The Ballot Brief
Portage County, Ohio

Ohio House District 72

3 candidates are tracked for Ohio House District 72 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jeff Clapper, Heidi Workman and Michael Fricke. Candidate information follows official Portage County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Jeff Clapper (Democratic), Heidi Workman (Republican), Michael Fricke (Libertarian) are on the November 3 ballot for Ohio House District 72; Heidi Workman 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.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Heidi Workman, is on the ballot.

Ohio › Portage County › Ohio House District 72

Jeff Clapper

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Protecting Portage County farmland from large-scale data center development
  • Improving access to affordable health care and supporting workforce housing construction
  • Investing directly in public school funding and expanding college, trade school and apprenticeship pathways

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Clapper serves as President of Kent City Council and previously served on Kent's Planning Commission before his election to council, roughly a decade of local government involvement, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Heidi Workman

Heidi Workman

Republican Incumbent

Biography

Heidi Workman is the Republican incumbent for Ohio House District 72, representing most of Portage County since her election in November 2024, per the Ohio House of Representatives. A small business owner and registered nurse with two decades of healthcare and insurance experience, she serves as Vice Chair of the House Technology and Innovation Committee, per the same source.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Michael Fricke

Libertarian

Biography

Michael Fricke is the Libertarian candidate for Ohio House District 72. Fricke was elected treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Ohio's State Central Committee in June 2026, having previously served as a committee member for Ohio's 14th Congressional District, per the Independent Political Report. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Next on your ballotOhio Senate District 27

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Ohio House District 72 in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for Ohio House District 72 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Jeff Clapper, Heidi Workman and Michael Fricke. Candidate information follows official Portage County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Ohio House District 72 election in Ohio?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Ohio are on the Ohio election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Portage County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Portage County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Ohio election office, or see the full Portage County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Portage County ballot

3 tracked races in Portage County, Ohio. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Ohio House District 35See all 3 Portage County races
Candidate profiles
Jeff Clapper, full profileHeidi Workman, full profileMichael Fricke, full profileOfficial Ohio election office