Grady Campaign Collects 1,000 Signatures for Independent Ohio Gubernatorial Bid

The Grady for Governor campaign announced this week that it has collected more than 1,000 signatures toward qualifying the independent ticket for Ohio’s 2026 general election ballot.

In an October 20 statement sent to Independent Political Report, the campaign said more than 250 signatures were gathered on Saturday during “No Kings” demonstrations in Central, North Central, and Northeast Ohio, as well as at the Statehouse in Columbus. According to local media, several dozen “No Kings” protests were planned across Ohio ahead of the weekend, though specific attendance figures have not yet been reported.

“Everywhere we go people say we need new voices, we need change, we need accountability,” Grady said. “That’s what this campaign is. That’s what these signatures represent.”

The campaign said it is continuing to expand its grassroots petitioning efforts across the state and recruit additional volunteers. It also described itself as “one of the only campaigns currently circulating petitions” for the 2026 race. It further reiterated that Grady is running as a “centrist, anti-corruption, independent” alternative to the Republican, Libertarian, and Democratic nominees, all of whom it expects to qualify for the general election.

“We are building to win. The stakes are too high to do anything else, to stand back,” Grady added. “Voters will have an independent choice on their ballot. An optimistic vision of Ohio’s future will be on their ballot.”

Grady first announced his campaign in June, shortly afterward selecting Andrea Neitzling as his running mate. While running as independents, the ticket has received endorsements from both the United States Pirate Party and the United States Transhumanist Party, making it the first statewide campaign backed by either organization this election cycle.

To appear on the 2026 general election ballot, the Grady campaign must submit at least 5,000 valid signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State by May 4, 2026. The campaign told IPR it remains “confident” it will appear on the ballot.