State

State Representative, 81st District

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state representative votes on Ohio laws and the state budget in the Ohio House of Representatives.

All of Fulton, Henry and Williams counties and western Defiance County (Adams, Farmer, Milford, Tiffin and Washington townships). Open seat: Rep. James M. Hoops is not on the ballot.

Candidates Compare by issue

Patti Rockey

Republican

Williams County Recorder · Montpelier

The gist

Supports gun rights.
Opposes abortion.
Supports regular review to simplify or eliminate state regulations.
Supports prioritizing literacy, numeracy and character in schools.

More about Patti

View sources (1)

Supports gun rights.
On the Issues — Rockey for Ohio
Campaign website · Patti Rockey campaign · rockeyforohio.com
“Patti Rockey firmly believes in the constitutional right to keep and bear arms”
Opposes abortion.
On the Issues — Rockey for Ohio
Campaign website · Patti Rockey campaign · rockeyforohio.com
“believes that every human life is valuable and worthy of protection from the moment of conception”
Supports regular review to simplify or eliminate state regulations.
On the Issues — Rockey for Ohio
Campaign website · Patti Rockey campaign · rockeyforohio.com
“Ohio should regularly review and update their regulations to ensure they are relevant and not overly complex.”
Supports prioritizing literacy, numeracy and character in schools.
On the Issues — Rockey for Ohio
Campaign website · Patti Rockey campaign · rockeyforohio.com
“By prioritizing literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, and character development”

David Swanson

Democratic

Retired medical-device company founder; restaurant owner · Bryan

The gist

Opposes diverting public school funds to vouchers.
Supports zoning and rule changes for affordable housing.
Opposes voter-roll purges and cuts to early voting.
Opposes Medicaid cuts and loss of ACA subsidies.

More about David

View sources (1)

Opposes diverting public school funds to vouchers.
Values | Dave Swanson for Ohio House District 81
Campaign website · Dave Swanson campaign · swansonforohio.com
“the voucher system is little more than a subsidy to the well-to-do at the expense of the rest of us”
Supports zoning and rule changes for affordable housing.
Values | Dave Swanson for Ohio House District 81
Campaign website · Dave Swanson campaign · swansonforohio.com
“Outdated zoning, arcane local rules and complicated incentives have put a stranglehold on affordable housing development in Ohio.”
Opposes voter-roll purges and cuts to early voting.
Values | Dave Swanson for Ohio House District 81
Campaign website · Dave Swanson campaign · swansonforohio.com
“Indiscriminate purging of registered voter files, the reduction in early voting days, and the elimination of same-day registration and voting have had a chilling effect”
Opposes Medicaid cuts and loss of ACA subsidies.
Values | Dave Swanson for Ohio House District 81
Campaign website · Dave Swanson campaign · swansonforohio.com
“The elimination of ACA subsidies and the ongoing cuts to Medicaid will cause a wave of insurance premium increases”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 5 issues covered in this race.