Kent Smith
Democratic · OH · Ohio State Senator
Kent Smith represents Cleveland's eastern suburbs in the Ohio Senate. He is a former Euclid school board member and state representative.
Where Kent Smith stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (2 records), Labor Rights (2 records), Anti-Corruption (3 records),
Mixed record
Corporate Accountability (3 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 2 support
Voted no on overriding Gov. DeWine's veto of Senate Bill 22, which gave lawmakers oversight of the governor's and health officials' orders. The House overrode the veto 62-35.
March 24, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on Senate Bill 311, which limited the Ohio Director of Health's power to issue orders. It passed the Ohio House 58-32.
November 19, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Track record — Labor Rights
Labor Rights · 2 support
Led patients and community allies in delivering 8,000 petition signatures to University Hospitals. The petition demanded rehiring two pediatricians fired after leading a union effort.
February 26, 2026Supports Labor Rights
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Sent a letter with Senate Democratic Leader Nickie Antonio urging CSX to support its Cleveland rail yard workers and rethink planned crew staffing changes.
February 6, 2026Supports Labor Rights
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Track record — Anti-Corruption
Anti-Corruption · 3 support
Filed a complaint with the Secretary of State's office saying Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign for governor failed to report details of its spending.
July 7, 2026Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Publicly criticized Attorney General Dave Yost's deal letting FirstEnergy avoid more state criminal charges for a $20 million fine. He called the amount far too small.
August 15, 2024Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Joined Democratic leaders at a press conference asking the U.S. Justice Department for help after indictments in the FirstEnergy bribery scandal. He questioned what the governor knew.
February 22, 2024Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
As an Ohio State Senator, voted for Senate Bill 297. It strengthened state laws against antisemitism and ethnic intimidation. It passed the Senate 27-4.
December 12, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 1 support
Publicly criticized Senate passage of Senate Bill 172, which expanded state power over immigration enforcement. He said it threatened immigrants' due process rights.
June 18, 2025Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 support
Co-sponsored House Bill 80 with Rep. Mike LaTourette to provide food service in school summer intervention programs. It passed the Ohio House 90-4.
March 15, 2017Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 1 support
Voted no on overriding Gov. DeWine's veto of a budget item that limited local school and service levies. The Senate overrode the veto 21-11.
October 1, 2025Supports Public Education Quality
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Track record — Gun Control
Gun Control · 5 support
Gave sponsor testimony with Sen. Hearcel Craig on Senate Bill 235, which banned the sale and use of devices that speed up a gun's rate of fire, such as bump stocks.
November 6, 2025Supports Gun Control
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Voted no on House Bill 99, which set rules for people allowed to carry guns in school safety zones. The House approved the final version 56-35.
June 1, 2022Supports Gun Control
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on Senate Bill 215, which changed the duties of people carrying concealed handguns. It passed the Ohio House 58-36.
March 2, 2022Supports Gun Control
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on overriding the governor's veto of House Bill 228, a self-defense and firearms bill. The House overrode the veto 67-22.
December 27, 2018Supports Gun Control
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on House Bill 48, which allowed concealed carry in more places. It passed the Ohio House 68-29.
November 17, 2015Supports Gun Control
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Track record — Women's Reproductive Rights
Women's Reproductive Rights · 4 support
Voted no on Senate Bill 23, which banned abortion once a heartbeat is detected. It passed the Ohio House 56-40.
April 10, 2019Supports Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on overriding Gov. Kasich's veto of House Bill 258, which banned abortion once a heartbeat is detected. The House vote was 61-28.
December 27, 2018Supports Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on Senate Bill 145, which made dismemberment abortion a crime. It passed the Ohio House 65-28.
December 14, 2018Supports Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on House Bill 294, which barred public funds from paying for elective abortions. The House approved the final version 62-32.
February 10, 2016Supports Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 2 support
As an Ohio State Senator, voted for Senate Bill 297. It strengthened state laws against antisemitism and ethnic intimidation. It passed the Senate 27-4.
December 12, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Voted no on overriding the governor's veto of House Bill 68. The bill banned gender-affirming care for transgender minors and barred transgender girls from girls' sports.
January 24, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Track record — Corporate Accountability
Corporate Accountability · 3 support · 1 oppose
Voted to pass House Bill 173, which took electric submetering companies out of the legal definition of a public utility. The Senate passed it 24-9, the House agreed the next day, and the governor vetoed it on June 24, 2026.
June 10, 2026Opposes Corporate Accountability
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Called for ending Ohio's data center sales tax break right away. He said it cost the state over 10 times what was projected for 2025.
May 21, 2026Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Ohio Senate news reported that Kent Smith gave sponsor testimony on Senate Bills 245 and 246 to reform public-utility regulation and protect consumers on November 5, 2025.
November 5, 2025Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Voted against passing S.B. 50, a bill to let 14- and 15-year-olds work until 9 p.m. year-round with a parent's approval. It passed the Ohio Senate 24-9 and was vetoed by the Governor.
April 9, 2025Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Served as the lead Senate Democratic negotiator on Senate Bill 2, an energy bill to increase power generation and improve the electric grid. It passed the Senate unanimously.
March 19, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Track record — General
General · 22 records
Voted against passing House Bill 492, which widened the crime of interfering with an officer making an arrest and raised its penalty. The Senate passed it 24-9 and the governor signed it on July 7, 2026.
June 10, 2026
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted against passing S.B. 278, which added punitive damages to what a city that enacts or enforces gun control measures can owe. It passed the Ohio Senate 24-9.
April 15, 2026
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted against the conference report on S.B. 56, Ohio's marijuana rewrite, capping dispensaries at 400 and moving adult-use rules into medical law. It passed the Ohio Senate 22-7 and was signed into law.
December 9, 2025
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted against passing the House's version of Senate Bill 293, which required mailed absentee ballots to arrive by the close of polls on Election Day. The Senate agreed 23-10 and the governor signed it on December 19, 2025.
November 19, 2025
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on the final state budget, House Bill 96. He opposed its tax cuts for the wealthy, underfunding of the school funding plan, and $600 million for a domed stadium.
June 25, 2025
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Got his bill with Sen. Hearcel Craig, Senate Bill 85, to create an Ohio NAACP license plate passed by the Ohio Senate, 32-0.
June 18, 2025
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Publicly criticized Senate passage of Senate Bill 4, which created an Election Integrity Unit under the Secretary of State. He called it partisan.
June 18, 2025
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Voted against passing the House's version of Senate Bill 1, the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, banning diversity offices at public universities and faculty strikes. The Ohio Senate agreed 20-11, and the governor signed it on March 28, 2025.
March 26, 2025
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on House Bill 8, the Parents' Bill of Rights. It passed the Ohio Senate 24-7.
December 18, 2024
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted yes on House Bill 86, which changed Ohio's new recreational marijuana law. He backed a provision letting all 88 counties use marijuana revenue for their creative economies.
December 6, 2023
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Voted no on the final state budget, House Bill 33. He criticized its large expansion of private school vouchers and said most benefits went to the wealthy.
June 30, 2023
Source: ohiosenate.gov
Voted no on Senate Bill 83, the Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act. It passed the Ohio Senate 21-10.
May 17, 2023
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Publicly criticized Senate passage of Senate Joint Resolution 2 and Senate Bill 92. They sought a 60% vote to pass constitutional amendments and an August special election for it.
April 19, 2023
Source: ohiosenate.gov
As a state senator, voted no on Senate Bill 1, which rewrote education law and renamed the state education department. It passed the Ohio Senate 26-7.
March 1, 2023
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on House Bill 458, which ended most August special elections. The House approved the final version 55-34.
December 15, 2022
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted yes on the final version of House Bill 110, Ohio's budget for 2022-2023. The House approved it 84-13.
June 29, 2021
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted yes on House Bill 128, which repealed parts of House Bill 6 and changed electric utility law. The House approved the final version 89-0.
March 25, 2021
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on House Bill 6, the "Ohio Clean Air Program" bill. The House approved the final version 51-38.
July 23, 2019
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted no on the final version of House Bill 166, Ohio's operating budget for 2020-2021. The House approved it 75-17. Voted the same way on June 28, 2017.
July 17, 2019
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Voted yes on House Bill 523, which allowed marijuana use for medical purposes. The House approved the final version 67-29.
May 26, 2016
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Co-sponsored House Bill 405 with Rep. Bill Schaffer to change penalties for importuning, a sex crime. It passed the Ohio House 95-0.
February 10, 2016
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
As a state representative, voted no on the final version of House Bill 64, Ohio's main operating budget for 2016-2017. The House approved it 62-33.
June 26, 2015
Source: search-prod.lis.state.oh.us
Past race Kent Smith ran in:
- State Senator · November 3, 2026 · State Senate District 21; Ohio · incumbent