Ohio Rev. Code § 3515.07 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3515 / § 3515.07
§ 3515.07. Charges for recounts
Status: in_force

May 2, 2006 House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly The charges for making a recount of votes of precincts listed in an application for a recount filed with the board of elections shall be fixed by the board and shall include all expenses incurred by the board because of the application other than the regular operating expenses that the board would have incurred if the application had not been filed. The total amount of charges so fixed divided by the number of precincts listed in the application, the votes of which were recounted, shall be the charge per precinct for the recount of the votes of the precincts listed in the application, the votes of which were recounted; provided that the charges per precinct so fixed shall not be more than fifty or less than five dollars for each precinct the votes of which were recounted. Such charge per precinct shall be deducted by the board from the money deposited with the board by the applicant for the recount at the time of filing the application, and the balance of the money so deposited shall be returned to the applicant; provided that no such charge per precinct shall be deducted by the board from the money deposited for a recount of votes cast for a nomination or for an election to an office or position in any precinct, if the total number of votes cast in such precinct for the applicant, as recorded by the recount, is more than four per cent larger than the number of votes for the applicant in that precinct recorded in the original certified abstract, nor shall any charge per precinct be deducted for a recount of votes cast in any precinct upon a question or issue if the total number of votes in that precinct on the same side of that question or issue as the side represented by the applicant, as recorded by the recount, is more than four per cent larger than the number of votes in that precinct on the same side of that question or issue recorded in the original certified abstract. No such charge per precinct shall be deducted if upon the completion of a recount concerning a nomination or election the applicant is declared nominated or elected, or if upon the completion of a recount concerning a question or issue the result of that election is declared to be opposite to the original declaration of the result of that election. All moneys deposited with a board by an applicant shall be deposited in a special depository fund with the county treasurer. The expenses of the recount and refunds shall be paid from that fund upon order of the board of elections. Any balance remaining in that fund shall be paid into the general fund of the county.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3505.14 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3505 / § 3505.14
§ 3505.14. Printed proofs of ballot
Status: in_force

April 3, 2023 House Bill 487 - 134th General Assembly After the awarding of the contract for the printing of the ballots as provided in section 3505.13 of the Revised Code, the board of elections shall secure from the printer printed proofs of the ballot, and shall notify the chairperson of the local executive committee of each party or group represented on the ballot by candidates or issues, and post such proofs in a public place in the office of the board for a period of at least twenty-four hours for inspection and correction of any errors appearing thereon. The board shall cause such proofs to be read with care and after correcting any errors shall return the corrected copy to the printer. Last updated January 24, 2023 at 12:17 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3599.22 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3599 / § 3599.22
§ 3599.22. Prohibitions concerning printing of ballots
Status: in_force

December 9, 1997 Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly (A) No person employed to print or engage in printing the official ballots shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Print or cause or permit to be printed an official ballot other than the official ballot furnished by the board of elections; (2) Print or permit to be printed more ballots than are delivered to the board; (3) Appropriate, give, deliver, or knowingly permit to be taken away any of such ballots by a person other than the person authorized by law to do so; (4) Print such ballots on paper other than that provided in the contract with the board; (5) Package or deliver to the board fewer ballots than the number the board directed to be printed. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3505.04 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3505 / § 3505.04
§ 3505.04. Nonpartisan ballot
Status: in_force

September 30, 2025 House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly On the nonpartisan ballot shall be printed the names of all nonpartisan candidates for election to the office of judge of a municipal court, county court, or court of common pleas, the office of member of a board of education, municipal or township offices for municipal corporations and townships in which primary elections are not held for nomination of candidates by political parties, and municipal offices of municipal corporations having charters which provide for separate ballots for elections for such municipal offices. Such ballots shall have printed across the top, and below the stubs, "Official Nonpartisan Ballot." The order in which the offices are listed on the ballot shall be prescribed by, and certified to each board of elections by, the secretary of state; provided that county judicial offices shall be listed first on the ballot, followed by municipal and township offices, and by offices of member of a board of education, in the order stated. Within the rectangular space within which the title of each judicial office is printed on the ballot and immediately below such title shall be printed the date of the commencement of the term of the office, if a full term, as follows: "Full term commencing _______(Date)_______," or the date of the end of the term of the office, if an unexpired term, as follows: "Unexpired term ending _______(Date)________" Within the rectangular space within which the title of each office for member of a board of education is printed on the ballot shall be printed "For Member of Board of Education," and the number to be elected, directions to the voter as to voting for one, two, or more, and, if the office to be voted for is member of a board of education of a city school district, words shall be printed in said space on the ballot to indicate whether candidates are to be elected from subdistricts or at large. The names of all nonpartisan candidates for an office shall be arranged in a group under the title of that office, and shall be rotated and printed on the ballot as provided in section 3505.03 of the Revised Code. No name or designation of any political party nor any words, designations, or emblems descriptive of a candidate or the candidate's political affiliation, or indicative of the method by which such candidate was nominated or certified, shall be printed under or after any nonpartisan candidate's name which is printed on the ballot. Last updated July 29, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3515.041 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3515 / § 3515.041
§ 3515.041. Recount for presidential electors no later than six days before meeting
Status: in_force

May 2, 2006 House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly As required by 3 U.S.C. 5, any recount of votes conducted under this chapter for the election of presidential electors shall be completed not later than six days before the time fixed under federal law for the meeting of those presidential electors.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3599.15 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3599 / § 3599.15
§ 3599.15. Purchase, theft, sale, destruction, or mutilation of petitions
Status: in_force

July 1, 1996 Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly No person shall purchase, steal, attempt to steal, sell, attempt to sell, or willfully destroy or mutilate any initiative, supplementary, referendum, recall, or nominating petition, or any part of a petition, that is being or has been lawfully circulated; provided that the words "purchase" and "sell" do not apply to persons paying or receiving pay for soliciting signatures to or circulating a petition or petition paper. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3517.06 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3517 / § 3517.06
§ 3517.06. Names and addresses of members and officers of county central committee and county executive committee
Status: in_force

October 1, 1953 House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly A list of the names and addresses of the members and officers of the county central committee and the county executive committee of each political party shall be filed by the secretary of each committee in the office of the board of elections of the county in which such committee exists and in the office of the secretary of state promptly after the organization of each of such committees. A list of the names and addresses of the members of the state central committee and the state executive committee of each political party shall be filed by the secretary of each committee in the office of the secretary of state promptly after the organization of each of such committees. All changes occurring in the membership of a county central or executive committee after such filing shall be reported promptly by the secretary of such committee to the board and to the secretary of state. All changes occurring in the membership of a state central or executive committee after such filing shall be reported promptly by the secretary of such committee to the secretary of state. All such lists shall be open to public inspection at all times when the offices in which they are filed are open for business.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.382 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3501 / § 3501.382
§ 3501.382. Attorney in fact may sign for disabled voter
Status: in_force

March 20, 2025 Senate Bill 196 - 135th General Assembly (A)(1) A registered voter who, by reason of disability, is unable to physically sign the voter's name as a candidate, signer, or circulator on a declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating petition, other petition, or other document under Title XXXV of the Revised Code may authorize a legally competent resident of this state who is eighteen years of age or older as an attorney in fact to sign that voter's name to the petition or other election document, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence, in accordance with either of the following procedures: (a) The voter may file with the board of elections of the voter's county of residence a notarized form that includes or has attached all of the following: (i) The name of the voter who is authorizing an attorney in fact to sign petitions or other election documents on that voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence; (ii) An attestation of the voter that the voter, by reason of disability, is unable to sign physically petitions or other election documents and that the voter desires the attorney in fact to sign them on the voter's behalf, at the direction of the voter and in the voter's presence; (iii) The name, residence address, date of birth, and, if applicable, Ohio supreme court registration number of the attorney in fact authorized to sign on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence. A photocopy of the attorney in fact's driver's license or state identification card issued under section 4507.50 of the Revised Code shall be attached to the notarized form. (iv) The form of the signature that the attorney in fact will use in signing petitions or other election documents on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence. (b) The voter may acknowledge, before an election official, and file with the board of elections of the voter's county of residence a form that includes or has attached all of the following: (i) The name of the voter who is authorizing an attorney in fact to sign petitions or other election documents on that voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence; (ii) An attestation of the voter that the voter, by reason of disability, is physically unable to sign petitions or other election documents and that the voter desires the attorney in fact to sign them on the voter's behalf, at the direction of the voter and in the voter's presence; (iii) An attestation from a licensed physician, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner that the voter is disabled and, by reason of that disability, is physically unable to sign petitions or other election documents; (iv) The name, residence address, date of birth, and, if applicable, Ohio supreme court registration number of the attorney in fact authorized to sign on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence. A photocopy of the attorney in fact's driver's license or state identification card issued under section 4507.50 of the Revised Code shall be attached to the notarized form. (v) The form of the signature that the attorney in fact will use in signing petitions or other election documents on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence. (2) In addition to performing customary notarial acts with respect to the power of attorney form described in division (A)(1)(a) of this section, the notary public shall acknowledge that the voter in question affirmed in the presence of the notary public the information listed in divisions (A)(1)(a)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section. A notary public shall not perform any notarial acts with respect to such a power of attorney form unless the voter first gives such an affirmation. Only a notary public satisfying the requirements of section 147.01 of the Revised Code may perform notarial acts with respect to such a power of attorney form. (B) A board of elections that receives a form under division (A)(1) of this section from a voter shall do both of the following: (1) Use the signature provided in accordance with division (A)(1)(a)(iv) or (A)(1)(b)(v) of this section for the purpose of verifying the voter's signature on all declarations of candidacy and petitions, nominating petitions, other petitions, or other documents signed by that voter under Title XXXV of the Revised Code; (2) Cause the poll list or signature pollbook for the relevant precinct to identify the voter in question as having authorized an attorney in fact to sign petitions or other election documents on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence. (C) Notwithstanding division (D) of section 3501.38 or any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, an attorney in fact authorized to sign petitions or other election documents on a disabled voter's behalf, at the direction of and in the presence of that voter, in accordance with division (A) of this section may sign that voter's name to any petition or other election document under Title XXXV of the Revised Code after the power of attorney has been filed with the board of elections in accordance with division (A)(1) of this section. The signature shall be deemed to be that of the disabled voter, and the voter shall be deemed to be the signer. (D)(1) Notwithstanding division (F) of section 3501.38 or any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, the circulator of a petition may knowingly permit an attorney in fact to sign the petition on a disabled voter's behalf, at the direction of and in the presence of that voter, in accordance with division (A)(1) of this section. (2) Notwithstanding division (F) of section 3501.38 or any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, no petition paper shall be invalidated on the ground that the circulator knowingly permitted an attorney in fact to write a name other than the attorney in fact's own name on a petition paper, if that attorney in fact signed the petition on a disabled voter's behalf, at the direction of and in the presence of that voter, in accordance with division (C) of this section. (E) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form and content of the form for the power of attorney prescribed under division (A)(1) of this section and also shall prescribe the form and content of a distinct form to revoke such a power of attorney. (F) As used in this section, "unable to physically sign" means that the person with a disability cannot comply with the provisions of section 3501.011 of the Revised Code. A person is not "unable to physically sign" if the person is able to comply with section 3501.011 through reasonable accommodation, including the use of assistive technology or augmentative devices. Last updated February 18, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.21 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3501 / § 3501.21
§ 3501.21. Change of precinct or polling place notice
Status: in_force

September 29, 1999 House Bill 283 - 123rd General Assembly When the board of elections considers it necessary to change, divide, or combine any precinct or to relocate a polling place, it shall notify, prior to the next election, each of the registrants in the precinct of the change by mail. On and after August 1, 2000, when the board changes the boundaries of any precinct, it shall notify the secretary of state of the change not later than forty-five days after making the change.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3506.12 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3506 / § 3506.12
§ 3506.12. County board to combine, rearrange or enlarge precincts - counting stations
Status: in_force

April 6, 2023 House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly In counties where marking devices, automatic tabulating equipment, voting machines, or any combination of these are in use or are to be used, the board of elections: (A) May combine, rearrange, and enlarge precincts; but the board shall arrange for a sufficient number of these devices to accommodate the number of electors in each precinct as determined by the number of votes cast in that precinct at the most recent election for the office of governor, taking into consideration the size and location of each selected polling place, available parking, accessibility for persons with disabilities and other accessibility to the polling place, and the number of candidates and issues to be voted on. Notwithstanding section 3501.22 of the Revised Code, the board may appoint more than four precinct officers to each precinct if this is made necessary by the number of voting machines to be used in that precinct. (B) Except as otherwise provided in this division, shall establish one or more counting stations to receive voted ballots and other precinct election supplies after the polling precincts are closed. Those stations shall be under the supervision and direction of the board of elections. Processing and counting of voted ballots, and the preparation of summary sheets, shall be done in the presence of observers approved by the board. A certified copy of the summary sheet for the precinct shall be posted at each counting station immediately after completion of the summary sheet. Last updated March 10, 2023 at 12:13 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3513.03 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3513 / § 3513.03
§ 3513.03. Election officials for primary elections
Status: in_force

March 23, 1981 House Bill 1062 - 113th General Assembly The board of elections shall have all the powers and perform all the duties in connection with primary elections which are imposed by the provisions of Title XXXV of the Revised Code governing general elections. The election officials for primary elections shall be designated from those appointed under section 3501.22 of the Revised Code, and shall have the same powers, perform the same duties, and be subject to the same penalties as are provided by such title for the conduct of general elections.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.11 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3501 / § 3501.11
§ 3501.11. Board duties
Status: in_force

April 7, 2023 House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly Each board of elections shall exercise by a majority vote all powers granted to the board by Title XXXV of the Revised Code, shall perform all the duties imposed by law, and shall do all of the following: (A) Establish, define, provide, rearrange, and combine election precincts; (B) Fix and provide the places for registration and for holding primaries and elections; (C) Provide for the purchase, preservation, and maintenance of booths, ballot boxes, books, maps, flags, blanks, cards of instructions, and other forms, papers, and equipment used in registration, nominations, and elections; (D) Appoint and remove its director, deputy director, and employees and all registrars, precinct election officials, and other officers of elections, fill vacancies, and designate the ward or district and precinct in which each shall serve; (E) Make and issue rules and instructions, not inconsistent with law or the rules, directives, or advisories issued by the secretary of state, as it considers necessary for the guidance of election officers and voters; (F) Advertise and contract for the printing of all ballots and other supplies used in registrations and elections; (G) Provide for the issuance of all notices, advertisements, and publications concerning elections, except as otherwise provided in division (G) of section 3501.17 and divisions (F) and (G) of section 3505.062 of the Revised Code; (H) Provide for the delivery of ballots, pollbooks, and other required papers and material to the polling places; (I) Cause the polling places to be suitably provided with voting machines, marking devices, automatic tabulating equipment, stalls, and other required supplies. In fulfilling this duty, each board of a county that uses voting machines, marking devices, or automatic tabulating equipment shall conduct a full vote of the board during a public session of the board on the allocation and distribution of voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment for each precinct in the county. (J) Investigate irregularities, nonperformance of duties, or violations of Title XXXV of the Revised Code by election officers and other persons; administer oaths, issue subpoenas, summon witnesses, and compel the production of books, papers, records, and other evidence in connection with any such investigation; and report the facts to the prosecuting attorney or the secretary of state; (K)(1) Review, examine, and certify the sufficiency and validity of petitions and nomination papers, and, after certification, return to the secretary of state all petitions and nomination papers that the secretary of state forwarded to the board; (2) Examine each initiative petition, or a petition filed under section 307.94 or 307.95 of the Revised Code, received by the board to determine whether the petition falls within the scope of authority to enact via initiative and whether the petition satisfies the statutory prerequisites to place the issue on the ballot, as described in division (M) of section 3501.38 of the Revised Code. The petition shall be invalid if any portion of the petition is not within the initiative power. (L) Receive the returns of elections, canvass the returns, make abstracts of them, and transmit those abstracts to the proper authorities; (M) Issue certificates of election on forms to be prescribed by the secretary of state; (N) Make an annual report to the secretary of state, on the form prescribed by the secretary of state, containing a statement of the number of voters registered, elections held, votes cast, appropriations received, expenditures made, and other data required by the secretary of state; (O) Prepare and submit to the proper appropriating officer a budget estimating the cost of elections for the ensuing fiscal year; (P) Perform other duties as prescribed by law or the rules, directives, or advisories of the secretary of state; (Q) Investigate and determine the residence qualifications of electors; (R) Administer oaths in matters pertaining to the administration of the election laws; (S) Prepare and submit to the secretary of state, whenever the secretary of state requires, a report containing the names and residence addresses of all incumbent county, municipal, township, and board of education officials serving in their respective counties; (T) Establish and maintain a voter registration database of all qualified electors in the county who offer to register; (U) Maintain voter registration records, make reports concerning voter registration as required by the secretary of state, and remove ineligible electors from voter registration lists in accordance with law and directives of the secretary of state; (V) Give approval to ballot language for any local question or issue and transmit the language to the secretary of state for the secretary of state's final approval; (W) Prepare and cause the following notice to be displayed in a prominent location in every polling place: "NOTICE Ohio law prohibits any person from voting or attempting to vote more than once at the same election. Violators are guilty of a felony of the fourth degree and shall be imprisoned and additionally may be fined in accordance with law." (X) In all cases of a tie vote or a disagreement in the board, if no decision can be arrived at, the director or chairperson shall submit the matter in controversy, not later than fourteen days after the tie vote or the disagreement, to the secretary of state, who shall summarily decide the question, and the secretary of state's decision shall be final. (Y) Assist each designated agency, deputy registrar of motor vehicles, public high school and vocational school, public library, and office of a county treasurer in the implementation of a program for registering voters at all voter registration locations as prescribed by the secretary of state. Under this program, each board of elections shall direct to the appropriate board of elections any voter registration applications for persons residing outside the county where the board is located within five days after receiving the applications. (Z) On any day on which an elector may vote in person at the office of the board or at another site designated by the board, consider the board or other designated site a polling place for that day. All requirements or prohibitions of law that apply to a polling place shall apply to the office of the board or other designated site on that day. (AA) Perform any duties with respect to voter registration and voting by uniformed services and overseas voters that are delegated to the board by law or by the rules, directives, or advisories of the secretary of state. (BB) Prepare an election administration plan and submit it to the secretary of state not later than seventy-five days before each presidential primary election and not later than one hundred twenty days before each general election held in an even-numbered year. The election administration plan shall be on a template prescribed by the secretary of state and shall include all of the following: (1) Precinct election official recruitment, training, and accountability; (2) Resource allocation; (3) Communication before and on the day of the election; (4) Materials; (5) Contingencies and continuity planning; (6) Security; (7) Voter registration; (8) Absent voting; (9) Polling places and accessibility; (10) Ballot preparation; (11) Pre-election testing; (12) Reconciliation and audits; (13) A master calendar; (14) Any other topic prescribed by the secretary of state. Last updated January 19, 2023 at 10:30 AM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3506.06 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3506 / § 3506.06
§ 3506.06. Marking device specifications
Status: in_force

April 9, 2025 House Bill 74 - 135th General Assembly No marking device shall be approved by the board of voting systems examiners or certified by the secretary of state, or be purchased, rented, or otherwise acquired, or used, unless it fulfills the following requirements: (A) It shall permit and require voting in absolute secrecy, and shall be so constructed that no person can see or know for whom any other elector has voted or is voting, except an elector who is assisting a voter as prescribed by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code. (B) It shall permit each elector to vote at any election for all persons and offices for whom and for which the elector is lawfully entitled to vote, whether or not the name of any such person appears on a ballot as a candidate; to vote for as many persons for an office as the elector is entitled to vote for; and to vote for or against any question upon which the elector is entitled to vote. (C) It shall permit each elector to write in the names of persons for whom the elector desires to vote, whose names do not appear upon the ballot, if such write-in candidates are permitted by law. (D) It shall permit each elector, at all presidential elections, by one mark to vote for candidates of one party for president, vice president, and presidential electors. (E) It shall be durably constructed of material of good quality in a neat and workerlike manner, and in form that shall make it safely transportable. (F) It shall be so constructed that a voter may readily learn the method of operating it and may expeditiously cast the voter's vote for all candidates of the voter's choice. (G) It shall not provide to a voter any type of receipt or voter confirmation that the voter legally may retain after leaving the polling place. Last updated January 17, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3517.20 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3517 / § 3517.20
§ 3517.20. Political communications; identification of source
Status: in_force

September 30, 2025 House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly (A) As used in this section: (1) "Political publication for or against a candidate" means a notice, placard, advertisement, sample ballot, brochure, flyer, direct mailer, or other form of general publication that is designed to promote the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate. (2) "Political publication for or against an issue" means a notice, placard, advertisement, sample ballot, brochure, flyer, direct mailer, or other form of general publication that is designed to promote the adoption or defeat of a ballot issue or question or to influence the voters in an election. (3) "Public political advertising" means newspapers, magazines, outdoor advertising facilities, direct mailings, or other similar types of general public political advertising, or flyers, handbills, or other nonperiodical printed matter. (4) "Statewide candidate" has the same meaning as in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code. (5) "Legislative candidate" means a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly. (6) "Local candidate" means a candidate for an elective office of a political subdivision of this state. (7) "Legislative campaign fund" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code. (8) "Limited political action committee" means a political action committee of fewer than ten members. (9) "Limited political contributing entity" means a political contributing entity of fewer than ten members. (10) "Designated amount" means one hundred dollars in the case of a local candidate or a local ballot issue, two hundred fifty dollars in the case of a legislative candidate, or five hundred dollars in the case of a statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue. (11) "To issue" includes to print, post, distribute, reproduce for distribution, or cause to be issued, printed, posted, distributed, or reproduced for distribution. (12) "Telephone bank" means more than five hundred telephone calls of an identical or substantially similar nature within any thirty-day period, whether those telephone calls are made by individual callers or by recording. (B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, no entity shall do any of the following unless the name of the entity appears in a conspicuous place on or is contained or included within the publication, communication, or telephone call: (a) Issue a form of political publication in support of or opposition to a candidate or a ballot issue or question; (b) Make an expenditure for the purpose of financing political communications in support of or opposition to a candidate or a ballot issue or question through public political advertising; (c) Utter or cause to be uttered, over the broadcasting facilities of any radio or television station within this state, any communication in support of or opposition to a candidate or a ballot issue or question or any communication that is designed to influence the voters in an election; (d) Conduct a telephone bank for the purpose of supporting or opposing a candidate or a ballot issue or question or for the purpose of influencing the voters in an election. (2) A limited political action committee or limited political contributing entity may do any of the following without including its name in the publication or communication: (a) Issue a form of political publication in support of or opposition to a candidate or a ballot issue or question that does not cost in excess of the designated amount or that is not issued in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a legislative campaign fund, a political party, a political action committee with ten or more members, a political contributing entity with ten or more members, or a limited political action committee or limited political contributing entity that spends in excess of the designated amount on a related or the same or similar political publication in support of or opposition to a candidate or a ballot issue or question; (b) Make an expenditure that is not in excess of the designated amount in support of or opposition to a candidate or a ballot issue or question or make an expenditure that is not made in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate, a campaign committee, a legislative campaign fund, a political party, a political action committee with ten or more members, a political contributing entity with ten or more members, or a limited political action committee or limited political contributing entity that spends in excess of the designated amount in support of or opposition to the same candidate or a ballot issue or question, for the purpose of financing political communications in support of or opposition to that candidate or a ballot issue or question through public political advertising. (C) If more than one piece of printed matter or printed political communications are mailed as a single packet, the requirements of division (B) of this section are met if one of the pieces of printed matter or printed political communications in the packet contains the name of the organization or entity that issues or is responsible for the printed matter or other printed political communications. (D) This section does not apply to the transmittal of personal correspondence that is not reproduced by machine for general distribution. (E) The secretary of state, by rule, may exempt from the requirements of this section, printed matter and certain other kinds of printed communications such as campaign buttons, balloons, pencils, or similar items, the size or nature of which makes it unreasonable to add an identification or disclaimer. (F) The disclaimer or identification described in division (B) of this section, when paid for by a candidate, legislative campaign fund, or campaign committee, shall be identified by the words "paid for by" followed by the name of the entity. The identification or disclaimer may use reasonable abbreviations for common terms such as "committee." The disclaimer "paid political advertisement" is not sufficient to meet the requirements of this section. (G)(1) No person operating a broadcast station or an organ of printed media shall broadcast or print a paid political communication that does not contain the identification required by this section. (2) Division (B)(1)(c) of this section does not apply to any communications made on behalf of a radio or television station or network by any employee of such radio or television station or network while acting in the course of the employee's employment. (H)(1) No candidate or entity shall use or cause to be used a false, fictitious, or fraudulent name or address in the making or issuing of a publication or communication included within the provisions of this section. (2) No political action committee or political contributing entity shall use or cause to be used, in the making or issuing of a publication or communication included within the provisions of this section, a name or address that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the publication or communication is made by or on behalf of a county political party, unless the political action committee or political contributing entity has obtained a written statement, signed by the chairperson of the county political party's executive committee, granting the political action committee or political contributing entity permission to act on behalf of or represent the county political party. Last updated July 29, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3509.04 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3509 / § 3509.04
§ 3509.04. Delivery of absent voter's ballot
Status: in_force

April 7, 2023 House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly (A) If a board of elections receives an application for absent voter's ballots that does not contain all of the required information or is not submitted on an appropriate form, the board promptly shall notify the applicant of the additional information required to be provided by the applicant to complete that application, direct the applicant to use an appropriate form, or both, as applicable. (B) Upon receipt by the board of elections of an application for absent voter's ballots that contains all of the required information and is submitted on an appropriate form, as provided by section 3509.03 and division (G) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code, the board, if the board finds that the applicant is a qualified elector, shall deliver to the applicant in person or mail directly to the applicant by special delivery mail, air mail, or regular mail, postage prepaid, proper absent voter's ballots. The board shall deliver or mail with the ballots an unsealed identification envelope upon the face of which shall be printed a form substantially as follows: "Identification Envelope Statement of Voter I, ________________________(Name of voter), declare under penalty of election falsification that the within ballot or ballots contained no voting marks of any kind when I received them, and I caused the ballot or ballots to be marked, enclosed in the identification envelope, and sealed in that envelope. My voting residence in Ohio is ________________________________________________________________ (Street and Number, if any, or Rural Route and Number) of ________________________________ (City, Village, or Township) Ohio, which is in Ward _____________ Precinct ________________ in that city, village, or township. If I have a confidential voter registration record, I am providing my program participant identification number instead of my residence address: ________________________ The primary election ballots, if any, within this envelope are primary election ballots of the _____________ Party. Ballots contained within this envelope are to be voted at the __________ (general, special, or primary) election to be held on the __________________________ day of ______________________, ____. My date of birth is _______________ (Month and Day), __________ (Year). (Voter must provide one of the following:) My Ohio driver's license or state identification card number is _______________ (Driver's license or state identification card number). The last four digits of my Social Security Number are _______________ (Last four digits of Social Security Number). ______ In lieu of providing a driver's license or state identification card number or the last four digits of my Social Security Number, I am enclosing a copy of my photo identification in the return envelope in which this identification envelope will be mailed. I hereby declare, under penalty of election falsification, that the statements above are true, as I verily believe. _________________________ (Signature of Voter) WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE." The board shall mail with the ballots and the unsealed identification envelope an unsealed return envelope upon the face of which shall be printed the post-office address of the board. In the upper left corner on the face of the return envelope, several blank lines shall be printed upon which the voter may write the voter's name and return address. The return envelope shall be of such size that the identification envelope can be conveniently placed within it for returning the identification envelope to the board. No public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an official capacity, shall prepay the return postage for any absent voter's ballots. Except as otherwise provided in this section and in sections 3505.24 and 3509.08 of the Revised Code, an election official shall not fill out any portion of an identification envelope statement of voter or an absent voter's ballot on behalf of an elector. A board of elections may preprint only an elector's name and address on an identification envelope statement of voter before mailing absent voter's ballots to the elector, except that if the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the board of elections shall not preprint the elector's address on the identification envelope statement of voter. Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:03 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3505.35 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3505 / § 3505.35
§ 3505.35. Canvass of abstracts by secretary of state
Status: in_force

April 30, 2024 House Bill 101 - 135th General Assembly (A) When the secretary of state has received from the board of elections of every county in the state Form No. 2, as provided for in section 3505.33 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall promptly fix the time and place for the canvass of such abstracts, and the time fixed shall not be later than ten days after such abstracts have been received by the secretary of state from all counties. The secretary of state shall notify the governor, auditor of state, attorney general, and the chairperson of the state central committee of each political party of the time and place fixed. At such time and in the presence of such of the persons so notified who attend, the secretary of state shall canvass the abstracts contained in said Form No. 2 and shall determine and declare the results of all elections in which electors throughout the entire state voted. If two or more candidates for election to the same office, or two or more sets of joint candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, receive the largest and an equal number of votes, such tie shall be resolved by lot by the secretary of state. Such declaration of results by the secretary of state shall be in writing and shall be signed by the secretary of state. It shall bear the date of the day upon which it is made, and a copy thereof shall be posted by the secretary of state in a conspicuous place in the secretary of state's office. The secretary of state shall keep such copy posted for a period of at least five days. Such declaration of results made by the secretary of state, insofar as it pertains to the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, and attorney general, is only for the purpose of fixing the time of the commencement of the period of time within which applications for recounts of votes may be filed as provided by section 3515.02 of the Revised Code. (B) When the secretary of state has received from the board of elections of every county in the state Form No. 4 and Form No. 6, as provided in section 3505.33 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall promptly transmit by electronic mail or other telecommunication device a copy of each form to the administrative director of the supreme court. Last updated February 12, 2024 at 9:04 AM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3517.16 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3517 / § 3517.16
§ 3517.16. [Former R.C. 3517.154, amended and renumbered as R.C. 3517.16 by H.B. 96, 136th General Assembly, effective 9/30/2025] Filing complaint; initial finding by secretary of state
Status: in_force

September 30, 2025 House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly (A)(1) Any person who has personal knowledge of a violation of a provision of the Revised Code listed in division (A) of section 3517.15 of the Revised Code may file a complaint with the secretary of state, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and signed under penalty of perjury. (2) An official at a board of elections may file a complaint with the secretary of state, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and signed under penalty of perjury, alleging a violation of a provision of the Revised Code listed in division (A) of section 3517.15 of the Revised Code. (3) The election integrity unit of the office of the secretary of state may initiate a complaint alleging a violation of a provision of the Revised Code listed in division (A) of section 3517.16 of the Revised Code. (B)(1) Subject to division (F) of this section, the election integrity unit shall review each complaint filed with the secretary of state under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section. If the complaint does not allege a violation of a provision of the Revised Code listed in division (A) of section 3517.15 of the Revised Code or, in the case of a complaint filed under division (A)(1) of this section, is not based on personal knowledge, the secretary of state shall dismiss the complaint. Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, a dismissal under this division is without prejudice. (2) After a complaint is dismissed under division (B)(1) of this section on the ground that the complaint is not based on personal knowledge, if the same person files another complaint alleging the same or a substantially similar violation and the complaint is not based on personal knowledge, the secretary of state shall dismiss the complaint with prejudice. (3) If the complaint is not dismissed under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, the election integrity unit shall investigate the complaint. (C) Subject to division (F) of this section, the election integrity unit shall draft a report to the secretary of state concerning each complaint filed under division (A) of this section that is not dismissed under division (B) of this section. The report shall recommend that the secretary of state make a particular finding and, if applicable, impose a fine or refer the matter for prosecution, in accordance with section 3517.17 of the Revised Code. (D) The election integrity unit may join two or more complaints if the unit determines that the allegations in each complaint are of the same or similar character, are based on the same act or failure to act, or are based on two or more acts or failures to act constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. If one complaint contains two or more allegations, the unit may separate the allegations if they are not of the same or similar character, if they are not based on the same act or failure to act, or if they are not based on two or more acts or failures to act constituting parts of a common scheme or plan. If the unit separates the allegations in a complaint, the unit may make separate recommendations under division (C) of this section for each allegation. (E)(1) Upon receiving the recommendation of the election integrity unit under division (C) of this section, the secretary of state shall review the report and recommendation and shall do one of the following: (a) Refer the matter back to the unit for further investigation and a revised recommendation under division (C) of this section; (b) Make a finding in accordance with section 3517.17 of the Revised Code, and, if applicable, impose a fine or refer the matter for prosecution. (2) The secretary of state shall serve notice of the secretary of state's decision under division (E)(1)(b) of this section on the person who is alleged to have committed the violation in accordance with section 119.05 of the Revised Code. (3) If, within fourteen days after service of the notice is complete under section 119.05 of the Revised Code, the person objects to the secretary of state's decision, the secretary of state shall not impose a fine or refer the matter for prosecution, and immediately shall refer the matter to the Ohio election integrity commission for its determination under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code. (4) If the person does not object to the secretary of state's decision within fourteen days after receiving the notice, the secretary of state's decision is final and, if applicable, the secretary of state shall impose a fine or refer the matter for prosecution as determined under division (E)(1)(b) of this section. (F)(1) If any of the following apply to a complaint, the secretary of state shall proceed under division (F)(2) of this section: (a) The secretary of state is a party to the complaint. (b) A candidate for an office for which the secretary of state is also a candidate is a party to the complaint or is otherwise involved in the complaint. (c) The complaint involves a contribution, expenditure, or independent expenditure made to advocate the election or defeat of the secretary of state or a candidate for an office for which the secretary of state is also a candidate. (d) The secretary of state determines that the secretary of state otherwise has a conflict of interest with respect to the complaint or that the secretary of state should proceed under division (F)(2) of this section to avoid any appearance of impropriety. (2) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of divisions (B) to (E) of this section, when division (F)(1) of this section applies to a complaint, the secretary of state shall request the attorney general to designate one or more persons to fulfill the duties of the election integrity unit described in divisions (B) to (D) of this section. The attorney general shall designate those persons and shall fulfill the duties of the secretary of state under divisions (B) to (D) of this section. Last updated October 3, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3599.02 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3599 / § 3599.02
§ 3599.02. Bribery - offenses concerning voters or voting
Status: in_force

December 9, 1997 Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly No person shall before, during, or after any primary, general, or special election or convention solicit, request, demand, receive, or contract for any money, gift, loan, property, influence, position, employment, or other thing of value for that person or for another person for doing any of the following: (A) Registering or refraining from registering to vote; (B) Agreeing to register or to refrain from registering to vote; (C) Agreeing to vote or to refrain from voting; (D) Voting or refraining from voting at any primary, general, or special election or convention for a particular person, question, or issue; (E) Registering or voting, or refraining from registering or voting, or voting or refraining from voting for a particular person, question, or issue. Whoever violates this section is guilty of bribery, a felony of the fourth degree, and shall be disfranchised and excluded from holding any public office for five years immediately following such conviction.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3505.19 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3505 / § 3505.19
§ 3505.19. Affidavit of religious objection to being photographed
Status: in_force

April 7, 2023 House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly (A) An elector who does not have photo identification because the elector has a religious objection to being photographed may complete an affidavit of religious objection in lieu of providing photo identification for the purpose of casting a provisional ballot. (B) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the affidavit of religious objection, which shall be substantially as follows: "Affidavit of Religious Objection I, _______________________ (first and last name of elector), declare under penalty of election falsification that I do not have photo identification because I have a sincere religious objection to being photographed. The last four digits of my Social Security number are: ______ ________________________ (Signature of individual) WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE." (C) Upon receiving a completed affidavit of religious objection, the board of elections shall transmit the information in the affidavit to the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall consult the database of the bureau of motor vehicles to determine whether the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar has issued a currently unexpired photo identification to the elector and shall notify the board of the result. (D) An affidavit of religious objection is not valid if either of the following apply: (1) The last four digits of the elector's social security number, as provided on the affidavit, are different from the last four digits of the elector's social security number in the statewide voter registration database. (2) The registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar has issued a currently unexpired photo identification to the elector. Last updated January 31, 2023 at 4:45 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.14 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3501 / § 3501.14
§ 3501.14. Compensation of director, deputy director, and employees of board
Status: in_force

August 15, 2012 Senate Bill 295 - 129th General Assembly The board of elections shall, by a vote of not less than three of its members, fix the annual compensation of its director and deputy director who are selected in accordance with section 3501.09 of the Revised Code. The board may, when necessary, appoint a deputy director, who shall not be a member of the same political party of which the director is a member, and other employees, prescribe their duties, and, by a vote of not less than three of its members, fix their compensation. The director, deputy director, and other employees of the board are not public officers and shall serve, during their term of office, at the discretion of the board. The board may summarily remove the director or the deputy director by a vote of not less than three of its members and may remove any other employee by a majority vote of its membership. The deputy director and all other election officials shall take and subscribe to the same oath for the faithful performance of their duties as is required of the director of the board. The deputy director shall have the same power as the director to administer oaths. The board may also employ additional employees, when necessary, for part time only at the prevailing rate of pay for such services. A tie vote or disagreement in the board on the amount of compensation to be paid to a director, deputy director, or any employee shall not be submitted to the secretary of state.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3505.23 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3505 / § 3505.23
§ 3505.23. Time limit for occupying voting compartment - errors in voting - marking ballot
Status: in_force

April 6, 2023 House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly Except as otherwise provided in this section, no voter shall be allowed to occupy a voting compartment or use a voting machine more than ten minutes when all the voting compartments or machines are in use and voters are waiting to occupy them. The ten-minute time limit shall not apply to any person who requires the use of an accessible voting machine as required under the "Help America Vote Act of 2002," 116 Stat. 1704, 42 U.S.C. 15481. Except as otherwise provided by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code, no voter shall occupy a voting compartment or machine with another person or speak to anyone, nor shall anyone speak to the voter, while the voter is in a voting compartment or machine. In precincts that do not use voting machines the following procedure shall be followed: If a voter tears, soils, defaces, or erroneously marks a ballot the voter may return it to the precinct election officials and a second ballot shall be issued to the voter. Before returning a torn, soiled, defaced, or erroneously marked ballot, the voter shall fold it so as to conceal any marks the voter made upon it, but the voter shall not remove Stub A therefrom. If the voter tears, soils, defaces, or erroneously marks such second ballot, the voter may return it to the precinct election officials, and a third ballot shall be issued to the voter. In no case shall more than three ballots be issued to a voter. Upon receiving a returned torn, soiled, defaced, or erroneously marked ballot the precinct election officials shall detach Stub A therefrom, write "Defaced" on the back of such ballot, and place the stub and the ballot in the separate containers provided therefor. No elector shall leave the polling place until the elector returns to the precinct election officials every ballot issued to the elector with Stub A on each ballot attached thereto, regardless of whether the elector has or has not placed any marks upon the ballot. Before leaving the voting compartment, the voter shall fold each ballot marked by the voter so that no part of the face of the ballot is visible, and so that the printing thereon indicating the kind of ballot it is and the facsimile signatures of the members of the board of elections are visible. The voter shall then leave the voting compartment, deliver the voter's ballots, and state the voter's name to the precinct election official having charge of the ballot box, who shall announce the name, detach Stub A from each ballot, and announce the number on the stubs. The precinct election officials in charge of the poll lists or poll books shall check to ascertain whether the number so announced is the number on Stub B of the ballots issued to such voter, and if no discrepancy appears to exist, the precinct election official in charge of the ballot box shall, in the presence of the voter, deposit each such ballot in the ballot box and shall place Stub A from each ballot in the container provided therefor. The voter shall then immediately leave the polling place. No ballot delivered by a voter to the precinct election official in charge of the ballot box with Stub A detached therefrom, and only ballots provided in accordance with Title XXXV of the Revised Code, shall be voted or deposited in the ballot box. In marking a presidential ballot, the voter shall record the vote in the manner provided on the ballot next to the names of the candidates for the offices of president and vice-president. Such ballot shall be considered and counted as a vote for each of the candidates for election as presidential elector whose names were certified to the secretary of state by the political party of such nominees for president and vice-president. In marking an office type ballot or nonpartisan ballot, the voter shall record the vote in the manner provided on the ballot next to the name of each candidate for whom the voter desires to vote. In marking a primary election ballot, the voter shall record the vote in the manner provided on the ballot next to the name of each candidate for whom the voter desires to vote. If the voter desires to vote for the nomination of a person whose name is not printed on the primary election ballot, the voter may do so by writing such person's name on the ballot in the proper place provided for such purpose. In marking a questions and issues ballot, the voter shall record the vote in the manner provided on the ballot at the left or at the right of "YES" or "NO" or other words of similar import which are printed on the ballot to enable the voter to indicate how the voter votes in connection with each question or issue upon which the voter desires to vote. In marking any ballot on which a blank space has been provided wherein an elector may write in the name of a person for whom the elector desires to vote, the elector shall write such person's name in such blank space and on no other place on the ballot. Unless specific provision is made by statute, no blank space shall be provided on a ballot for write-in votes, and any names written on a ballot other than in a blank space provided therefor shall not be counted or recorded. Last updated March 10, 2023 at 12:12 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.17 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3501 / § 3501.17
§ 3501.17. Expenditures and costs
Status: in_force

September 30, 2025 House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly (A) The expenses of the board of elections shall be paid from the county treasury, in pursuance of appropriations by the board of county commissioners, in the same manner as other county expenses are paid. If the board of county commissioners fails to appropriate an amount sufficient to provide for the necessary and proper expenses of the board of elections pertaining to the conduct of elections, the board of elections may apply to the court of common pleas within the county, which shall fix the amount necessary to be appropriated and the amount shall be appropriated. Payments shall be made upon vouchers of the board of elections certified to by its chairperson or acting chairperson and the director or deputy director, upon warrants of the county auditor. The board of elections shall not incur any obligation involving the expenditure of money unless there are moneys sufficient in the funds appropriated therefor to meet the obligation. If the board of elections requests a transfer of funds from one of its appropriation items to another, the board of county commissioners shall adopt a resolution providing for the transfer except as otherwise provided in section 5705.40 of the Revised Code. The expenses of the board of elections shall be apportioned among the county and the various subdivisions as provided in this section, and the amount chargeable to each subdivision shall be paid as provided in division (J) of this section or withheld by the county auditor from the moneys payable thereto at the time of the next tax settlement. At the time of submitting budget estimates in each year, the board of elections shall submit to the taxing authority of each subdivision, upon the request of the subdivision, an estimate of the amount to be paid or withheld from the subdivision during the current or next fiscal year. A board of township trustees may, by resolution, request that the county auditor withhold expenses charged to the township from a specified township fund that is to be credited with revenue at a tax settlement. The resolution shall specify the tax levy ballot issue, the date of the election on the levy issue, and the township fund from which the expenses the board of elections incurs related to that ballot issue shall be withheld. (B) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of this section, the compensation of the members of the board of elections and of the director, deputy director, and regular employees in the board's offices, other than compensation for overtime worked; the expenditures for the rental, furnishing, and equipping of the office of the board and for the necessary office supplies for the use of the board; the expenditures for the acquisition, repair, care, and custody of the polling places, booths, guardrails, and other equipment for polling places; the cost of tally sheets, maps, flags, ballot boxes, and all other permanent records and equipment; the cost of all elections held in and for the state and county; and all other expenses of the board which are not chargeable to a political subdivision in accordance with this section shall be paid in the same manner as other county expenses are paid. (C) The compensation of precinct election officials and intermittent employees in the board's offices; the cost of renting, moving, heating, and lighting polling places and of placing and removing ballot boxes and other fixtures and equipment thereof, including voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment; the cost of printing and delivering ballots, cards of instructions, registration lists required under section 3503.23 of the Revised Code, and other election supplies, including the supplies required to comply with division (H) of section 3506.01 of the Revised Code; the cost of contractors engaged by the board to prepare, program, test, and operate voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment; and all other expenses of conducting primaries and elections in the odd-numbered years shall be charged to the subdivisions in and for which such primaries or elections are held. The charge for each primary or general election in odd-numbered years for each subdivision shall be determined in the following manner: first, the total cost of all chargeable items used in conducting such elections shall be ascertained; second, the total charge shall be divided by the number of precincts participating in such election, in order to fix the cost per precinct; third, the cost per precinct shall be prorated by the board of elections to the subdivisions conducting elections for the nomination or election of offices in such precinct; fourth, the total cost for each subdivision shall be determined by adding the charges prorated to it in each precinct within the subdivision. (D)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(2) of this section, the entire cost of special elections held on a day other than the day of a primary or general election, both in odd-numbered or in even-numbered years, shall be charged to the subdivision. Where a special election is held on the same day as a primary or general election in an even-numbered year, the subdivision submitting the special election shall be charged only for the cost of ballots and advertising. Where a special election is held on the same day as a primary or general election in an odd-numbered year, the subdivision submitting the special election shall be charged for the cost of ballots and advertising for such special election, in addition to the charges prorated to such subdivision for the election or nomination of candidates in each precinct within the subdivision, as set forth in the preceding paragraph. (2) The entire cost of a local option election held pursuant to sections 4301.32 to 4301.391 of the Revised Code on a day other than the day of a primary or general election, both in odd-numbered or in even-numbered years, or on a day other than the day of a special election of a political subdivision seeking to submit a question or issue, a nomination for office, or an election to office, shall be charged to the petitioner. (E) Where a special election is held on the day specified by division (E) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code for the holding of a primary election, for the purpose of submitting to the voters of the state constitutional amendments proposed by the general assembly, and a subdivision conducts a special election on the same day, the entire cost of the special election shall be divided proportionally between the state and the subdivision based upon a ratio determined by the number of issues placed on the ballot by each, except as otherwise provided in division (G) of this section. Such proportional division of cost shall be made only to the extent funds are available for such purpose from amounts appropriated by the general assembly to the secretary of state. If a primary election is also being conducted in the subdivision, the costs shall be apportioned as otherwise provided in this section. (F) When a precinct is open during a general, primary, or special election solely for the purpose of submitting to the voters a statewide ballot issue, the state shall bear the entire cost of the election in that precinct and shall reimburse the county for all expenses incurred in opening the precinct. (G)(1) The state shall bear the entire cost of advertising in newspapers statewide ballot issues, explanations of those issues, and arguments for or against those issues, as required by Section 1g of Article II and Section 1 of Article XVI, Ohio Constitution, and any other section of law. Appropriations made to the controlling board shall be used to reimburse the secretary of state for all expenses the secretary of state incurs for such advertising under division (G) of section 3505.062 of the Revised Code. (2) There is hereby created in the state treasury the statewide ballot advertising fund. The fund shall receive transfers approved by the controlling board, and shall be used by the secretary of state to pay the costs of advertising state ballot issues as required under division (G)(1) of this section. Any such transfers may be requested from and approved by the controlling board prior to placing the advertising, in order to facilitate timely provision of the required advertising. (H) The cost of renting, heating, and lighting registration places; the cost of the necessary books, forms, and supplies for the conduct of registration; and the cost of printing and posting precinct registration lists shall be charged to the subdivision in which such registration is held. (I)(1)(a) At the request of a majority of the members of the board of elections, the board of county commissioners may, by resolution, establish an elections revenue fund. Except as otherwise provided in this division and in division (I)(2) of this section, the purpose of the fund shall be to accumulate revenue withheld by or paid to the county under this section for the payment of any expense related to the duties of the board of elections specified in section 3501.11 of the Revised Code, upon approval of a majority of the members of the board of elections. The fund shall not accumulate any revenue withheld by or paid to the county under this section for the compensation of the members of the board of elections or of the director, deputy director, or other regular employees in the board's offices, other than compensation for overtime worked. (b) Notwithstanding sections 5705.14 , 5705.15 , and 5705.16 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners may, by resolution, transfer money to the elections revenue fund from any other fund of the political subdivision from which such payments lawfully may be made. Following an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the board of elections, the board of county commissioners may, by resolution, rescind an elections revenue fund established under this division. If an elections revenue fund is rescinded, money that has accumulated in the fund shall be transferred to the county general fund. (2)(a) The board of county commissioners of a county that receives a payment from a political subdivision under division (J) of this section shall, by resolution, establish a special elections fund. The purpose of the fund shall be to accumulate revenue paid to the county by political subdivisions under division (J) of this section for the cost of preparing for and conducting special elections. (b) If both of the following apply, the board of county commissioners may, by resolution, rescind the special elections fund and transfer any remaining money in the fund to the county general fund or to the elections revenue fund: (i) All notifications and payments required under division (J)(3) of this section have been made. (ii) The county has not received any payments from political subdivisions under division (J)(2) of this section for a future special election. (J)(1) Not less than fifteen business days before the deadline for submitting a question or issue for placement on the ballot at a special election, the board of elections shall prepare and file with the board of county commissioners and the office of the secretary of state the estimated cost, based on the factors enumerated in this section, for preparing for and conducting an election on one question or issue, one nomination for office, or one election to office in each precinct in the county at that special election and shall divide that cost by the number of registered voters in the county. (2) The board of elections shall provide to a political subdivision seeking to submit a question or issue, a nomination for office, or an election to office for placement on the ballot at a special election with the estimated cost for preparing for and conducting that election, which shall be calculated either by multiplying the number of registered voters in the political subdivision with the cost calculated under division (J)(1) of this section or by multiplying the cost per precinct with the number or precincts in the political subdivision. A political subdivision submitting a question or issue, a nomination for office, or an election to office for placement on the ballot at that special election shall pay to the county special elections fund sixty-five per cent of the estimated cost of the election not less than ten business days after the deadline for submitting a question or issue for placement on the ballot for that special election. (3) Not later than sixty days after the date of a special election, the board of elections shall provide to each political subdivision the true and accurate cost for the question or issue, nomination for office, or election to office that the subdivision submitted to the voters on the special election ballots. If the board of elections determines that a subdivision paid less for the cost of preparing and conducting a special election under division (J)(2) of this section than the actual cost calculated under this division, the subdivision shall remit to the county special elections fund the difference between the payment made under division (J)(2) of this section and the final cost calculated under this division within thirty days after being notified of the final cost. If the board of elections determines that a subdivision paid more for the cost of preparing and conducting a special election under division (J)(2) of this section than the actual cost calculated under this division, the board of elections promptly shall notify the board of county commissioners of that difference. The board of county commissioners shall remit from the county special elections fund to the political subdivision the difference between the payment made under division (J)(2) of this section and the final cost calculated under this division within thirty days after receiving that notification. (K) As used in this section: (1) "Political subdivision" and "subdivision" mean any board of county commissioners, board of township trustees, legislative authority of a municipal corporation, board of education, or any other board, commission, district, or authority that is empowered to levy taxes or permitted to receive the proceeds of a tax levy, regardless of whether the entity receives tax settlement moneys as described in division (A) of this section; (2) "Statewide ballot issue" means any ballot issue, whether proposed by the general assembly or by initiative or referendum, that is submitted to the voters throughout the state. Last updated July 29, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.221 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3501 / § 3501.221
§ 3501.221. Appointment of interpreters
Status: in_force

July 25, 1975 House Bill 5 - 111th General Assembly (A) To encourage voting, a board of elections may appoint persons who are fluent in a non-English language to serve as interpreters to assist voters in certain election precincts. If the board determines that the number of non-English-speaking electors in a precinct indicates a need for an interpreter and provision of an interpreter is feasible and practical in terms of the number of such electors, the board may appoint an interpreter for such precinct in the same manner as other precinct election officials are appointed. A person appointed pursuant to this section may only provide to voters such assistance in the non-English language as may be provided by election officials to English speaking voters. All requirements relating to the qualifications of election officials apply to persons appointed under this section. Interpreters shall complete a program of instruction as provided in section 3501.27 of the Revised Code and shall be compensated in the manner and amount as provided by section 3501.28 of the Revised Code for other election officials. A person appointed pursuant to this section may also serve as a precinct election officer; such person shall be compensated as though he served only in the capacity of an election official, and he need not undergo a program of instruction a second time for the same election unless required by the board. (B) No person appointed under division (A) of this section, while performing the duties of such office, shall: (1) Wear any badge, sign, or other insignia or thing indicating a preference for any candidate or for any question submitted; (2) Influence or attempt to influence any voter to vote for or against any candidate or issue submitted at such election. (C) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.01 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3501 / § 3501.01
§ 3501.01. Election procedure - election officials definitions
Status: in_force

March 20, 2026 Senate Bill 293 - 136th General Assembly As used in the sections of the Revised Code relating to elections and political communications: (A) "General election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in each November. (B) "Regular municipal election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each odd-numbered year. (C) "Regular state election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each even-numbered year. (D) "Special election" means any election other than those elections defined in other divisions of this section. A special election may be held only on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May or November, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in August in accordance with section 3501.022 of the Revised Code, or on the day authorized by a particular municipal or county charter for the holding of a primary election, except that in any year in which a presidential primary election is held, no special election shall be held in May, except as authorized by a municipal or county charter, but may be held on the third Tuesday after the first Monday in March. (E)(1) "Primary" or "primary election" means an election held for the purpose of nominating persons as candidates of political parties for election to offices, and for the purpose of electing persons as members of the controlling committees of political parties and as delegates and alternates to the conventions of political parties. Primary elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each year except in years in which a presidential primary election is held. (2) "Presidential primary election" means a primary election as defined by division (E)(1) of this section at which an election is held for the purpose of choosing delegates and alternates to the national conventions of the major political parties pursuant to section 3513.12 of the Revised Code. Unless otherwise specified, presidential primary elections are included in references to primary elections. In years in which a presidential primary election is held, all primary elections shall be held on the third Tuesday after the first Monday in March except as otherwise authorized by a municipal or county charter. (F) "Political party" means any group of voters meeting the requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code for the formation and existence of a political party. (1) "Major political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received not less than twenty per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election. (2) "Minor political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state that meets either of the following requirements: (a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, the political party's candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than twenty per cent but not less than three per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election. A political party that meets the requirements of this division remains a political party for a period of four years after meeting those requirements. (b) The political party has filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to its failure to meet the requirements of division (F)(2)(a) of this section, a petition that meets the requirements of section 3517.01 of the Revised Code. A newly formed political party shall be known as a minor political party until the time of the first election for governor or president which occurs not less than twelve months subsequent to the formation of such party, after which election the status of such party shall be determined by the vote for the office of governor or president. (G) "Dominant party in a precinct" or "dominant political party in a precinct" means that political party whose candidate for election to the office of governor at the most recent regular state election at which a governor was elected received more votes than any other person received for election to that office in such precinct at such election. (H) "Candidate" means any qualified person certified in accordance with the provisions of the Revised Code for placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special election to be held in this state, or any qualified person who claims to be a write-in candidate, or who knowingly assents to being represented as a write-in candidate by another at either a primary, general, or special election to be held in this state. (I) "Independent candidate" means any candidate who claims not to be affiliated with a political party, and whose name has been certified on the office-type ballot at a general or special election through the filing of a statement of candidacy and nominating petition, as prescribed in section 3513.257 of the Revised Code. (J) "Nonpartisan candidate" means any candidate whose name is required, pursuant to section 3505.04 of the Revised Code, to be listed on the nonpartisan ballot, including all candidates for judge of a municipal court, county court, or court of common pleas, for member of any board of education, for municipal or township offices in which primary elections are not held for nominating candidates by political parties, and for offices of municipal corporations having charters that provide for separate ballots for elections for these offices. (K) "Party candidate" means any candidate who claims to be a member of a political party and who has been certified to appear on the office-type ballot at a general or special election as the nominee of a political party because the candidate has won the primary election of the candidate's party for the public office the candidate seeks, has been nominated under section 3517.012 , or is selected by party committee in accordance with section 3513.31 of the Revised Code. (L) "Officer of a political party" includes, but is not limited to, any member, elected or appointed, of a controlling committee, whether representing the territory of the state, a district therein, a county, township, a city, a ward, a precinct, or other territory, of a major or minor political party. (M) "Question or issue" means any question or issue certified in accordance with the Revised Code for placement on an official ballot at a general or special election to be held in this state. (N) "Elector" or "qualified elector" means a person having the qualifications provided by law to be entitled to vote. (O) "Voter" means an elector who votes at an election. (P) "Voting residence" means that place of residence of an elector which shall determine the precinct in which the elector may vote. (Q) "Precinct" means a district within a county established by the board of elections of such county within which all qualified electors having a voting residence therein may vote at the same polling place. (R) "Polling place" means that place provided for each precinct at which the electors having a voting residence in such precinct may vote. (S) "Board" or "board of elections" means the board of elections appointed in a county pursuant to section 3501.06 of the Revised Code. (T) "Political subdivision" means a county, township, city, village, or school district. (U) "Election officer" or "election official" means any of the following: (1) Secretary of state; (2) Employees of the secretary of state serving the division of elections in the capacity of attorney, administrative officer, administrative assistant, elections administrator, office manager, or clerical supervisor; (3) Director of a board of elections; (4) Deputy director of a board of elections; (5) Member of a board of elections; (6) Employees of a board of elections; (7) Precinct election officials; (8) Employees appointed by the boards of elections on a temporary or part-time basis. (V) "Acknowledgment notice" means a notice sent by a board of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, informing a voter registration applicant or an applicant who wishes to change the applicant's residence or name of the status of the application; the information necessary to complete or update the application, if any; and if the application is complete, the precinct in which the applicant is to vote. (W) "Confirmation notice" means a notice sent by a board of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, to a registered elector to confirm the registered elector's current address, date of birth, or United States citizenship, the number of the elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card, the last four digits of the elector's social security number, or any other information required for registration. The notice shall be sent by forwardable mail, shall be accompanied by a postage prepaid, preaddressed return envelope containing a form on which the elector may verify or correct the elector's registration, and shall meet the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. (X) "Designated agency" means an office or agency in the state that provides public assistance or that provides state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities and that is required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to implement a program designed and administered by the secretary of state for registering voters, or any other public or government office or agency that implements a program designed and administered by the secretary of state for registering voters, including the department of job and family services, the program administered under section 3701.132 of the Revised Code by the department of health, the department of behavioral health, the department of developmental disabilities, the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency, and any other agency the secretary of state designates. "Designated agency" does not include public high schools and vocational schools, public libraries, or the office of a county treasurer. (Y) "National Voter Registration Act of 1993" means the "National Voter Registration Act of 1993," 107 Stat. 77, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973gg. (Z) "Voting Rights Act of 1965" means the "Voting Rights Act of 1965," 79 Stat. 437, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973, as amended. (AA)(1) "Photo identification" means one of the following documents that includes the individual's name and photograph and is not expired: (a) An Ohio driver's license, state identification card, or interim identification form issued by the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of the Revised Code; (b) A United States passport or passport card; (c) A United States military identification card, Ohio national guard identification card, or United States department of veterans affairs identification card. (2) A "copy" of an individual's photo identification means images of both the front and back of a document described in division (AA)(1) of this section, except that if the document is a United States passport, a copy of the photo identification means an image of the passport's identification page that includes the individual's name, photograph, and other identifying information and the passport's expiration date. (BB) "Driver's license" means a license or permit issued by the registrar or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of the Revised Code that authorizes an individual to drive. "Driver's license" includes a driver's license, commercial driver's license, probationary license, restricted license, motorcycle operator's license, or temporary instruction permit identification card. "Driver's license" does not include a limited term license issued under section 4506.14 or 4507.09 of the Revised Code. (CC) "State identification card" means a card issued by the registrar or a deputy registrar under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code. (DD) "Interim identification form" means the document issued by the registrar or a deputy registrar to an applicant for a driver's license or state identification card that contains all of the information otherwise found on the license or card and that an applicant may use as a form of identification until the physical license or card arrives in the mail. (EE)(1) "Proof of citizenship" means evidence that an individual is a United States citizen, in the form of one of the following: (a) The number of the individual's current Ohio driver's license or state identification card, if the secretary of state verifies using information obtained from the bureau of motor vehicles that the individual has submitted documentation to the bureau that indicates that the individual is a United States citizen; (b) The individual's current Ohio driver's license, state identification card, or interim identification form issued on or after April 7, 2023, or a copy of the front and back of that license, card, or form, if the license, card, or form does not include a notation designating that the individual is a noncitizen of the United States; (c) The individual's birth certificate, certification of report of birth, or consular report of birth abroad, or a copy of one of those documents; (d) The individual's current United States passport or passport card, a copy of the identification page of the passport, or a copy of the front and back of the passport card; (e) The individual's certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship or a copy of one of those documents; (f) The individual's I-797 notice of action for form N-565, application for replacement naturalization/citizenship document issued by United States citizenship and immigration services, if the notice indicates that the application has been approved; a copy of that notice; or an original or copy of the successor form of that notice issued by the federal agency that is responsible for fulfilling requests for replacement naturalization or citizenship documents. (2) If an individual's current legal name is different from the name on the individual's proof of citizenship, the individual also shall provide proof of the change of name, such as a copy of a marriage license or court order. Last updated April 1, 2026 at 8:46 AM
Ohio Rev. Code § 3501.32 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3501 / § 3501.32
§ 3501.32. Hours for polling places
Status: in_force

February 25, 2014 Senate Bill 109 - 130th General Assembly (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, on the day of the election the polls shall be opened by proclamation by the voting location manager, or in the manager's absence by a voting location manager chosen by the precinct election officials, at six-thirty a.m. and shall be closed by proclamation at seven-thirty p.m. unless there are voters waiting in line to cast their ballots, in which case the polls shall be kept open until such waiting voters have voted. (B) On the day of the election, any polling place located on an island not connected to the mainland by a highway or a bridge may close earlier than seven-thirty p.m. if all registered voters in the precinct have voted. When a polling place closes under division (B) of this section the voting location manager shall immediately notify the board of elections of the closing.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3515.11 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3515 / § 3515.11
§ 3515.11. Proceedings at trial of contest of election
Status: in_force

October 1, 1953 House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly The proceedings at the trial of the contest of an election shall be similar to those in judicial proceedings, in so far as practicable, and shall be under the control and direction of the court which shall hear and determine the matter without a jury, with power to order or permit amendments to the petition or proceedings as to form or substance. Such court may allow adjournments for not more than thirty days, for the benefit of either party, on such terms as to costs and otherwise as seem reasonable to the court, the grounds for such adjournment being shown by affidavit. The hearing shall proceed expeditiously and the total of such adjournments shall not exceed thirty days after the date set for the original hearing.
Ohio Rev. Code § 3513.151 — Ohio Revised Code / Title 35 / Chapter 3513 / § 3513.151
§ 3513.151. Arrangement of names of candidates for delegate and alternate to national convention of political party
Status: in_force

July 2, 2010 House Bill 48 - 128th General Assembly (A) Candidates for delegate and alternate to the national convention of a political party shall be represented on the ballot, or their names shall appear on the ballot, in accordance with this section, but only in a manner that enables an elector to record the vote in the space provided for it by the name of the first choice for president so that the recording of the vote is counted as a vote cast for each candidate for delegate or alternate who has declared such person as that candidate's first choice for president. (B) The names of candidates for delegate at large and alternate at large to the national convention of a political party shall not appear on the ballot. Such candidates shall be represented on the ballot by their stated first choice for president. (C) The state central committee of each major political party, through its chairperson, not later than ninety days prior to the date of the presidential primary election, shall file with the secretary of state a statement that stipulates, in accordance with rules adopted by each state central committee at a meeting open to all members of the committee's party, whether or not the names of candidates for district delegate and district alternate to the national convention of that chairperson's party are to be printed on the ballot. The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the ballot for the election of district delegates and district alternates of each political party in accordance with such statement. If the state central committee of a political party fails to so provide such statement, the secretary of state shall prescribe a form of ballot on which the names of candidates for delegate and alternate to such national convention do not appear on the ballot. Only the names of the presidential first choices of such candidates for delegates and alternates shall appear on the ballot. If only the names of presidential first choices are printed, the ballot shall provide the opportunity for an elector to record the vote in the appropriate space provided beside such names and such a vote cast shall be counted as a vote for each candidate for delegate and alternate who has declared such person as that candidate's first choice for president. If the number of candidates for district delegate or for district alternate to the national convention of a political party exceeds the number to be elected, the names of such candidates, when required to appear on the ballot, shall not be rotated, but shall be printed in a group on the ballot in alphabetical order immediately below or beside first choice for president. This form of the ballot shall be prescribed by the secretary so that the recording of the vote in the space provided beside the name of such choice for president shall be a vote for each candidate whose name is included in the grouping. (D) Candidates, grouped by first choice for president, shall be rotated in the same manner as though each grouping were a separate candidate. As many series of ballots shall be printed as the number of groups to be rotated, with the total number of ballots to be printed divided by the number of series to be printed in order to determine the number of ballots to be printed of each series. On the first series of ballots, the candidates shall be alphabetically grouped by their first choice for president. On each succeeding series, the group of candidates that was the first in the preceding series shall be last and each of the other groups shall be moved up one place. The ballots shall be rotated and printed as provided in section 3505.03 of the Revised Code, except that no indication of membership in or affiliation with a political party shall be printed after or under the candidate's name. (E) The state central committee of each major political party, through its chairperson, not later than the fifteenth day prior to the date of the presidential primary election, shall file with the secretary of state the rules of its political party adopted by the state central committee at a meeting open to all members of the committee's party, which affect the issuance of certificates of election to candidates for delegate or alternate to its party nominating convention, and the secretary of state shall issue certificates of election in accordance with such rules. (F) If party rules prescribe that fewer than all such candidates for delegate and alternate are to be elected, certificates of election shall be issued in the order preferred by the first choice for president and in such numbers that the number of delegates and alternates certified as elected reflects, as nearly as possible, the proportion to be elected under the party rules. (G) If the state central committee of a political party fails to file the rules with the secretary of state pursuant to this section, certificates of election shall be issued to the candidates for delegate and alternate receiving the highest number of votes.