Ohio House District 44 Race Remains Uncalled
Democrat Dave Fournier and Republican Ed Schimmel are separated by 56 votes as provisional ballots are reviewed.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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The race for Ohio House District 44 had not been called as of Thursday, with Democrat Dave Fournier and Republican Ed Schimmel separated by 56 votes. Provisional and cured ballots will determine the outcome.
Why it matters
The seat is open because Rep. Josh Williams did not seek re-election, and the district spans parts of Lucas, Wood and Ottawa counties. The narrow margin means the review of provisional ballots will decide who represents the district.
The margin of 56 votes is the difference between Fournier and Schimmel as of Thursday, with final results depending on provisional and cured ballots. Election officials have not yet determined how many provisional ballots will be accepted.
The players
Dave Fournier
Fournier is a Democrat and attorney running for Ohio House District 44 in a race that remains too close to call.
Ed Schimmel
Schimmel is a Republican and attorney running for Ohio House District 44, separated from Fournier by 56 votes.
The details
Voters who lacked identification on Election Day can cure a provisional ballot by bringing identification to their county board of elections office through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cured ballots are counted if the affirmation is correct and the voter cast the ballot in the correct precinct.
Timeline
Thursday: The race was not called, with a 56-vote gap between the candidates.
Through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: County boards of elections are open to resolve provisional issues.
Four days after the election: The cure period for provisional ballots ends.
Nov. 16: The Lucas County Board of Elections meets publicly to accept or reject provisional ballots.
Political Context
Ohio's cure process allows voters who lacked identification on Election Day to bring it to county boards within four days, a mechanism that can shift results in close races. Similar reviews are underway in Wood and Ottawa counties, where election officials will follow the same procedure in the coming days.
Voters in parts of Lucas, Wood and Ottawa counties will have their representative decided by the outcome of provisional ballot review. Anyone who lacked identification on Election Day can still cure a ballot by visiting their county board of elections office through Saturday.
The takeaway
Close races can hinge on procedural steps like provisional ballot review, so voters who lacked identification should act before the cure deadline.
What happens next
The Lucas County Board of Elections will meet publicly on Nov. 16 to decide which provisional ballots are accepted or rejected.
Further reading
Explore more on Legislative Policy to see how state races and ballot rules shape lawmaking in Ohio.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 13abc.
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