Bryan Hambley

Bryan Hambley earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame in 2007, an M.D. from the Tulane University School of Medicine in 2012, and a degree from Case Western Reserve University in 2017. His career experience includes working as a physician.[1]

Hambley has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]

Boys and Girls Club of Southern Indiana

Universal Health Care Action Network Ohio

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

Warren County Democratic Party

American Society of Hematology

American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up on a small family farm in a tight-knit community where I saw the impact of people coming together. When I was a child, the state tried to shut down our public school. My town of 800 people got into their trucks, drove to the state capitol, and made their voices heard to save our school. My parents showed me democracy at its best: a community rallying to do together what no one could do alone.

As a cancer doctor, I have helped hundreds of patients as part of a team of dedicated medical professionals. I am running for Secretary of State because caring for my patients and my community cannot end at the hospital door.

When Ohio’s Secretary of State used misleading ballot language in 2024 to confuse voters and maintain unfair districts, I organized health care workers across the state to fight back. I took my children door to door to talk with neighbors about how gerrymandering leads to an unresponsive government and how unresponsive government means our voices are ignored. I learned Ohioans want a state government that works for all of us.

My wife, best friend, and partner, Jana, is a trauma surgeon, and together we have two wonderful children– ages 5 and 7. We are teaching them the same commitment to democracy and to fighting for what is right that I learned from my parents.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Voters should choose their politicians. Yet, in Ohio, our politicians get to choose their voters.

Ohio’s rigged system for drawing political districts lets politicians decide who they will represent–gifting them safe seats and unchallenged power. And making sure Ohioans are ignored by an unresponsive government.

Our communities deserve to be heard in Columbus and in D.C. Our democracy needs fair competition to hold politicians accountable and give voters a real choice.

As Secretary of State, I will fight for fair electoral maps. It’s time to take redistricting power out of the hands of politicians, and place it where it belongs— with citizens.Ballot initiatives are true democracy: they let the voters decide what happens in Ohio..

Ohio’s Secretary of State has corrupted this process for political gain. Twice, he used misleading language to put his thumb on the scale to try to get his way, rather than respecting the preferences of Ohio citizens.

No Secretary of State should use their authority to confuse voters to get the result they want. The Secretary of State’s job is clear: to make sure our ballot language is understandable and unmistakable.

As Secretary of State, I will make the playing field fair by ensuring ballot initiative language is clear and correct.In a democracy, voting is a sacred act.

Therefore, the core duty of Ohio’s Secretary of State is to ensure every eligible voter in the state can vote, that each vote is counted, and that no one is allowed to interfere with that process.

The current administration has repeatedly changed rules around who can drop off absentee ballots, even limiting the assistance caregivers can provide disabled Ohioans. Frank LaRose asked the state legislature to pass a law banning drop boxes altogether, adding more bureaucratic forms and red tape to a process which should be easy and secure for all Ohio citizens. We must ensure that every Ohioan entitled to vote can register and cast their ballot without unnecessary barriers.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The policy area I care most about is making democracy work. That means ending gerrymandering, protecting access to the ballot box, and the fair administration of elections. We must get money and corruption out of elections, and hold our politicians accountable to the people.

As a physician, another policy priority of mine is affordable and accessible healthcare. Out of touch politicians who are not accountable to their voters have ignored the failures of our patchwork, complicated, and expensive healthcare system. By making Ohio’s democracy work, we will have a voice to create a healthier and better future for all Ohioans.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials should inspire and organize communities to do together what none of us can do alone. This requires passion, persistence, and the moral imagination to bring teams together who may not have otherwise seen their common interests.

As we work to end gerrymandering and create fair districts in Ohio, we will need to bring together people from across the political spectrum. That work will require elected officials to truly listen to everyone at the table, recognizing we all have something to contribute to make Ohio better for all of us.

What legacy would you like to leave?

My parents raised me to believe that democracy is sacred, but will always be under attack from those who want to take power for themselves. I hope my kids will know their father did everything he could to protect democracy for them, and provide them with a brighter future.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

As a kid, I worked on the family farm–picking tomatoes, weeding beans, and selling our produce at farmers’ markets. Anyone who has worked a farm can tell you I learned what hard work means. I also learned how proud I was of my parents for how they make ends meet while feeding our community.

Campaign websiteHambley's campaign website stated the following:Fair AND Competitive DistrictsVoters should choose their elected representatives, yet, in Ohio, our politicians get to choose their voters.Time and again those in power have used gerrymandering to fix elections. Our broken system for drawing political districts allows incumbent politicians to decide the boundaries of their own districts, enabling them to draw their way to a safe seat and unchallenged power.It's time for a change. Our communities deserve to have representative voices in Columbus and in Washington. Our democracy needs fair competition to hold politicians accountable and give voters a real choice. The voters of Ohio have spoken repeatedly that they want fair districts, yet politicians and special interests are unwilling to change. The only reason politicians are still in control of the process is the result of current Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s policies. On August 16, 2024, in an act The Columbus Dispatch called a ‘scheme to suppress the will of the people’, LaRose used his office to approve deceptive ballot language to undermine State Issue 1 and mislead voters. That should never have happened.As Secretary of State, I will use my office to fight for fair and competitive electoral maps. For a better Ohio, we should take the redistricting power out of the hands of politicians, and place it where it belongs— with citizens.Make Ballot Initiatives FairHave you ever read a ballot initiative and found it confusing? In Ohio, this has been intentional, as politicians try to confuse and mislead voters to get the result they want. Ballot initiatives are those rare times when voters get a direct say in what happens in Ohio. Unlike voting for a candidate in an election, a ballot initiative allows voters to decide an issue without a middleman. Voters choose, not politicians.This is the most direct form of democracy we have at the state level in Ohio. Yet, current Secretary of State Frank LaRose has undermined the process. LaRose’s office has twice put forth intentionally confusing ballot language for State Constitution amendments. In 2023, they made the reproductive rights amendment intentionally deceptive, and in 2024 purposefully misconstrued the outcome of a “Yes” vote for the anti-gerrymandering initiative.No Secretary of State should use their authority over ballot language to confuse voters to get the result they want. The Secretary of State’s job is straightforward: to make sure the language on our ballots is understandable and unmistakable. As Secretary of State, I will make certain the playing field is fair by ensuring ballot initiative language is clear and precise. Ballot initiatives should be written in language voters can understand, so their voices can be heard.Engage Ohioans in How Our Government WorksThe strength of our democracy lies in our citizens: a state full of people who know how their government works and how to hold politicians accountable.However, right now we suffer under a state government that is unresponsive to what we know our communities and families need for a better Ohio. As a leukemia physician, I see the impact of an unresponsive government every day. When corporate special interests give to campaigns, and hire lobbyists to impact elected officials’ votes, they expect to get their money’s worth. That means my patients get their care denied, while insurance companies see higher profits. From high copays to rural hospital closures, Ohio’s government has been silent on too many critical health needs. While most Ohioans want common sense bipartisan solutions to our problems, corporate special interests manipulate our democracy, leaving average citizens out in the cold. These special interests first sow distrust in our elections, then do back-room deals that keep decisions out of the public eye. Corporate special interests have spent millions of dollars to restrict the voices of Ohio voters, rigging our state in their favor,As Secretary of State, I will stand up to corporate interests who have restricted the power of Ohio’s voters. I won’t allow special interests to influence ballot language, rig the map drawing process, or otherwise control our government. Together, we will foster the best possible democracy for Ohio’s citizens by keeping corporate special interests out of our political processes.Make Every Vote CountIn a democracy, voting is a sacred act.Therefore, the core duty of Ohio’s Secretary of State is to ensure every eligible voter in the state can vote, that each vote is counted, and that no one is allowed to interfere with that process. Unfortunately, Ohio’s Secretary of State has spread misleading information about our elections to further his own political aims. As Secretary of State, I will combat the misinformation about our elections that undermines trust and confidence in the basic duty of our government to hold fair elections. My office will always provide authoritative and accurate information about the voting process. The current administration has repeatedly changed rules around who can drop off absentee ballots, even limiting the assistance caregivers can provide disabled Ohioans, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Voting Rights Act. Frank LaRose asked the State Legislature to pass a law banning drop boxes all together, adding more bureaucratic forms and red tape to a process which should be easy and secure for all Ohio citizens. We must ensure that every Ohioan entitled to vote can register and cast their ballot without unnecessary barriers.We must also remember that poll workers, election officials, and Boards of Election are the backbone of our voting system. They make it work. As Secretary of State, I will invest in the recruitment, education, and support of election workers. Our state owes a debt of gratitude to the regular Ohioans who give their time and energy to ensuring we have free and fair elections where every vote is counted.— Bryan Hambley's campaign website (January 1, 1970)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.