The offices up for election in 2026 are: Ohio House Districts 62 (Jeanne Schmidt), 63 (Adam Bird), County Commissioner (Claire Corcoran) and County Auditor (Linda Fraley). The filing deadline is February 4, 2026.

Elizabeth (Liz) Jones threw her hat in the ring and, with no campaign experience other than knocking on doors as a Goshen precinct officer, ran for Clermont County Clerk of Courts. While she did not win the election, she earned almost a third of the vote with just under 32%! She forced her incumbent opponent to spend money, raised the visibility of Democrats in Clermont County, and gained valuable experience.

Would you recommend running for office? Why?
Yes. I feel that the best way to get your voice to be heard is to run. No one should be able to run unopposed and just walk into office. The people we elect should be the best candidate for the job. Being a candidate and running a campaign  are basically a job interview. “We the people” are doing the hiring; it is our taxpayer money that employs the candidates through electing them to the position.

What was your favorite thing about your run?
My favorite thing about running for the Clerk of Courts was getting to know — and feel the support of — other candidates at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as other Democrats. There was a great deal of camaraderie with our slate.

What was your least favorite thing?
Because I signed up to run at the last minute, I feel like I didn’t have enough running space to get my legs going. I should’ve sought out more advice from those who had been in this spot before.

Any advice?
Because I was new to this game, I felt taken advantage of when ordering my signs. I ended up spending a lot of money out of pocket to make up for the money I hadn’t raised in donations. So, my advice to any candidate is to really talk to people who’ve done this before, and find out the best places to give your business. Be precise in what you need when ordering signs and pamphlets. Also, rely on your other slate mates, to help give feedback, and ask about the things they are they are doing.

Reach out to Liz with any questions you may have.