds an economics degree from Kenyon College and an MBA from Ohio State University, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 10, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for George Kaitsa.
George Kaitsa won the May 5, 2026 Republican primary over Don Rankey Jr. and runs unopposed in November, per the Delaware Source. No Democrat filed.
Full race pageJudges
Judge, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (full term)Nonpartisan race · Marianne T. Hemmeter
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Marianne T. Hemmeter is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (full term).
Marianne T. Hemmeter Nonpartisan Incumbent
Hemmeter was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine to the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, taking office February 11, 2025, and has 27 years of legal experience including nearly a decade as a Delaware Municipal Court judge, per Court News Ohio. She previously served as deputy director of the Economic Crimes Unit at the Ohio Attorney General's Office and as Delaware County's interim prosecuting attorney in 2003, and holds a J.D. from Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 10, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Marianne T. Hemmeter.
Ohio judicial candidates appear on the ballot without a party label. Marianne Hemmeter runs unopposed for the full six-year term beginning February 9, 2027; she was nominated in the Republican primary, per the county's certified list.
Full race pageJudge, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (unexpired term ending 12/31/2030)Nonpartisan race · Nickolas K. McCoy · Emma Mirles-Jones
Nickolas K. McCoy and Emma Mirles-Jones are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (unexpired term ending 12/31/2030).
Nickolas K. McCoy Nonpartisan
Nickolas K. McCoy is a candidate for Judge of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, General Division. He currently serves as a Magistrate in the county's Juvenile and Probate Division and was admitted to practice law by the Ohio Supreme Court in November 2009, per the Delaware County Bar Association. McCoy practiced law for nearly 16 years focusing on estate planning, elder law, guardianships and domestic relations, and served two terms as President of the Delaware County Bar Association, per his campaign site.
Emma Mirles-Jones Nonpartisan
Emma Mirles-Jones is a candidate in the special election for Judge of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, General Division. She holds a J.D. and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and has practiced law for 16 years, predominantly as court-appointed counsel and public defender in Franklin, Delaware and Morrow counties, focusing on criminal defense and family law, per her campaign site. She has represented children as guardian ad litem and is a Supreme Court of Ohio qualified mediator, per the same source.
This nonpartisan-format seat opened when the previous judge, elected in 2018 and reelected in 2024 to a term running through 2030, retired from the bench in June 2026, per the Delaware Gazette. Nickolas K. McCoy and Emma Mirles-Jones filed by the August 10, 2026 deadline to compete in the November special election for the balance of that term; the county's certified list carries McCoy's filing as a Republican petition candidate and Mirles-Jones's as a Democratic petition candidate, but Ohio prints no party label for judicial races.
Full race pageJudge, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Probate/Juvenile DivisionNonpartisan race · David Hejmanowski
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
David Hejmanowski is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge, Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, Probate/Juvenile Division.
David Hejmanowski Nonpartisan Incumbent
Hejmanowski has served as judge of the Delaware County Probate/Juvenile Court since February 2015, after serving as a magistrate at the same court from 2003 to 2015, per the court's official biography. He earned a B.S. in political science from Hiram College in 1996 and a J.D. from Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law in 1999, and serves on the Ohio Supreme Court's Judicial College board, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 10, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for David Hejmanowski.
Ohio judicial candidates appear on the ballot without a party label. David Hejmanowski runs unopposed; he was nominated in the Republican primary, per the county's certified list.
Full race pageJudge, Ohio 5th District Court of AppealsNonpartisan race · Matthew George
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Matthew George is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge, Ohio 5th District Court of Appeals.
Matthew George Nonpartisan
- Apply the law as written and oppose judicial activism
- Emphasize ethics, transparency and equal justice in the appellate court's work
Per the campaign site.
About Matthew George
George currently serves as a judge on the Licking County Municipal Court, a seat he has held since 2020, and previously served as a magistrate in Licking County's Common Pleas and Domestic Relations Courts, for 18 years of total judicial experience, per his campaign site. He is a graduate of Ashland University and Washington and Lee University School of Law, and won the May 5, 2026 Republican nomination for the 5th District Court of Appeals seat over two other contenders, per the Ashland Source.
Ohio judicial candidates appear on the ballot without a party label. Matthew George runs unopposed on Delaware County's list for this six-year appellate term beginning February 9, 2027; he won a three-candidate Republican primary, per the Ashland Source.
Full race pageBy address
These seats are elected by district; only the district covering your address is on your ballot.
Delaware County is split across 2 Ohio House districts.
Find your districts by addressOhio House: 2 districtsDistricts 60, 61
Ohio House District 60Shelby Kimball (D) · Brian Lorenz (R)
Shelby Kimball Democratic
- Public education
- Access to health care
- Support for military families
Per the news coverage.
About Shelby Kimball
Shelby Kimball, the Democratic nominee for Ohio House District 60, is a Marine Corps veteran and Dublin resident, per the Delaware Gazette. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
Brian Lorenz Republican Incumbent
Brian Lorenz is serving his first term in the Ohio House of Representatives representing the 60th District, per his campaign site. He previously served on Powell City Council and as Mayor of Powell, and chairs the House Economic & Workforce Development Committee, per his campaign site.
Shelby Kimball (Democratic), Brian Lorenz (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Ohio House District 60; Brian Lorenz is the sitting member, per the Ohio House of Representatives's official member directory (ohiohouse.gov). Nominees were chosen at the May 5, 2026 primary or qualified directly for the general ballot. The field is the Secretary of State's certified 2026 General Election candidate list; Ohio prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageOhio House District 61Vince McGrail (D) · Shawn Stevens (R)
Vince McGrail Democratic
- Economic relief from high property taxes and utility costs
- Increased investment in public school funding
- Senior services to help older Ohioans age in their homes
Per the campaign site.
About Vince McGrail
Vince McGrail, the Democratic nominee for the open Ohio House District 61 seat, has served for 12 years as Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Association of Central Ohio after 17 years in alumni relations and fundraising at Ohio State University, per his campaign site.
Shawn Stevens Republican
- Using the Homestead Exemption to eliminate property taxes for Ohioans over 65
- Strengthened parental rights and school choice
- A top-to-bottom audit of state spending with across-the-board cuts
Per the news coverage.
About Shawn Stevens
Shawn Stevens, the Republican nominee for the open Ohio House District 61 seat, owns a title and escrow company in Westerville and served a decade on the Delaware County Board of Elections, per Knox Pages. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
Vince McGrail (Democratic), Shawn Stevens (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Ohio House District 61. Not on the November ballot: Beth Lear, the sitting member per the roster. Nominees were chosen at the May 5, 2026 primary or qualified directly for the general ballot. The field is the Secretary of State's certified 2026 General Election candidate list; Ohio prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageOhio Senate District 19Janet Wagner (D) · Ryan Rivers (R)
Janet Wagner Democratic
Janet Wagner is the Democratic candidate for Ohio Senate District 19 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's certified 2026 General Election candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.
Ryan Rivers Republican
- Supports lowering energy bills and pursuing property tax reform
- Supports increased local input on jobs and investment decisions
Per the campaign site.
About Ryan Rivers
Ryan Rivers is a Central Ohio business professional running for State Senate from Delaware County, per his campaign site. He describes a career working with employers and entrepreneurs in the private sector, per his campaign site.
Janet Wagner (Democratic), Ryan Rivers (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Ohio Senate District 19. Not on the November ballot: Andrew O. Brenner, the sitting member per the roster. Nominees were chosen at the May 5, 2026 primary or qualified directly for the general ballot. The field is the Secretary of State's certified 2026 General Election candidate list; Ohio prints unopposed candidates rather than deeming them elected. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Ohio nominees were set by the May 5 primary; a plurality wins in November, unopposed candidates still print, and judicial candidates appear without party labels, per the Secretary of State.
Who is on the ballot in Delaware County, Ohio on November 3, 2026?
Delaware County sample ballot 2026: see where the county commissioner candidates stand on budget and transparency, schools and roads and infrastructure. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in Ohio?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Ohio are listed on the Ohio election hub. Ohio election hub →
How do I see my exact Delaware County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
Sample ballot by ZIP code in Delaware County10 ZIP codes
Candidate roster last updated Sep 27, 2026 from official election sources.