Ohio State Senator, District 11
November 3, 2026 · general election · District 11 · 3 candidates with a page
The seat is held. Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D) took the seat on November 16, 2022, was elected to a full term that November, and is running for re-election, so the seat is held.
Sources: ohiosenate.gov · ballotpedia.org · Paula Hicks-Hudson (Ohio Senate, assumed office November 16, 2022)
About this district
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Chamber | District | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio Senate | Ohio Senate, Ohio's 11th District | Ohio State Senator, District 11 |
Counties: Lucas
Last time, 2022: Paula Hicks-Hudson (Democratic) 55.3% · 64,761 votes; Tony Dia (Republican) 44.7% · 52,384 votes.
Sources: 2022 Official Election Results · LaRose Certifies Results for the November 2022 General Election
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.
- Attorney; worked at the Toledo Legal Aid Society, as an assistant prosecutor for Lucas County, and as an assistant public defender.
- Bachelor's degree in political science and journalism, Spelman College, 1973.
- Master's degree in communications development, Colorado State University, 1975.
9 of 11 sections researched · 24 sources
- Attorney, practicing law for over 40 years.
- Bachelor's degree, University of Toledo.
- J.D., University of Toledo.
7 of 11 sections researched · 6 sources
4 of 11 sections researched · 5 sources
Paula Hicks-Hudson
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Section | State |
|---|---|
| profile | researched |
| ballot | researched |
| positions | researched |
| claims | none found |
| record | researched |
| money | researched |
| interests | researched |
| polling | none found |
| elections | researched |
| endorsements | researched |
| sources | researched |
James Nowak
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Section | State |
|---|---|
| profile | researched |
| ballot | researched |
| positions | researched |
| claims | none found |
| record | not researched |
| money | researched |
| interests | not researched |
| polling | none found |
| elections | researched |
| endorsements | researched |
| sources | researched |
Kenneth Sharp
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Section | State |
|---|---|
| profile | researched |
| ballot | researched |
| positions | none found |
| claims | none found |
| record | not researched |
| money | none found |
| interests | not researched |
| polling | none found |
| elections | researched |
| endorsements | none found |
| 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: Paula Hicks-Hudson has 4 entries, James Nowak has 1 entry and Kenneth Sharp 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: Paula Hicks-Hudson has 5 entries, James Nowak has 3 entries and Kenneth Sharp has 0 entries. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Paula Hicks-Hudson's record in office has 4 entries, James Nowak's has 0 and Kenneth Sharp's has 0. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Sources: Paula Hicks-Hudson has 14 entries, James Nowak has 5 entries and Kenneth Sharp has 5 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
- Paula Hicks-Hudson: Where they stand · What they have said, checked · Record in office · Money
- James Nowak: Where they stand · What they have said, checked · Record in office · Money
- Kenneth Sharp: 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.
Abortion
Paula Hicks-Hudson
Paula Hicks-Hudson will continue to lead the charge to ensure women have the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions, and she will continue to fight for the rights and freedom of all citizens.
Source: paulahickshudson.com
James Nowak
None found in the records checked
Kenneth Sharp
None found in the records checked
Education
Paula Hicks-Hudson
None found in the records checked
James Nowak
Develop a 21st century workforce: I want to see us take the great resources of our schools, colleges, community colleges, and universities, and hold them accountable to prepare Ohioans to meet workforce demands.
Source: ballotpedia.org
Kenneth Sharp
None found in the records checked
Environment and water
Paula Hicks-Hudson
Paula Hicks Hudson will continue to protect Lake Erie, one of our region's greatest assets, and fight for clean water and air to preserve our environment for generations to come.
Source: paulahickshudson.com
James Nowak
None found in the records checked
Kenneth Sharp
None found in the records checked
Jobs and the economy
Paula Hicks-Hudson
Paula Hicks-Hudson will continue to work to bring good paying jobs and economic development to Lucas County.
Source: paulahickshudson.com
James Nowak
I understand that government and politicians don’t create jobs and that tax increases are never the solution to our state’s economic and budgetary challenges.
Source: ballotpedia.org
Kenneth Sharp
None found in the records checked
Public safety
Paula Hicks-Hudson
Paula Hicks-Hudson will continue to invest in keeping our neighborhoods and communities safe and livable.
Source: paulahickshudson.com
James Nowak
None found in the records checked
Kenneth Sharp
None found in the records checked
Taxes
Paula Hicks-Hudson
None found in the records checked
James Nowak
Increasing taxes is never the solution to the economic and budgetary challenges for our state.
Source: ballotpedia.org
Kenneth Sharp
None found in the records checked
Why they are running
Paula Hicks-Hudson
Let's re-elect Paula Hicks-Hudson as our State Senator so she can continue delivering results.
Source: paulahickshudson.com
James Nowak
None found in the records checked
Kenneth Sharp
None found in the records checked
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.
Paula Hicks-Hudson
None found in the records checked
James Nowak
None found in the records checked
Kenneth Sharp
None found in the records checked
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hicks-Hudson (D) | 2011 | office | Toledo City Council, District 4 |
| Hicks-Hudson (D) | 2015 | office | Mayor of Toledo |
| Hicks-Hudson (D) | 2019-01-07 | office | Member, Ohio House of Representatives, District 44 |
| Hicks-Hudson (D) | 2022-11-16 | office | Ohio State Senator, District 11 |
| Hicks-Hudson (D) | 2025-06-11 | vote | 2025-06-11 (vote): Voted no on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (Senate-passed version, as amended) (House Bill 96); the Senate vote w |
| Hicks-Hudson (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 Senate vote wa |
| Hicks-Hudson (D) | 2025-10-01 | vote | 2025-10-01 (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 |
| Hicks-Hudson (D) | 2026-06-03 | vote | 2026-06-03 (vote): Voted no on adopting the joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to require identification to vote, placing it on the November |
Paula Hicks-Hudson
-
June 3, 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 Senate vote was 22-9 and the motion passed.
Sources: Senate Joint Resolution 10: votes · Senate Joint Resolution 10
-
October 1, 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 Senate vote was 21-11, 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 Senate vote was 23-10 and the motion passed.
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
-
June 11, 2025 · vote
Voted no on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (Senate-passed version, as amended) (House Bill 96); the Senate vote was 23-10 and the motion passed.
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
James Nowak
Not yet researched
Kenneth Sharp
Not yet researched
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 |
Paula Hicks-Hudson
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| From | To | Dollars | Share of total | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised | Spent | 8,555.23 | 24.4% | |
| Other funds (derived) | Spent | 5,708.79 | 16.3% | |
| Raised | Cash on hand | 12,464.77 | 35.6% | |
| Other funds (derived) | Cash on hand | 8,317.56 | 23.7% |
Totals as filed
OhioSOS, as of June 12, 2026: raised $21,020, spent $14,264, cash on hand $20,782.
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
James Nowak
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| From | To | Dollars | Share of total | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other funds (derived) | Cash on hand | 3,039.67 | 100.0% |
Totals as filed
OhioSOS, as of June 9, 2026: raised $0, spent $0, cash on hand $3,040.
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 9, 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
Kenneth Sharp
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Status |
|---|
| None found in the records checked |
Totals as filed
None found in the records checked
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, every name variant listed in _staging/d2/money-legislative.json
The result
Not yet researched
Sources
Data from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0: Paula Hicks-Hudson (Ohio Senate, assumed office November 16, 2022)
- Ohio elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-19 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Ohio State Senate District 11 · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-22 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- https://ohiosenate.gov/members/paula-hicks-hudson
- https://ballotpedia.org/Paula_Hicks-Hudson
- Paula Hicks-Hudson (Ohio Senate, assumed office November 16, 2022) · Wikipedia · accessed 2026-11-01
- Paula Hicks-Hudson for Ohio State Senate · Friends of Hicks-Hudson · accessed 2026-09-22
- 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
- House Bill 96: votes · Ohio General Assembly
- Senate Joint Resolution 10: votes · Ohio General Assembly
- 2022 Official Election Results · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-21
- Hicks-Hudson Sworn in as State Senator for Ohio Senate District 11 · The Ohio Senate · 2022-11-16 · accessed 2026-09-25
- Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson Biography · The Ohio Senate · accessed 2026-09-25
- https://oft-aft.org/2026election
- https://uawpower.org/states/ohio
- https://gunsensevoter.org/states/oh/voterguide/
- https://gunsensevoter.org/faq/
- https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-advocates-ohio/elections
- Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio Announces State Legislature, Supreme Court Endorsements · 2026-07-20
- 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
- James Nowak · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-22 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- https://ohiogop.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/lucas-county-slate-card.pdf
- Kenneth Sharp · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-22 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
Quick answers
When is the 2026 Ohio State Senator, District 11 election?
The election for Ohio State Senator, District 11 is on November 3, 2026.
Who is running for Ohio State Senator, District 11 in 2026?
On the ballot for Ohio State Senator, District 11, in surname order: Paula Hicks-Hudson (Democratic), James Nowak (Republican), Kenneth Sharp (Libertarian).
Who holds the Ohio State Senator, District 11 seat now?
The seat is held by Paula Hicks-Hudson.
Cite and data
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Ohio State Senator, District 11, 2026", https://crackedbuckeye.com/election/2026/ohio-senate-11/, built 2026-11-03, accessed [date].
How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-11-03