Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, publicly called for abolishing the death penalty in Ohio on June 16, 2026, citing moral and practical reasons for his shift in stance [1, 2, 3]. DeWine, who co-wrote the 1981 law that reinstated capital punishment in the state, said, "I no longer believe the death penalty is a deterrent to murder. The moral justification I had for voting for the death penalty simply no longer exists" [1]. He added, "For the state to take a human life, there must, in my opinion, there must be evidence that... it will help protect the public, that the threat of that action will deter someone from committing murder" [3].

DeWine emphasized that he does not believe the deterrent argument holds today or will change in the future. "Therefore, I believe Ohio should abolish the death penalty," he said [2]. During his governorship, DeWine repeatedly delayed executions and put in place a de facto moratorium on them [1, 3].

Ohio currently has 114 inmates on death row [1]. Since the 1981 reinstatement, 56 prisoners have been executed, 41 have died from natural causes or suicide, and 89 death sentences were overturned due to judicial errors [3]. The average time between sentencing and execution for the last 10 Ohio executions was about 21 years [1].

Despite DeWine’s call for repeal, Ohio legislative leaders have refused to bring bipartisan bills aimed at abolishing the death penalty to a vote [1]. DeWine is term-limited and will leave office in January 2027, unable to run for another term [2, 3].

DeWine’s position contrasts with national Republican leaders like Donald Trump, who has announced plans to expand the federal death penalty [1, 2]. Public support for capital punishment in the U.S. has declined from 80% in 1994 to 52% in 2025, while critics raise concerns over racial bias, wrongful convictions, and botched executions [2].

DeWine’s announcement marks a significant policy stance in Ohio just months before his term ends. The coming months will show whether lawmakers act on his request to repeal the death penalty.