Democratic secretary of state candidate discusses voting access, redistricting at Carroll County dinner

Democratic secretary of state candidate Dr. Bryan Hambley discussed voting access, redistricting and the future of Ohio politics during the Carroll County Democrat Central and Executive Committee Spring Dinner April 9 at Atwood Yacht Club.

Hambley, the keynote speaker, told attendees Democrats need to offer voters a clear vision of what Ohio could look like if the party returns to power statewide.

“What does it look like if, for the first time in 20 years, the people of Ohio see fit to give Democrats power?” Hambley said.

He said that question should guide Democrats as they prepare for the 2026 election cycle, arguing that the party must focus on issues that affect daily life, including schools, roads, hospitals and voting rights.

Hambley, a leukemia doctor from Cincinnati, said the office’s constitutional duties include drawing voting districts, writing ballot language for constitutional amendments and ensuring elections are conducted fairly and accessibly.

He said those responsibilities have a direct impact on how government functions and how voters are represented across the state.

He criticized Ohio’s current redistricting system and called for an independent commission to draw legislative maps.

Hambley said the current system allows politicians to influence district boundaries, which he argued can affect how voters are represented.

“We should imagine an Ohio where our districts are drawn not by the politicians who sit in those seats, but by an independent redistricting commission,” he said.

Hambley also said Ohio voters should be able to clearly understand ballot issues and that every citizen should have a fair opportunity to vote.

“We should imagine an Ohio where it is easy and fair for every Ohio citizen to vote,” he said.

“I believe the government has to be where we do together what none of us can do alone,” he said, pointing to public schools, safe roads and affordable health care as examples.

He said Democrats face a challenge in winning statewide office, but he described 2026 as an opportunity if the party can organize, present a forward-looking message and build strong teams.

“No Democrat has won an office like this in 20 years,” Hambley said. “2026 is an opportunity. It is not a gift.”

Earlier in the program, guest speaker Maureen Stoneman, a candidate for Carroll County Common Pleas Court, Juvenile and Probate Division, introduced herself as an independent candidate and explained why she chose that affiliation.

“I am running as an independent,” Stoneman said. “I’m not running as a Democrat. I just want to make that clear. I’m running specifically as an independent for a very specific reason, and that is because I believe that a judge should be independent.”

Stoneman, a Carroll County native and attorney, said every person who comes before the court should receive the same treatment regardless of political affiliation.

The evening program included the Pledge of Allegiance led by Jan Kennedy and an invocation by Vice Chair Terri Ossler. Dave Devey served as master of ceremonies.

Candidate recognitions and short speeches were also part of the evening program, and Kennedy introduced local officials who attended.

The dinner concluded with closing remarks from Devey.