Ohio State Representative, District 3
November 3, 2026 · general election · District 3 · 3 candidates with a page
The seat is held. Rep. Ismail Mohamed (D) has held this seat since January 1, 2023 and is running for re-election, so the seat is held.
Sources: Ohio House of Representatives District 3 · Ismail Mohamed · Representative Ismail Mohamed - District 3
About this district
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Chamber | District | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio House | Ohio House, Ohio's 3rd District | Ohio State Representative, District 3 |
Counties: Franklin
Last time, 2024: Ismail Mohamed (Democratic) 100.0% · 28,838 votes.
Sources: 2024 Official Election Results · LaRose certifies official 2024 general election results
The candidates
Listed alphabetically by surname. Ohio rotates the order candidates appear in by precinct, so no order on this page is the order on a ballot.
4 of 11 sections researched · 2 sources
- Teacher and assistant principal, Columbus City Schools, more than 20 years.
- Director, Parent Advocates for Students in Schools (P.A.S.S.).
- Voted educator of the year while working for Columbus City Schools.
7 of 11 sections researched · 7 sources
- Attorney; telephonic Somali interpreter.
- Appointed to the North-Linden Area Commission and the Columbus Civilian Review Board.
- Graduated Northland High School.
9 of 11 sections researched · 17 sources
Elegant Afriyie
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Section | State |
|---|---|
| profile | researched |
| ballot | researched |
| positions | none found |
| claims | not researched |
| record | not researched |
| money | not researched |
| interests | not researched |
| polling | not researched |
| elections | researched |
| endorsements | not researched |
| sources | researched |
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Section | State |
|---|---|
| profile | researched |
| ballot | researched |
| positions | researched |
| claims | not researched |
| record | not researched |
| money | researched |
| interests | not researched |
| polling | not researched |
| elections | researched |
| endorsements | researched |
| sources | researched |
Ismail Mohamed
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Section | State |
|---|---|
| profile | researched |
| ballot | researched |
| positions | researched |
| claims | not researched |
| record | researched |
| money | researched |
| interests | researched |
| polling | not researched |
| elections | researched |
| endorsements | researched |
| sources | researched |
The race in pictures
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Status |
|---|
| None found in the records checked |
A note on our coverage
Read before the columns: where one candidate has more entries than another, this says which of the two reasons it is.
Endorsements received: Bernadine Kennedy Kent has 1 entry, Ismail Mohamed has 1 entry and Elegant Afriyie has 0 entries. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Where they stand: Bernadine Kennedy Kent has 4 entries, Ismail Mohamed has 3 entries and Elegant Afriyie has 0 entries. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Ismail Mohamed's record in office has 5 entries, Bernadine Kennedy Kent's has 0 and Elegant Afriyie's has 0. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Sources: Ismail Mohamed has 12 entries, Bernadine Kennedy Kent has 6 entries and Elegant Afriyie has 2 entries. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Jump to a candidate
- Elegant Afriyie: Where they stand · What they have said, checked · Record in office · Money
- Bernadine Kennedy Kent: Where they stand · What they have said, checked · Record in office · Money
- Ismail Mohamed: Where they stand · What they have said, checked · Record in office · Money
Where they stand
Their own words, by issue, with the date, the venue and the link. A paraphrase is marked as one.
Families and child care
Elegant Afriyie
None found in the records checked
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
As an educator and advocate, Bernadine has dedicated her life to protecting Ohio’s most vulnerable.
Source: Kennedy Kent for Ohio
Ismail Mohamed
None found in the records checked
Government ethics
Elegant Afriyie
None found in the records checked
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
Bernadine believes government works best when it answers to the people—not insiders, not special interests.
Source: Kennedy Kent for Ohio
Ismail Mohamed
None found in the records checked
Housing
Elegant Afriyie
None found in the records checked
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
None found in the records checked
Ismail Mohamed
This investment in Deer Hill Place reflects our commitment to addressing homelessness, expanding access to supportive services, and ensuring some of our most vulnerable residents have a place to call home.
Immigration
Elegant Afriyie
None found in the records checked
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
None found in the records checked
Ismail Mohamed
This legislation ensures that locations meant for care, reflection, and community support are not turned into places of fear. Immigration enforcement should not occur in sensitive locations where it can harm the health, freedom, and wellbeing of Ohio residents.
Source: Reps. Mohamed, Synenberg Introduce Legislation to Protect Sensitive Locations
Public safety
Elegant Afriyie
None found in the records checked
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
Safe communities start with strong leadership.
Source: Kennedy Kent for Ohio
Ismail Mohamed
None found in the records checked
Why they are running
Elegant Afriyie
None found in the records checked
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
Bernadine Kennedy Kent is a lifelong educator, whistleblower, and proven advocate—ready to bring accountability, safety, and common-sense leadership back to Columbus.
Source: Kennedy Kent for Ohio
Ismail Mohamed
As a refugee/immigrant, I am humbled for the opportunity to serve as a member of the 135th General Assembly and to be able to work tirelessly to ensure that we as Americans and Ohioans are living up to our aspirations as a nation.
What they have said, checked
Newest first. Each check is shown in the checker's own rating word, with their name, the date and the link.
Elegant Afriyie
Not yet researched
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
Not yet researched
Ismail Mohamed
Not yet researched
Record in office
Dated actions. Any evaluation of an action is printed with the name of whoever made it and the link.
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Person | Date | Kind | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent (R) | 2017-01-01 | office | Ohio State Representative, District 25 |
| Mohamed (D) | 2023-01-01 | office | Ohio State Representative, District 3 |
| Mohamed (D) | 2025-04-09 | vote | 2025-04-09 (vote): Voted no on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House-passed version) (House Bill 96); the House vote was 60-39 and t |
| Mohamed (D) | 2025-06-11 | vote | 2025-06-11 (vote): Voted no on whether the House would concur in the Senate's amendments to the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House Bi |
| Mohamed (D) | 2025-06-25 | vote | 2025-06-25 (vote): Voted no on the conference committee report on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House Bill 96); the House vote was |
| Mohamed (D) | 2025-07-21 | vote | 2025-07-21 (vote): Voted against overriding the governor's veto of item 66 in House Bill 96; the item removed local authority to place replacement property-tax |
| Mohamed (D) | 2026-06-10 | vote | 2026-06-10 (vote): Voted no on adopting the joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to require identification to vote, placing it on the November |
Elegant Afriyie
Not yet researched
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
Not yet researched
Ismail Mohamed
-
June 10, 2026 · vote
Voted no on adopting the joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to require identification to vote, placing it on the November 3, 2026 ballot as Issue 3 (Senate Joint Resolution 10); the House vote was 62-30 and the motion passed.
Sources: Senate Joint Resolution 10: votes · Senate Joint Resolution 10
-
July 21, 2025 · vote
Voted against overriding the governor's veto of item 66 in House Bill 96; the item removed local authority to place replacement property-tax levies and certain emergency levies on the ballot (the House vote was 61-28, override succeeded).
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
-
June 25, 2025 · vote
Voted no on the conference committee report on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House Bill 96); the House vote was 59-38 and the motion passed.
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
-
June 11, 2025 · vote
Voted no on whether the House would concur in the Senate's amendments to the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House Bill 96); the House vote was 1-85 and the motion failed.
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
-
April 9, 2025 · vote
Voted no on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House-passed version) (House Bill 96); the House vote was 60-39 and the motion passed.
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
Money
Totals and donors exactly as filed with the FEC or the Ohio Secretary of State, each figure with its filing link.
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Status |
|---|
| None found in the records checked |
Elegant Afriyie
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Status |
|---|
| None found in the records checked |
Totals as filed
Not yet researched
Top donors, as filed
Not yet researched
Outside spending
Not yet researched
In-state share
Not yet researched
Bernadine Kennedy Kent
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| From | To | Dollars | Share of total | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised | Spent | 1,104.21 | 30.3% | |
| Raised | Cash on hand | 2,544.73 | 69.7% |
Totals as filed
OhioSOS, as of June 12, 2026: raised $3,649, spent $1,104, cash on hand $2,545.
Ohio campaigns were due to file pre-general reports on October 22, covering activity through October 14, 2026. They are not in these figures, which come from the latest report in our records, dated June 12, 2026.
Sources: Campaign Finance Data · Campaign Finance: Cover Page search · Campaign Finance
Top donors, as filed
None found in the records checked
Outside spending
None found in the records checked
In-state share
Not yet researched
Checked: Ohio Secretary of State candidate cover-page export, 2026 reports
Ismail Mohamed
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| From | To | Dollars | Share of total | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised | Spent | 2,500 | 62.5% | |
| Raised | Cash on hand | 1,500 | 37.5% |
Totals as filed
OhioSOS, as of June 23, 2026: raised $1,000, spent $2,500, cash on hand $-1,500.
Ohio campaigns were due to file pre-general reports on October 22, covering activity through October 14, 2026. They are not in these figures, which come from the latest report in our records, dated June 23, 2026.
Sources: Campaign Finance Data · Campaign Finance: Cover Page search · Campaign Finance
Top donors, as filed
None found in the records checked
Outside spending
None found in the records checked
In-state share
Not yet researched
Checked: Ohio Secretary of State candidate cover-page export, 2026 reports
The result
Not yet researched
Sources
- Ohio elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-19 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Elegant Afriyie · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-30 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Ohio House of Representatives District 3 · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-21 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Ismail Mohamed · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-21 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Representative Ismail Mohamed - District 3 · The Ohio House of Representatives · 2026-09-21 · accessed 2026-09-21
- Bernadine Kennedy Kent · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-21 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Kennedy Kent for Ohio · Kennedy Kent for Ohio · 2026-09-21 · accessed 2026-09-21
- Campaign Finance Data · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-19
- Campaign Finance: Cover Page search · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-19
- Campaign Finance · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-19
- https://ohiogop.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/franklin-county-slate-card.pdf
- House Bill 96: votes · Ohio General Assembly
- Senate Joint Resolution 10: votes · Ohio General Assembly
- 2024 Official Election Results · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-21
- Rep. Mohamed Announces Passage of State Capital Budget, Securing Vital Community Investments in Franklin County · The Ohio House of Representatives · 2026-06-11 · accessed 2026-09-30
- Reps. Mohamed, Synenberg Introduce Legislation to Protect Sensitive Locations · The Ohio House of Representatives · 2026-02-04 · accessed 2026-09-30
- https://ohea.org/oea-candidate-recommendations/
- 2025 financial disclosure statement, Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee · Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee
- House Bill 96 · Ohio General Assembly · accessed 2026-09-21
- Senate Joint Resolution 10 · Ohio General Assembly · accessed 2026-09-21
Quick answers
When is the 2026 Ohio State Representative, District 3 election?
The election for Ohio State Representative, District 3 is on November 3, 2026.
Who is running for Ohio State Representative, District 3 in 2026?
On the ballot for Ohio State Representative, District 3, in surname order: Bernadine Kennedy Kent (Republican), Ismail Mohamed (Democratic). Write-in candidate, not printed on the ballot: Elegant Afriyie.
Who holds the Ohio State Representative, District 3 seat now?
The seat is held by Ismail Mohamed.
Cite and data
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Ohio State Representative, District 3, 2026", https://crackedbuckeye.com/election/2026/ohio-house-3/, built 2026-11-03, accessed [date].
How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-11-03