Ohio › Ohio Senate District 21 › Kent Smith
Kent Smith — Ohio Senate District 21
Democratic · Ohio general election, November 3, 2026.
FKent SmithDemocratic
Incumbent state senator, District 21; Democrat.
LifeFFamilyFReligious libertyF2nd AmendmentFLimited gov’tFFiscalF
Incumbent Democrat; 0 of 13 scored 2023-26 roll calls went the conservative way (scored votes on gender-identity/family, religious liberty, guns, higher-ed/property-tax and the property-tax veto override). Endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio; NRA-PVF grade F. iVoterGuide rates Verified Liberal.
- Life: Endorsed by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio (2026). Context only (not scored): voted no on SJR 2 (2023 60% voter-approval threshold for constitutional amendments, placed ahead of the Nov. 2023 abortion amendment).
- Family: Voted no on HB 68 (ban on gender-transition procedures for minors + Save Women's Sports Act; 2023 Senate passage and 2024 Senate veto override), HB 8 (Parents' Bill of Rights; 2024 Senate passage), SB 104 (Protect All Students Act, single-sex school bathrooms; 2024 Senate final concurrence) and SB 156 ('success sequence' curriculum; 2025 Senate passage) (0 of 5 recorded votes on these measures went the conservative way).
- Religious liberty: Voted no on HB 214 (Religious Expression Days Act; 2024 Senate passage) and SB 34 (display of historical founding documents in schools; 2025 Senate passage) (0 of 2 recorded votes on these measures went the conservative way).
- 2nd Amendment: Voted no on SB 58 (ban on firearm insurance/fee mandates + Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act; 2024 Senate final concurrence), SB 148 (Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act; 2024 Senate passage) and SB 278 (damages against municipalities that pass gun-control measures; 2026 Senate passage) (0 of 3 recorded votes on these measures went the conservative way).
- Limited gov’t: Voted no on SB 1 (Advance Ohio Higher Education Act; 2025 Senate passage) and HB 335 (inside-millage property-tax limits; 2025 Senate passage) (0 of 2 recorded votes on these measures went the conservative way).
- Fiscal: Voted no on HB 96 line-item veto Item #66 (property-tax/school-levy reform; 2025 Senate override vote) (0 of 1 recorded votes on these measures went the conservative way).
Also running for Ohio Senate District 21
- BMikhail Alterman(R)