Opinion ID: 4564464
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Overview of Ballot-Access Statutes

Text: {¶ 11} Several statutes in R.C. Chapter 3513 govern ballot access for prospective independent candidates for president and vice president of the United States. R.C. 3513.257 provides that prospective independent candidates for these offices must file with the secretary of state a joint statement of candidacy, together with a nominating petition, as one instrument. The nominating petition must have 5 SUPREME COURT OF OHIO at least 5,000 signatures of qualified electors. See R.C. 3513.257(A). And the statement of candidacy and nominating petition must comply with R.C. 3513.261. R.C. 3513.257. {¶ 12} R.C. 3513.261 prescribes the form of the statement of candidacy and the nominating petition and the requirements for including the statement of candidacy on separate part-petitions. The portion of the statute at issue in this case provides: A nominating petition may consist of one or more separate petition papers, each of which shall be substantially in the form prescribed in this section. If the petition consists of more than one separate petition paper, the statement of candidacy of the candidate or joint candidates named need be signed by the candidate or joint candidates on only one of such separate petition papers, but the statement of candidacy so signed shall be copied on each other separate petition paper before the signatures of electors are placed on it. (Emphasis added.) Thus, if the nominating petition consists of more than one petition paper, the statement of candidacy that appears on the separate petition papers may be a copy of the original statement of candidacy signed by the joint candidates. The “statement of candidacy so signed” language in R.C. 3513.261 contemplates that the statement of candidacy copied to the separate part-petitions is a copy of an original statement of candidacy that is filed with the secretary of state. See State ex rel. Hawkins v. Cuyahoga Cty. Bd. of Elections, 28 Ohio St.2d 4, 6, 274 N.E.2d 563 (1971), superseded by statute on other grounds, State ex rel. Rust v. Lucas Cty. Bd. of Elections, 101 Ohio St.3d 63, 2004-Ohio-9, 800 N.E.2d 1162, ¶ 5-7. 6 January Term, 2020 {¶ 13} The statement of candidacy and nominating petition must be filed with the secretary of state by 4:00 p.m. on the 90th day before the election. R.C. 3513.257. The secretary of state must then transmit the various part-petitions to the county boards of elections to determine the validity of the electors’ signatures. R.C. 3513.263. In addition, the secretary of state cannot accept any petition that violates the requirements of R.C. Chapter 3513 “or any other requirements established by law.” R.C. 3501.39(A)(4).