2018 Ohio State Auditor election

2018 Ohio State Auditor election

November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06)
Turnout	53.79%
Nominee Keith Faber Zack Space Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,156,663 2,008,295 Percentage 49.68% 46.26%
County results Congressional district results Precinct results Faber:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90%–100% Space:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100% Tie:      40–50%      No data
Auditor before election Dave Yost Republican Elected Auditor Keith Faber Republican

The 2018 Ohio State Auditor election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Ohio State Auditor, concurrently with an election to the U.S. Senate, governor, U.S. House of Representatives, and other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican auditor Dave Yost was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third consecutive term. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2018, though both the Republican and Democratic nominees ran uncontested.^[1][2] A debate was held on October 19, 2018.^[3]

Republican state representative and former state senator Keith Faber defeated former Democratic U.S. representative Zack Space in the general election.^[4] Both major party candidates were accused of serious legal issues and mismanagement of state funds during the campaign, with Faber being attacked due to the federal investigation of Cliff Rosenberger and the ECOT scandal, and Space due to late tax payments and a law license suspension.^[5][6]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Keith Faber, President of the Ohio Senate (2013-2016), state senator from the 12th district (2007-2016), and state representative from the 84th district (2001-2007, 2017-2019)^[7]

Declined

• Cliff Rosenberger, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives^[8][9]

Results

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Keith Faber	611,729	100.0
Total votes			611,729	100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Zack Space, member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio's 18th congressional district (2007-2011)^[10]

Failed to qualify

• Kelli Prather, occupational therapist, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2016, candidate for Cincinnati City Council in 2017^[11][12]

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Zack Space	508,131	100.0
Total votes			508,131	100.0

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Robert Coogan, accountant and candidate for state representative in 2012^[13]

General election

Endorsements

Keith Faber (R)

Organizations

• Ohio Society of CPAs^[14]

Zack Space (D)

U.S. executive branch officials

• Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States^[15]

U.S. representatives

• Tim Ryan, U.S. representative (OH-13)^[16]
• Betty Sutton, former U.S. representative (OH-13)^[17]

State senators

• Joe Schiavoni, state senator^[18]

Newspapers

• Plain Dealer

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Keith Faber (R)	Zack Space (D)	Undecided
Baldwin Wallace University[19]	October 19–27, 2018	1,051	± 3.8%	32%	40%	22%
Change Research (D-Innovation Ohio)[20]	August 31 – September 4, 2018	822	± 3.0%	40%	37%	23%
Fallon Research[21]	May 21–25, 2018	800	± 3.5%	32%	35%	33%

Results

2018 Ohio State Auditor election^[22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Keith Faber	2,156,663	49.68%
	Democratic	Zack Space	2,008,925	46.26%
	Libertarian	Robert Coogan	175,962	4.05%
Total votes			4,341,550	100.0%
	Republican hold

By county

2018 Ohio State Auditor election (by county)^[22]

County	Keith Faber Republican		Zack Space Democratic		Robert Coogan Libertarian		Margin		Total votes cast
	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%
Adams	6,223	73.30%	1,967	23.17%	300	3.53%	4,256	50.13%	8,490
Allen	24,690	68.54%	10,222	28.38%	1,111	3.08%	14,468	40.16%	36,023
Ashland	12,465	68.18%	5,010	27.40%	807	4.42%	7,455	40.78%	18,282
Ashtabula	16,652	52.29%	13,596	42.70%	1,595	5.01%	3,056	9.59%	31,843
Athens	7,224	32.32%	14,261	63.80%	868	3.88%	-7,037	-31.48%	22,353
Auglaize	15,388	80.13%	3,241	16.88%	575	2.99%	12,147	63.25%	18,629
Belmont	13,463	55.07%	10,174	41.62%	810	3.31%	3,289	13.45%	24,447
Brown	10,509	71.47%	3,598	24.47%	598	4.06%	6,911	47.00%	14,705
Butler	82,476	61.35%	45,879	34.13%	6,084	4.52%	36,597	27.22%	134,439
Carroll	6,235	61.23%	3,552	34.88%	396	3.89%	2,683	26.35%	10,183
Champaign	10,087	68.67%	3,988	27.15%	614	4.18%	6,099	41.52%	14,689
Clark	27,067	56.90%	18,587	39.07%	1,918	4.03%	8,480	17.83%	47,572
Clermont	53,002	67.10%	22,051	27.92%	3,931	4.98%	30,951	39.18%	78,984
Clinton	10,767	72.52%	3,397	22.88%	683	4.60%	7,370	49.64%	14,847
Columbiana	22,695	64.20%	11,220	31.74%	1,434	4.06%	11,475	32.46%	35,349
Coshocton	7,087	59.97%	4,338	36.71%	393	3.32%	2,749	23.26%	11,818
Crawford	9,642	67.32%	4,148	28.96%	533	3.72%	5,494	38.36%	14,323
Cuyahoga	137,796	29.34%	313,004	66.65%	18,788	4.01%	-175,208	-37.31%	469,588
Darke	15,755	80.44%	3,309	16.89%	522	2.67%	12,446	63.55%	19,586
Defiance	8,582	63.63%	4,333	32.12%	573	4.25%	4,249	31.51%	13,488
Delaware	51,180	55.15%	38,485	41.46%	3,142	3.39%	12,695	13.69%	92,807
Erie	14,935	50.35%	13,518	45.57%	1,211	4.08%	1,417	4.78%	29,664
Fairfield	33,751	57.52%	22,950	39.11%	1,979	3.37%	10,801	18.41%	58,680
Fayette	5,855	69.36%	2,337	27.69%	249	2.95%	3,518	41.67%	8,441
Franklin	157,387	33.07%	301,420	63.34%	17,029	3.59%	-144,033	-30.27%	475,836
Fulton	10,433	65.31%	4,855	30.39%	686	4.30%	5,578	34.92%	15,974
Gallia	6,646	70.03%	2,562	27.00%	282	2.97%	4,084	43.03%	9,490
Geauga	24,317	58.82%	15,250	36.89%	1,774	4.29%	9,067	21.93%	41,341
Greene	40,446	59.78%	23,899	35.32%	3,310	4.90%	16,547	24.46%	67,655
Guernsey	7,493	60.01%	4,579	36.67%	414	3.32%	2,914	23.34%	12,486
Hamilton	143,475	43.15%	172,439	51.86%	16,594	4.99%	-28,964	-8.71%	332,508
Hancock	18,811	67.70%	7,781	28.00%	1,195	4.30%	11,030	39.70%	27,787
Hardin	6,343	68.09%	2,626	28.19%	347	3.72%	3,717	39.90%	9,316
Harrison	3,248	56.07%	2,363	40.79%	182	3.14%	885	15.28%	5,793
Henry	7,164	68.60%	2,859	27.38%	420	4.02%	4,305	41.22%	10,443
Highland	9,836	73.68%	3,016	22.59%	498	3.73%	6,820	51.09%	13,350
Hocking	5,494	55.93%	3,955	40.67%	333	3.40%	1,499	15.26%	9,822
Holmes	6,660	76.55%	1,792	20.60%	248	2.85%	4,868	55.95%	8,700
Huron	11,262	61.20%	6,246	33.95%	892	4.85%	5,016	27.25%	18,400
Jackson	6,357	63.44%	3,391	33.84%	272	2.72%	2,966	29.60%	10,020
Jefferson	13,487	55.83%	9,663	40.00%	1,008	4.17%	3,824	15.83%	24,158
Knox	14,324	62.89%	7,724	33.91%	727	3.20%	6,600	28.98%	22,775
Lake	47,938	51.84%	40,482	43.77%	4,057	4.39%	7,456	8.07%	92,477
Lawrence	13,021	64.88%	6,340	31.59%	709	3.53%	6,681	33.29%	20,070
Licking	39,198	57.90%	26,242	38.76%	2,260	3.34%	12,956	19.14%	67,700
Logan	12,024	73.26%	3,787	23.07%	601	3.67%	8,237	50.19%	16,412
Lorain	49,411	44.51%	56,779	51.14%	4,831	4.35%	-7,368	-6.63%	106,190
Lucas	56,099	38.90%	85,124	57.50%	6,813	3.60%	-29,025	-18.60%	148,036
Madison	8,869	65.00%	4,270	31.29%	506	3.71%	4,599	33.71%	13,645
Mahoning	37,478	43.02%	46,231	53.07%	3,395	3.91%	-8,753	-10.05%	87,104
Marion	12,201	60.39%	7,015	34.72%	989	4.89%	5,186	25.67%	20,205
Medina	41,864	57.18%	28,319	38.68%	3,026	4.14%	13,545	18.50%	73,209
Meigs	5,186	67.68%	2,200	28.71%	277	3.61%	2,986	38.97%	7,763
Mercer	14,100	82.09%	2,633	15.33%	443	2.58%	11,467	66.76%	17,176
Miami	28,789	70.10%	10,591	25.79%	1,687	4.11%	18,198	44.31%	41,067
Monroe	2,875	56.09%	2,066	40.30%	185	3.61%	809	15.79%	5,126
Montgomery	96,800	47.91%	96,710	47.86%	8,533	4.23%	90	0.05%	202,043
Morgan	2,958	59.03%	1,928	38.47%	125	2.50%	1,030	20.56%	5,011
Morrow	8,852	68.00%	3,670	28.20%	494	3.80%	5,182	39.80%	13,016
Muskingum	16,878	58.45%	11,139	38.57%	861	2.98%	5,739	19.88%	28,878
Noble	3,036	66.11%	1,418	30.88%	138	3.01%	1,618	35.23%	4,592
Ottawa	9,946	55.37%	7,135	39.72%	880	4.91%	2,811	15.65%	17,961
Paulding	4,682	68.68%	1,872	27.46%	263	3.86%	2,810	41.22%	6,817
Perry	6,986	61.10%	4,062	35.52%	386	3.38%	2,924	25.58%	11,434
Pickaway	12,599	64.66%	6,232	31.98%	653	3.36%	6,367	32.68%	19,484
Pike	5,004	57.84%	3,399	39.28%	249	2.88%	1,605	18.56%	8,652
Portage	28,389	48.55%	27,146	46.46%	2,896	4.99%	1,243	2.09%	58,431
Preble	11,704	74.15%	3,393	21.49%	688	4.36%	8,311	52.66%	15,785
Putnam	11,921	81.22%	2,367	16.13%	388	2.65%	9,554	65.09%	14,676
Richland	27,545	63.35%	14,492	33.33%	1,443	3.32%	13,053	30.02%	43,480
Ross	12,838	55.47%	9,604	41.50%	701	3.03%	3,234	13.97%	23,143
Sandusky	12,364	57.43%	8,175	37.97%	990	4.60%	4,189	19.46%	21,529
Scioto	13,949	60.04%	8,484	36.52%	800	3.44%	5,465	23.52%	23,233
Seneca	11,408	61.80%	6,266	33.94%	785	4.26%	5,142	27.86%	18,459
Shelby	14,661	78.84%	3,320	17.85%	614	3.31%	11,341	60.99%	18,595
Stark	72,942	53.10%	59,082	43.01%	5,349	3.89%	13,860	10.09%	137,373
Summit	85,626	41.13%	113,817	54.67%	8,727	4.20%	-28,191	-13.54%	208,170
Trumbull	33,259	45.68%	36,760	50.48%	2,795	3.84%	-3,501	-4.80%	72,814
Tuscarawas	16,724	51.81%	14,616	45.28%	940	2.91%	2,108	6.53%	32,280
Union	15,053	64.21%	7,394	31.54%	997	4.25%	7,659	32.67%	23,444
Van Wert	8,163	76.82%	2,134	20.08%	329	3.10%	6,029	56.74%	10,626
Vinton	2,498	61.12%	1,465	35.84%	124	3.04%	1,033	25.28%	4,087
Warren	65,703	66.59%	28,962	29.35%	4,002	4.06%	36,741	37.24%	98,667
Washington	14,468	63.21%	7,554	33.00%	866	3.79%	6,914	30.21%	22,888
Wayne	24,775	63.17%	12,961	33.05%	1,481	3.78%	11,814	30.12%	39,217
Williams	8,939	68.48%	3,508	26.87%	606	4.65%	5,431	41.61%	13,053
Wood	24,805	50.96%	21,452	44.07%	2,421	4.97%	3,353	6.89%	48,678
Wyandot	5,516	69.26%	2,114	26.54%	334	4.20%	3,402	42.72%	7,964
Totals	2,156,663	49.68%	2,008,925	45.26%	175,962	4.05%	147,738	3.42%	4,341,550

By congressional district

Faber won 12 of 16 congressional districts.^[23]

District	Faber	Space	Representative
1st	52%	44%	Steve Chabot
2nd	54%	41%	Brad Wenstrup
3rd	26%	70%	Joyce Beatty
4th	63%	33%	Jim Jordan
5th	59%	36%	Bob Latta
6th	61%	35%	Bill Johnson
7th	58%	39%	Bob Gibbs
8th	65%	31%	Warren Davidson
9th	35%	61%	Marcy Kaptur
10th	51%	44%	Mike Turner
11th	17%	79%	Marcia Fudge
12th	51%	46%	Troy Balderson
13th	40%	56%	Tim Ryan
14th	51%	45%	David Joyce
15th	51%	45%	Steve Stivers
16th	53%	43%	Anthony Gonzalez

See also

• 2018 Ohio elections
• 2018 United States elections

References

1. Schultze, M.L. (March 6, 2018). "Auditor Candidate Zack Space Talks About the Failure of ECOT Oversight". Ideastream Public Media. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
2. "2018 Ohio Primary Election Results". The New York Times. 8 May 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
3. Harris, Nate (October 19, 2018). "State Auditor race: Faber, Space duke it out at Zane State debate". Zanesville Times Recorder. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
4. "GOP state Rep. Keith Faber elected as Ohio auditor". FOX 28. Associated Press. November 6, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
5. Ellerbock, Josh (October 19, 2018). "Faber, Space duke it out for auditor". Sidney Daily News. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
6. "Auditor Candidates Trade Barbs on Late Tax Payments". Ideastream Public Media. October 19, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
7. Ludlow, Randy (January 31, 2017). "Keith Faber confirms run for state auditor". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
8. Pelzer, Jeremy (October 24, 2017). "Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger mulls run for state auditor". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
9. Kilpatrick, Mary (October 30, 2017). "House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger says he won't run for state auditor". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
10. Morrison, Lee (August 30, 2017). "Space launch: Former congressman Zack Space seeks election as state auditor". The Times-Reporter. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
11. "More candidates enter crowded field for Ohio governor". The Blade. February 7, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
12. "Secretary Husted Announces Certified Statewide Candidates – Ohio Secretary of State". www.sos.state.oh.us. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
13. Icsman, Marilyn; Couch, Erin (October 5, 2018). "Ohio's state auditor race: Here's everything you need to know". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
14. Keith Faber. "Honored to have received the unanimous endorsement of @OSCPA in my campaign for Auditor of State. This group is dedicated to making government work more efficiently and I look forwarding to partnering with them as Auditor of State!". Twitter.
15. Barack Obama [@BarackObama] (August 1, 2018). "Today I'm proud to endorse such a wide and impressive array of Democratic candidates – leaders as diverse, patriotic, and big-hearted as the America they're running to represent" (Tweet). Retrieved August 1, 2018 – via Twitter.
16. Tim Ryan. "There's no question – @ZackSpaceOhio is the only choice for State Auditor. Excellent editorial endorsement from The Columbus Dispatch". Twitter.
17. Betty Sutton. "Congrats @ZackSpaceOhio! Calling him a "breath of fresh air that is desperately needed in state government", the Columbus Dispatch urges Ohioans "to cast a vote for integrity and ethical leadership by electing Zack Space as state auditor."". Twitter.
18. Joe Schiavoni. ".@ZackSpaceOhio has a plan to make sure we stop supporting #trade deals that hurt #Ohio workers. I was proud to stand with the Steelworkers today to support Space for Auditor". Twitter.
19. Baldwin Wallace University
20. Change Research (D-Innovation Ohio)
21. Fallon Research
22. "Ohio Secretary of State". Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
23. "DRA 2020". Daves Redistricting.

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