RICHLAND COUNTY — Republican Marilyn John seeks her fourth term representing the 76th District in the Ohio House. Democrat Colton Stidam is running for his first elected office.
Voters on Nov. 3 will decide between the two in a district comprised entirely of Richland County and its approximately 126,000 residents.
Each of Ohio’s 99 state representatives earned a base salary of $72,343 in 2026.
Both John and Stidam were unopposed in the May primary. John received 12,819 votes in the primary while Stidam had 5,133, according to the Richland County Board of Elections.
John was re-elected to a third term in the 2024 general election cycle, receiving 71 percent of the vote.
Here is a look at each candidate, in alphabetical order.
Marilyn John
If re-elected, it will be the final Ohio House term for the 58-year-old John, due to term limits that allow four consecutive two-year terms, a maximum of eight continuous years.
In her campaign, John has emphasized her 17 years of public service across local and state government.
The Shelby resident has served in the House since 2021. Her previous public office experience includes serving as mayor of Shelby from 2010 to 2014 and as a Richland County commissioner from 2015 to 2020.
Educationally, John has an associate degree in business management from North Central State College. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business management and a master’s degree in business administration from Ashland University.
John cited her desire to advocate for local residents as the primary motivation for seeking another two-year term.
“Representing the residents of Richland County over the past 17 years has been the honor of my life,” John said.
“Whether it is advocating for money to improve broadband access; working with healthcare providers to make sure quality care is being provided locally; ensuring a loved one who gave the ultimate sacrifice through their military service is remembered through a road naming; or just connecting a resident to someone who can help; advocating for Richland County is my number 1 priority and why I continue to seek to serve our community,” John said.
If re-elected, John identified three key focus areas:
- Rural healthcare: Addressing growing concerns about healthcare access in rural areas by collaborating with local institutions, including regional hospitals and the Third Street Clinic, to ensure adequate resources.
- Workforce development: Continuing support for youth career readiness initiatives, pointing to her founding of the LeaderRichland program in 2011. The program has connected more than 13,000 area junior high students with training, higher education, and mentorship through partnerships with the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, North Central State College, and Ohio State University at Mansfield.
- Lower taxes: Working to reduce tax burdens to encourage state economic growth. John noted state efforts reducing income tax to a flat 2.75%, alongside legislative measures intended to lower energy costs and property taxes.
When asked what sets her apart from her challenger, John highlighted her knowledge of local issues; her established relationships with community leaders across municipal, state, and federal levels; and her proven track record of problem-solving.
“I’m grateful to the voters of Richland County and District 76 for the faith in me and I look forward to continuing to serve them over the next 2 years,” John said.
Colton Stidam
The 30-year-old Stidam is an information technology professional for Mansfield City Schools.
Stidam said he wants to represent the interests of working-class families and reform state policies on education, labor and affordability.
Stidam, a Mansfield resident, said his candidacy stems from a growing disconnect between state lawmakers and working Ohioans.
“I’m seeking this office because I’ve lived through a trend of our government, particularly our Statehouse, leaving normal, hardworking people behind,” Stidam said.
“Their focus has been on providing large tax cuts, incentives, abatements, and handouts to the ultra-wealthy, while the middle class foots the bill to make this possible,” he said.
If elected, Stidam pledged to prioritize three areas: school funding, labor rights and affordability.
“These three issues are all connected. I believe that if we want Ohio to be a place where working people can build a good life, we have to make sure their children have access to a quality public education, their rights at work are protected and they can afford the basic necessities of life,” he said.
To resolve local school district budget shortfalls, Stidam said he supports resuming full implementation of the bipartisan Fair School Funding Plan passed in 2021.
He criticized the General Assembly’s 2025 decision to halt updates to the formula’s cost data and allocate increased funding toward private school vouchers.
Stidam pointed to local consequences, including pay-to-play fees for sports and music in Lexington, staff reductions in districts, and failed levies in various local districts.
While supporting parental choice, Stidam said he opposes directing state funds to unauditable private institutions while public schools struggle.
“Our local schools shouldn’t have to repeatedly ask property taxpayers for additional money because the state failed its responsibility,” he said.
Stidam said he pledged to oppose legislation targeting organized labor, specifically citing Senate Bill 1, which restricted public university faculty from striking, and House Bill 510, a pending right-to-work proposal.
“Throughout the years, we’ve seen a multitude of strikes at our unions, most notably the lockout at AK Steel in 1999, which lasted for over three years and helped to secure a fair contract.
“As for affordability, every single person who has to work for a living feels it in every aspect of their lives. Whether it’s their gas, groceries, utilities or property taxes, they are feeling the pinch,” he said.
To lower the cost of living, Stidam proposed:
- Increasing state subsidies and expanding tax deductions for childcare.
- Capping hospital service prices using Medicare benchmarks.
- Fully funding public schools to reduce local reliance on property tax levies.
Stidam outlined three primary differences between he and John:
- Campaign finance: Stidam pledged to accept no corporate Political Action Committee contributions, contrasting his policy with John’s acceptance of corporate PAC funds.
- Education policy: Stidam criticized John’s votes supporting the 2023 EdChoice Expansion and the 2025 funding adjustments, arguing those measures underfunded public districts in favor of private alternatives.
- Background and perspective: Stidam highlighted his grassroots community background over career political experience.
“I believe (PAC funding) is how we the people lose representation in our government. Voters deserve representatives whose political decisions are not influenced by the interests of major donors or corporations,” he said.
“The perspective I’m going to see the role from is someone who has had to stretch $20 for an entire week until payday,” Stidam said.
“Government works when elected officials understand the reality of the people living in the communities that vote for them,” he said.
