SENATORS Spada, Harris

To amend sections 107.08, 3501.01, 3501.38, 3501.39,

1

3505.03, 3505.061, 3505.062, 3505.063, 3513.04,

2

3513.041, 3513.05, 3513.23, 3513.251, 3513.253,

3

3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.257, 3513.259, 3513.261,

4

3513.30, 3513.31, 3517.02, 3517.03, 3517.10,

5

3517.106, 3517.11, and 3519.03 and to enact

6

sections 3513.052 and 3599.09 of the Revised Code

7

to require the Ohio Ballot Board or a group of

8

persons designated by the Board to prepare and file

9

arguments in support of or in opposition to each

10

constitutional amendment proposed by the General

11

Assembly, each constitutional amendment or state

12

law proposed by an initiative petition, and each

13

state law, or section or item of state law, subject

14

to a referendum petition, if the persons designated

15

to prepare those arguments fail to timely prepare

16

and file them; to specify that the positions of the

17

four appointed Board members must be considered

18

vacant if the Board fails to have the missing

19

arguments prepared and filed; to require the Board

20

to certify ballot language and explanations to the

21

Secretary of State at least 80 days prior to an

22

election; to specify that an election to fill an

23

unexpired term of certain judicial offices must be

24

held at the first general election for the office

25

that occurs more than 40 days after the governor's

26

appointment to fill the vacant office; to include

27

members of a board of elections in the definition

28

of an "election official" for purposes of statutes

29

relating to elections and political communications;

30

to prohibit a petition from being withdrawn after

31

it is filed in a public office; to require the

32

designation of "nonparty candidate" or "other-party

33

candidate" to be printed on a ballot under the name

34

of each nonjudicial candidate who files a

35

nominating petition and requests that designation;

36

to specify that no person may seek to be a

37

candidate for two or more specified offices that

38

will be voted on at the same election; to require a

39

board of elections or the Secretary of State to

40

reject any declaration of candidacy, declaration of

41

intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating

42

petition filed by a person who is a candidate for a

43

specified office at the same election; to require a

44

board of elections or the Secretary of State to

45

disqualify any such candidate based on certain

46

criteria; to remove the requirement that a

47

write-in candidate for the position of

48

committeeperson of a political party controlling

49

committee receive the same number of votes as

50

petition signatures necessary to qualify the person

51

for the printing of the person's name on the ballot

52

in order to win an election by receiving the

53

greatest number of votes cast for the position; to

54

extend the deadline by which certain General

55

Assembly candidates must file their campaign

56

finance statements by electronic means of

57

transmission from January 1, 2003, to March 1,

58

2004; and to declare an emergency.

59

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That sections 107.08, 3501.01, 3501.38, 3501.39,	60
3505.03, 3505.061, 3505.062, 3505.063, 3513.04, 3513.041, 3513.05,	61
3513.23, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.257,	62
3513.259, 3513.261, 3513.30, 3513.31, 3517.02, 3517.03, 3517.10,	63
3517.106, 3517.11, and 3519.03 be amended and sections 3513.052	64
and 3599.09 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:	65

Sec. 107.08.  The office of a judge is vacant at the	66
expiration of the term of the incumbent when no person has been	67
elected as histhe judge's successor. SuchThe vacancy shall be	68
filled by appointment by the governor. If the appointment is to a	69
court of appeals, court of common pleas, or municipal court, the	70
clerk of the court shall give written notice to the board of	71
elections responsible for conducting elections for that court of	72
the name of the appointee. A successor shall be elected for the	73
unexpired term at the first general election for the office that	74
occurs more than thirtyforty days after suchappointmentthe	75
vacancy occurs.	76

Sec. 3501.01.  As used in the sections of the Revised Code	77
relating to elections and political communications:	78

(A) "General election" means the election held on the first	79
Tuesday after the first Monday in each November.	80

(B) "Regular municipal election" means the election held on	81
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each	82
odd-numbered year.	83

(C) "Regular state election" means the election held on the	84
first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each	85
even-numbered year.	86

(D) "Special election" means any election other than those	87
elections defined in other divisions of this section. A special	88
election may be held only on the first Tuesday after the first	89
Monday in February, May, August, or November, or on the day	90
authorized by a particular municipal or county charter for the	91
holding of a primary election, except that in any year in which a	92
presidential primary election is held, no special election shall	93
be held in February or May, except as authorized by a municipal or	94
county charter, but may be held on the first Tuesday after the	95
first Monday in March.	96

(E)(1) "Primary" or "primary election" means an election	97
held for the purpose of nominating persons as candidates of	98
political parties for election to offices, and for the purpose of	99
electing persons as members of the controlling committees of	100
political parties and as delegates and alternates to the	101
conventions of political parties. Primary elections shall be held	102
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each year	103
except in years in which a presidential primary election is held.	104

(2) "Presidential primary election" means a primary election	105
as defined by division (E)(1) of this section at which an election	106
is held for the purpose of choosing delegates and alternates to	107
the national conventions of the major political parties pursuant	108
to section 3513.12 of the Revised Code. Unless otherwise	109
specified, presidential primary elections are included in	110
references to primary elections. In years in which a presidential	111
primary election is held, all primary elections shall be held on	112
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March except as	113
otherwise authorized by a municipal or county charter.	114

(F) "Political party" means any group of voters meeting the	115
requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code for	116
the formation and existence of a political party.	117

(1) "Major political party" means any political party	118
organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for	119
governor or nominees for presidential electors received no less	120
than twenty per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the	121
most recent regular state election.	122

(2) "Intermediate political party" means any political party	123
organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for	124
governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than	125
twenty per cent but not less than ten per cent of the total vote	126
cast for such office at the most recent regular state election.	127

(3) "Minor political party" means any political party	128
organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for	129
governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than	130
ten per cent but not less than five per cent of the total vote	131
cast for such office at the most recent regular state election or	132
which has filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any	133
election in which it received less than five per cent of such	134
vote, a petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to	135
at least one per cent of the total vote cast for such office in	136
the last preceding regular state election, except that a newly	137
formed political party shall be known as a minor political party	138
until the time of the first election for governor or president	139
which occurs not less than twelve months subsequent to the	140
formation of such party, after which election the status of such	141
party shall be determined by the vote for the office of governor	142
or president.	143

(G) "Dominant party in a precinct" or "dominant political	144
party in a precinct" means that political party whose candidate	145
for election to the office of governor at the most recent regular	146
state election at which a governor was elected received more votes	147
than any other person received for election to that office in such	148
precinct at such election.	149

(H) "Candidate" means any qualified person certified in	150
accordance with the provisions of the Revised Code for placement	151
on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special election	152
to be held in this state, or any qualified person who claims to be	153
a write-in candidate, or who knowingly assents to being	154
represented as a write-in candidate by another at either a	155
primary, general, or special election to be held in this state.	156

(I) "Independent candidate" means any candidate who claims	157
not to be affiliated with a political party, and whose name has	158
been certified on the office-type ballot at a general or special	159
election through the filing of a statement of candidacy and	160
nominating petition, as prescribed in section 3513.257 of the	161
Revised Code.	162

(J) "Nonpartisan candidate" means any candidate whose name	163
is required, pursuant to section 3505.04 of the Revised Code, to	164
be listed on the nonpartisan ballot, including all candidates for	165
judicial office, for member of any board of education, for	166
municipal or township offices in which primary elections are not	167
held for nominating candidates by political parties, and for	168
offices of municipal corporations having charters that provide for	169
separate ballots for elections for these offices.	170

(K) "Party candidate" means any candidate who claims to be a	171
member of a political party, whose name has been certified on the	172
office-type ballot at a general or special election through the	173
filing of a declaration of candidacy and petition of candidate,	174
and who has won the primary election of the candidate's party for	175
the public office the candidate seeks or is selected by party	176
committee in accordance with section 3513.31 of the Revised Code.	177

(L) "Officer of a political party" includes, but is not	178
limited to, any member, elected or appointed, of a controlling	179
committee, whether representing the territory of the state, a	180
district therein, a county, township, a city, a ward, a precinct,	181
or other territory, of a major, intermediate, or minor political	182
party.	183

(M) "Question or issue" means any question or issue	184
certified in accordance with the Revised Code for placement on an	185
official ballot at a general or special election to be held in	186
this state.	187

(N) "Elector" or "qualified elector" means a person having	188
the qualifications provided by law to be entitled to vote.	189

(O) "Voter" means an elector who votes at an election.

190

(P) "Voting residence" means that place of residence of an	191
elector which shall determine the precinct in which the elector	192
may vote.	193

(Q) "Precinct" means a district within a county established	194
by the board of elections of such county within which all	195
qualified electors having a voting residence therein may vote at	196
the same polling place.	197

(R) "Polling place" means that place provided for each	198
precinct at which the electors having a voting residence in such	199
precinct may vote.	200

(S) "Board" or "board of elections" means the board of	201
elections appointed in a county pursuant to section 3501.06 of the	202
Revised Code.	203

(T) "Political subdivision" means "a county,""township,"	204
"city,""village," or "school district."	205

(U) "Election officer" or "election official" means any of	206
the following:	207

(1) Secretary of state;

208

(2) Employees of the secretary of state serving in the	209
division of elections in the capacity of attorney, administrative	210
officer, administrative assistant, elections administrator, office	211
manager, or clerical supervisor;	212

(3) Director of a board of elections;

213

(4) Deputy director of a board of elections;

214

(5) Member of a board of elections;

215

(6) Employees of a board of elections;

216

(6)(7) Precinct polling place judges and clerks;

217

(7)(8) Employees appointed by the boards of elections on a	218
temporary or part-time basis.	219

(V) "Acknowledgment notice" means a notice sent by a board	220
of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state,	221
informing a voter registration applicant or an applicant who	222
wishes to change the applicant's residence or name of the status	223
of the application; the information necessary to complete or	224
update the application, if any; and if the application is	225
complete, the precinct in which the applicant is to vote.	226

(W) "Confirmation notice" means a notice sent by a board of	227
elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, to a	228
registered elector to confirm the registered elector's current	229
address.	230

(X) "Designated agency" means an office or agency in the	231
state that provides public assistance or that provides	232
state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to	233
persons with disabilities and that is required by the National	234
Voter Registration Act of 1993 to implement a program designed and	235
administered by the secretary of state for registering voters, or	236
any other public or government office or agency that implements a	237
program designed and administered by the secretary of state for	238
registering voters, including the department of job and family	239
services, the program administered under section 3701.132 of the	240
Revised Code by the department of health, the department of mental	241
health, the department of mental retardation and developmental	242
disabilities, the rehabilitation services commission, and any	243
other agency the secretary of state designates. "Designated	244
agency" does not include public high schools and vocational	245
schools, public libraries, or the office of a county treasurer.	246

(Y) "National Voter Registration Act of 1993" means the	247
"National Voter Registration Act of 1993," 107 Stat. 77, 42	248
U.S.C.A. 1973gg.	249

(Z) "Voting Rights Act of 1965" means the "Voting Rights Act	250
of 1965," 79 Stat. 437, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973, as amended.	251

Sec. 3501.38.  All declarations of candidacy, nominating	252
petitions, or other petitions presented to or filed with the	253
secretary of state or a board of elections or with any other	254
public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any	255
nomination or office or for the holding of an election on any	256
issue shall, in addition to meeting the other specific	257
requirements prescribed in the sections of the Revised Code	258
relating to them, be governed by the following rules:	259

(A) Only electors qualified to vote on the candidacy or	260
issue which is the subject of the petition shall sign a petition.	261
Each signer shall be a registered elector pursuant to section	262
3503.11 of the Revised Code. The facts of qualification shall be	263
determined as of the date when the petition is filed.	264

(B) Signatures shall be affixed in ink. Each signer may	265
also print the signer's name, so as to clearly identify the	266
signer's signature.	267

(C) Each signer shall place on the petition after the	268
signer's name the date of signing and the location of the	269
signer's voting residence, including the street and number if in a	270
municipal corporation or the rural route number, post office	271
address, or township if outside a municipal corporation. The	272
voting address given on the petition shall be the address	273
appearing in the registration records at the board of elections.	274

(D) No person shall write any name other than the person's	275
own on any petition. No person may authorize another to sign for	276
the person. Where a petition contains the signature of an elector	277
two or more times, only the first signature shall be counted.	278

(E) On each petition paper, the circulator shall indicate	279
the number of signatures contained on it, and shall sign a	280
statement made under penalty of election falsification that the	281
circulator witnessed the affixing of every signature, that all	282
signers were to the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief	283
qualified to sign, and that every signature is to the best of the	284
circulator's knowledge and belief the signature of the person	285
whose signature it purports to be.	286

(F) If a circulator knowingly permits an unqualified person	287
to sign a petition paper or permits a person to write a name other	288
than the person's own on a petition paper, that petition paper is	289
invalid; otherwise, the signature of a person not qualified to	290
sign shall be rejected but shall not invalidate the other valid	291
signatures on the paper.	292

(G) The circulator of a petition may, before filing it in a	293
public office, strike from it any signature the circulator does	294
not wish to present as a part of the petition.	295

(H) Any signer of a petition may remove the signer's	296
signature from that petition at any time before the petition is	297
filed in a public office by striking the signer's name from the	298
petition; no signature may be removed after the petition is filed	299
in any public office.	300

(I)(1) No alterations, corrections, or additions may be made	301
to a petition after it is filed in a public office.	302

(2) No petition may be withdrawn after it is filed in a	303
public office. Nothing in this division prohibits a person from	304
withdrawing as a candidate as otherwise provided by law.	305

(J) All declarations of candidacy, nominating petitions, or	306
other petitions under this section shall be accompanied by the	307
following statement in boldface capital letters: WHOEVER COMMITS	308
ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.	309

(K) All separate petition papers shall be filed at the same	310
time, as one instrument.	311

Sec. 3501.39.  (A) The secretary of state or a board of	312
elections shall accept any petition described in section 3501.38	313
of the Revised Code unless one of the following occurs:	314

(1) A written protest against the petition or candidacy,	315
naming specific objections, is filed, a hearing is held, and a	316
determination is made by the election officials with whom the	317
protest is filed that the petition is invalid, in accordance with	318
any section of the Revised Code providing a protest procedure.	319

(2) A written protest against the petition or candidacy,	320
naming specific objections, is filed, a hearing is held, and a	321
determination is made by the election officials with whom the	322
protest is filed that the petition violates any requirement	323
established by law.	324

(3) The candidate's candidacy or the petition violates the	325
requirements of this chapter, Chapter 3513. of the Revised Code,	326
or any other requirements established by law.	327

(B) AExcept as otherwise provided in section 3513.052 of the	328
Revised Code, a board of elections shall not invalidate any	329
declaration of candidacy or nominating petition under division	330
(A)(3) of this section after the fiftieth day prior to the	331
election at which the candidate seeks nomination to office, if the	332
candidate filed a declaration of candidacy, or election to office,	333
if the candidate filed a nominating petition.	334

Sec. 3505.03.  On the office type ballot shall be printed the	335
names of all candidates for election to offices, except judicial	336
offices, who were nominated at the most recent primary election as	337
candidates of a political party or who were nominated in	338
accordance with section 3513.02 of the Revised Code, and the names	339
of all candidates for election to offices who were nominated by	340
nominating petitions, except candidates for judicial offices, for	341
member of the state board of education, for member of a board of	342
education, for municipal offices, and for township offices.	343

The face of suchthe ballot below the stub shall be	344
substantially in the following form:	345

"OFFICIAL OFFICE TYPE BALLOT

346

(A) To vote for a candidate record your vote in the manner	347
provided next to the name of such candidate.	348

(B) If you tear, soil, deface, or erroneously mark this	349
ballot, return it to the precinct election officers or, if you	350
cannot return it, notify the precinct election officers, and	351
obtain another ballot."	352

The order in which the offices shall be listed on the ballot	353
shall be prescribed by, and certified to each board of elections	354
by, the secretary of state; provided that for state, district, and	355
county offices the order from top to bottom shall be as follows:	356
governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor of	357
state, secretary of state, treasurer of state, United States	358
senator, representative to congress, state senator, state	359
representative, county commissioner, county auditor, prosecuting	360
attorney, clerk of the court of common pleas, sheriff, county	361
recorder, county treasurer, county engineer, and coroner. The	362
offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall be printed on	363
the ballot in a manner that requires a voter to cast one vote	364
jointly for the candidates who have been nominated by the same	365
political party or petition.	366

The names of all candidates for an office shall be arranged	367
in a group under the title of that office, and, except for	368
absentee ballots or when the number of candidates for a particular	369
office is the same as the number of candidates to be elected for	370
that office, shall be rotated from one precinct to another. On	371
absentee ballots, the names of all candidates for an office shall	372
be arranged in a group under the title of that office and shall be	373
so alternated that each name shall appear, insofar as may be	374
reasonably possible, substantially an equal number of times at the	375
beginning, at the end, and in each intermediate place, if any, of	376
the group in which such name belongs, unless the number of	377
candidates for a particular office is the same as the number of	378
candidates to be elected for that office.	379

The method of printing the ballots to meet the rotation	380
requirement of this section shall be as follows: Thethe least	381
common multiple of the number of names in each of the several	382
groups of candidates shall be used, and the number of changes made	383
in the printer's forms in printing suchthe ballots shall	384
correspond with suchthat multiple. The board of elections shall	385
number all precincts in regular serial sequence. In the first	386
precinct, the names of the candidates in each group shall be	387
listed in alphabetical order. In each succeeding precinct, the	388
name in each group whichthat is listed first in the preceding	389
precinct shall be listed last, and the name of each candidate	390
shall be moved up one place. In each precinct using paper	391
ballots, the printed ballots shall then be assembled in tablets.	392

Under the name of each candidate nominated at a primary	393
election and each candidate certified by a party committee to fill	394
a vacancy under section 3513.31 of the Revised Code shall be	395
printed, in less prominent type face than that in which the	396
candidate's name is printed, the name of the political party by	397
which the candidate was nominated or certified. Under the name of	398
each candidate appearing on the ballot who filed a nominating	399
petition and requested a ballot designation as a nonparty	400
candidate under section 3513.257 of the Revised Code shall be	401
printed, in less prominent type face than that in which the	402
candidate's name is printed, the designation of "nonparty	403
candidate." Under the name of each candidate appearing on the	404
ballot who filed a nominating petition and requested a ballot	405
designation as an other-party candidate under section 3513.257 of	406
the Revised Code shall be printed, in less prominent type face	407
than that in which the candidate's name is printed, the	408
designation of "other-party candidate." No designation shall	409
appear under the name of a candidate appearing on the ballot who	410
filed a nominating petition and requested that no ballot	411
designation appear under the candidate's name under section	412
3513.257 of the Revised Code, or who filed a nominating petition	413
and failed to request a ballot designation either as a nonparty	414
candidate or as an other-party candidate under that section.	415

Except as provided in this section, no words, designations,	416
or emblems descriptive of a candidate or histhe candidate's	417
political affiliation, or indicative of the method by which the	418
candidate was nominated or certified, shall be printed under or	419
after a candidate's name whichthat is printed on the ballot.	420

Sec. 3505.061.  (A) The Ohio ballot board, as authorized by	421
Section 1 of Article XVI, Ohio Constitution, shall consist of the	422
secretary of state and four appointed members. No more than two	423
of the appointed members shall be of the same political party. One	424
of the members shall be appointed by the president of the senate,	425
one shall be appointed by the minortyminority leader of the	426
senate, one shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of	427
representatives, and one shall be appointed by the minority leader	428
of the house of representatives. The appointments shall be made	429
no later than the last Monday in January in the year in which the	430
appointments are to be made. If any appointment is not so made,	431
the secretary of state, acting in place of the person otherwise	432
required to make the appointment, shall appoint as many qualified	433
members affiliated with the appropriate political party as are	434
necessary.	435

(B) The initial appointees to the board shall serve until	436
the first Monday in February, 1977. Thereafter, terms of office	437
shall be for four years, each term ending on the first Monday in	438
February. The term of the secretary of state on the board shall	439
coincide with histhe secretary of state's term of office as	440
secretary of state. EachExcept as otherwise provided in division	441
(B)(2) of section 3505.063 and division (B)(2) of section 3519.03	442
of the Revised Code, each appointed member of the board shall hold	443
office from the date of his appointment until the end of the term	444
for which hethe member was appointed. AnyExcept as otherwise	445
provided in those divisions, any member appointed to fill a	446
vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which	447
histhe member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for	448
the remainder of suchthat term. AnyExcept as otherwise provided	449
in those divisions, any member shall continue in office subsequent	450
to the expiration date of histhe member's term until histhe	451
member's successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days	452
has elapsed, whichever occurs first. Any vacancy occurring on the	453
board shall be filled in the manner provided for original	454
appointments. A member appointed to fill a vacancy shall be of	455
the same political party as that required of the member whom he	456
the member replaces.	457

(C) Members of the board shall serve without compensation	458
but shall be reimbursed for expenses actually and necessarily	459
incurred in the performance of their duties.	460

(D) The secretary of state shall be the chairmanchairperson	461
of the board, and hethe secretary of state or histhe secretary	462
of state's representative shall have a vote equal to that of any	463
other member. The vice-chairmanvice-chairperson shall act as	464
chairmanchairperson in the absence or disability of the chairman	465
chairperson, or during a vacancy in that office. The board shall	466
meet after notice of at least seven days at a time and place	467
determined by the chairmanchairperson. At its first meeting, the	468
board shall elect a vice-chairmanvice-chairperson from among its	469
members for a term of two years, and it shall adopt rules for its	470
procedures. After the first meeting, the board shall meet at the	471
call of the chairmanchairperson or upon the written request of	472
three other members. Three members constitute a quorum. No	473
action shall be taken without the concurrence of three members.	474

(E) The secretary of state shall provide such technical,	475
professional, and clerical employees as are necessary for the	476
board to carry out its duties.	477

Sec. 3505.062.  The Ohio ballot board shall do all of the	478
following:	479

(A) Prescribe the ballot language for constitutional	480
amendments proposed by the general assembly to be printed on the	481
questions and issues ballot, which language shall properly	482
identify the substance of the proposal to be voted upon.;	483

(B) Prepare an explanation of each constitutional amendment	484
proposed by the general assembly, which explanation may include	485
the purpose and effects of the proposed amendment.;	486

(C) Certify the ballot language and explanation, if any, to	487
the secretary of state no later than seventy-fiveeighty days	488
before the election at which the proposed question or issue is to	489
be submitted to the voters.;	490

(D) Prepare, or designate a group of persons to prepare,	491
arguments in support of or in opposition to a constitutional	492
amendment proposed by a resolution of the general assembly, a	493
constitutional amendment or state law proposed by initiative	494
petition, or a state law, or section or item of state law, subject	495
to a referendum petition, if the persons otherwise responsible for	496
the preparation of those arguments fail to timely prepare and file	497
them;	498

(E) Direct the means by which the secretary of state shall	499
disseminate information concerning proposed constitutional	500
amendments to the voters.;	501

(E)(F) Direct the chairmanchairperson to reimburse county	502
boards of elections for public notice costs associated with	503
statewide ballot issues, to the extent that the general assembly	504
appropriates money for suchthat purpose.	505

Sec. 3505.063.  (A) When the general assembly adopts a	506
resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, it may, by	507
resolution, designate a group of members who voted in support of	508
the resolution to prepare arguments for the proposed amendment,	509
and a group of members who voted in opposition to the resolution	510
to prepare arguments against the proposed amendment. If no	511
members voted in opposition to the resolution, or if the general	512
assembly chooses not to designate a group of members to prepare	513
arguments for the proposed amendment or chooses not to designate a	514
group of members to prepare arguments against the proposed	515
amendment, the Ohio ballot board mayshall prepare the relevant	516
arguments or designate a group of persons to prepare the	517
relevant arguments. All arguments prepared under this division	518
shall be filed with the secretary of state no later than	519
seventy-five days before the date of the election. No argument	520
shall exceed three hundred words.	521

(B)(1) If the group of members of the general assembly or	522
other group of persons designated under division (A) of this	523
section fail to prepare and file their arguments in support of or	524
in opposition to the proposed amendment by the seventy-fifth day	525
before the date of the election, the secretary of state shall	526
notify the Ohio ballot board that those arguments have not been so	527
prepared and filed. The board then shall prepare the missing	528
arguments or designate a group of persons to prepare those	529
arguments. All arguments prepared under this division shall be	530
filed with the secretary of state no later than seventy days	531
before the date of the election. No argument shall exceed three	532
hundred words.	533

(2) If the Ohio ballot board fails to provide for the	534
preparation of missing arguments under division (B)(1) of this	535
section after being notified by the secretary of state that one or	536
more arguments have not been timely prepared and filed, the	537
positions of the four appointed members of the board shall be	538
considered vacant, and new members shall be appointed in the	539
manner provided for original appointments.	540

(C) The secretary of state shall disseminate information,	541
which may include part or all of the official explanation and	542
arguments concerning proposed amendments, by means of direct mail	543
or other written publication, broadcast, or such other means, or	544
combination of means, as the Ohio ballot board may direct, in	545
order to inform the voters as fully as possible concerning	546
proposed amendments.	547

Sec. 3513.04.  Candidates for party nominations to state,	548
district, county, and municipal offices or positions, for which	549
party nominations are provided by law, and for election as members	550
of party controlling committees shall have their names printed on	551
the official primary ballot by filing a declaration of candidacy	552
and paying the fees specified for the office under divisions (A)	553
and (B) of section 3513.10 of the Revised Code, except that the	554
joint candidates for party nomination to the offices of governor	555
and lieutenant governor shall, for the two of them, file one	556
declaration of candidacy. The joint candidates also shall pay the	557
fees specified for the joint candidates under divisions (A) and	558
(B) of section 3513.10 of the Revised Code.	559

The secretary of state shall not accept for filing the	560
declaration of candidacy of a candidate for party nomination to	561
the office of governor unless the declaration of candidacy also	562
shows a joint candidate for the same party's nomination to the	563
office of lieutenant governor, shall not accept for filing the	564
declaration of candidacy of a candidate for party nomination to	565
the office of lieutenant governor unless the declaration of	566
candidacy also shows a joint candidate for the same party's	567
nomination to the office of governor, and shall not accept for	568
filing a declaration of candidacy that shows a candidate for party	569
nomination to the office of governor or lieutenant governor who,	570
for the same election, has already been shown as a candidate for	571
party nomination to the office of governor or lieutenant governor	572
onfiled a declaration of candidacy previously filed and accepted	573
for the same primary electionor a declaration of intent to be a	574
write-in candidate, or has become a candidate by the filling of a	575
vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code for any other	576
state office or any county office.	577

No person who seeks party nomination for an office or	578
position at a primary election by declaration of candidacy or by	579
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate and no person who	580
is a first choice for president of candidates seeking election as	581
delegates and alternates to the national conventions of the	582
different major political parties who are chosen by direct vote of	583
the electors as provided in this chapter shall be permitted to	584
become a candidate by nominating petition or by declaration of	585
intent to be a write-in candidate at the following general	586
election for any office other than the office of member of the	587
state board of education, office of member of a city, local, or	588
exempted village board of education, office of member of a	589
governing board of an educational service center, or office of	590
township trustee.	591

Sec. 3513.041.  A write-in space shall be provided on the	592
ballot for every office, except in an election for which the board	593
of elections has received no valid declarations of intent to be a	594
write-in candidate under this section. Write-in votes shall not	595
be counted for any candidate who has not filed a declaration of	596
intent to be a write-in candidate pursuant to this section. A	597
qualified person who has filed a declaration of intent may receive	598
write-in votes at either a primary or general election. Any	599
candidate, except one whose candidacy is to be submitted to	600
electors throughout the entire state, shall file a declaration of	601
intent to be a write-in candidate before four p.m. of the fiftieth	602
day preceding the election at which such candidacy is to be	603
considered. If the election is to be determined by electors of a	604
county or a district or subdivision within the county, such	605
declaration shall be filed with the board of elections of that	606
county. If the election is to be determined by electors of a	607
subdivision located in more than one county, such declaration	608
shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which	609
the major portion of the population of such subdivision is	610
located. If the election is to be determined by electors of a	611
district comprised of more than one county but less than all of	612
the counties of the state, such declaration shall be filed with	613
the board of elections of the most populous county in such	614
district. Any candidate for an office to be voted upon by	615
electors throughout the entire state shall file a declaration of	616
intent to be a write-in candidate with the secretary of state	617
before four p.m. of the fiftieth day preceding the election at	618
which such candidacy is to be considered. In addition, candidates	619
for president and vice-president of the United States shall also	620
file with the secretary of state by said fiftieth day a slate of	621
presidential electors sufficient in number to satisfy the	622
requirements of the United States constitution.	623

A board of elections shall not accept for filing the	624
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate of a person	625
seeking to become a candidate if that person, for the same	626
election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, a	627
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	628
petition, or has become a candidate through party nomination at a	629
primary election or by the filling of a vacancy under section	630
3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code, for any state or county	631
office, if the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate is	632
for a state or county office, or for any municipal or township	633
office, for member of a city, local, or exempted village board of	634
education, or for member of a governing board of an educational	635
service center, if the declaration of intent to be a write-in	636
candidate is for a municipal or township office, or for member of	637
a city, local, or exempted village board of education, or for	638
member of a governing board of an educational service center.	639

No person shall file a declaration of intent to be a write-in	640
candidate for the office of governor unless the declaration also	641
shows the intent of another person to be a write-in candidate for	642
the office of lieutenant governor. No person shall file a	643
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for the office of	644
lieutenant governor unless the declaration also shows the intent	645
of another person to be a write-in candidate for the office of	646
governor. No person shall file a declaration of intent to be a	647
write-in candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant	648
governor if the person has previously filed a declaration of	649
intent to be a write-in candidate to the office of governor or	650
lieutenant governor at the same primary or general election. A	651
write-in vote for the two candidates who file such a declaration	652
shall be counted as a vote for them as joint candidates for the	653
offices of governor and lieutenant governor.	654

The secretary of state shall not accept for filing the	655
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate of a person for	656
the office of governor unless the declaration also shows the	657
intent of another person to be a write-in candidate for the office	658
of lieutenant governor, shall not accept for filing the	659
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate of a person for	660
the office of lieutenant governor unless the declaration also	661
shows the intent of another person to be a write-in candidate for	662
the office of governor, and shall not accept for filing the	663
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate of a person to	664
the office of governor or lieutenant governor if that person, for	665
the same election, has already been shown, onfiled a declaration	666
of candidacy, a declaration of intent previously filed and	667
accepted for the same primary or general electionto be a write-in	668
candidate, or a nominating petition, to be a write-in candidate to	669
the office of governor or lieutenant governoror has become a	670
candidate through party nomination at a primary election or by the	671
filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the	672
Revised Code, for any other state office or any county office.	673

Protests against the candidacy of any person filing a	674
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate may be filed by	675
any qualified elector who is eligible to vote in the election at	676
which the candidacy is to be considered. The protest shall be in	677
writing and shall be filed not later than four p.m. of the	678
forty-fifth day before the day of the election. The protest shall	679
be filed with the board of elections with which the declaration of	680
intent to be a write-in candidate was filed. Upon the filing of	681
the protest, the board with which it is filed shall promptly fix	682
the time for hearing it and shall proceed in regard to the hearing	683
in the same manner as for hearings set for protests filed under	684
section 3513.05 of the Revised Code. At the time fixed, the board	685
shall hear the protest and determine the validity or invalidity of	686
the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. If the	687
board finds that the candidate is not an elector of the state,	688
district, county, or political subdivision in which the candidate	689
seeks election to office or has not fully complied with the	690
requirements of Title XXXV of the Revised Code in regard to the	691
candidate's candidacy, the candidate's declaration of intent to be	692
a write-in candidate shall be determined to be invalid and shall	693
be rejected; otherwise, it shall be determined to be valid. The	694
determination of the board is final.	695

The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the	696
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.	697

Sec. 3513.05.  Each person desiring to become a candidate for	698
a party nomination or for election to an office or position to be	699
voted for at a primary election, except persons desiring to become	700
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	701
governor and except as otherwise provided in section 3513.051 of	702
the Revised Code, shall, not later than four p.m. of the	703
seventy-fifth day before the day of the primary election, or if	704
the primary election is a presidential primary election, not later	705
than four p.m. of the sixtieth day before the day of the	706
presidential primary election, file a declaration of candidacy and	707
petition and pay the fees required under divisions (A) and (B) of	708
section 3513.10 of the Revised Code. The declaration of candidacy	709
and all separate petition papers shall be filed at the same time	710
as one instrument. When the offices are to be voted for at a	711
primary election, persons desiring to become joint candidates for	712
the offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall, not later	713
than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before the day of the	714
primary election, comply with section 3513.04 of the Revised Code.	715
The prospective joint candidates' declaration of candidacy and all	716
separate petition papers of candidacies shall be filed at the same	717
time as one instrument. The secretary of state or a board of	718
elections shall not accept for filing a declaration of candidacy	719
and petition of a person seeking to become a candidate if that	720
person, for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	721
candidacy or a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate,	722
or has become a candidate by the filling of a vacancy under	723
section 3513.30 of the Revised Code for any state or county	724
office, if the declaration of candidacy is for a state or county	725
office, or for any municipal or township office, if the	726
declaration of candidacy is for a municipal or township office.	727

If the declaration of candidacy declares a candidacy which is	728
to be submitted to electors throughout the entire state, the	729
petition, including a petition for joint candidates for the	730
offices of governor and lieutenant governor, shall be signed by at	731
least one thousand qualified electors who are members of the same	732
political party as the candidate or joint candidates, and the	733
declaration of candidacy and petition shall be filed with the	734
secretary of state; provided that the secretary of state shall not	735
accept or file any such petition appearing on its face to contain	736
signatures of more than three thousand electors.	737

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, if the	738
declaration of candidacy is of one that is to be submitted only to	739
electors within a district, political subdivision, or portion	740
thereof, the petition shall be signed by not less than fifty	741
qualified electors who are members of the same political party as	742
the political party of which the candidate is a member. If the	743
declaration of candidacy is for party nomination as a candidate	744
for member of the legislative authority of a municipal corporation	745
elected by ward, the petition shall be signed by not less than	746
twenty-five qualified electors who are members of the political	747
party of which the candidate is a member.	748

No such petition, except the petition for a candidacy that is	749
to be submitted to electors throughout the entire state, shall be	750
accepted for filing if it appears to contain on its face	751
signatures of more than three times the minimum number of	752
signatures. When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for	753
filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed	754
invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in the	755
petition, the board of elections finds the number of signatures	756
accepted exceeds three times the minimum number of signatures	757
required. A board of elections may discontinue verifying	758
signatures on petitions when the number of verified signatures	759
equals the minimum required number of qualified signatures.	760

If the declaration of candidacy declares a candidacy for	761
party nomination or for election as a candidate of an intermediate	762
or minor party, the minimum number of signatures on such petition	763
is one-half the minimum number provided in this section, except	764
that, when the candidacy is one for election as a member of the	765
state central committee or the county central committee of a	766
political party, the minimum number shall be the same for an	767
intermediate or minor party as for a major party.	768

If a declaration of candidacy is one for election as a member	769
of the state central committee or the county central committee of	770
a political party, the petition shall be signed by five qualified	771
electors of the district, county, ward, township, or precinct	772
within which electors may vote for such candidate. The electors	773
signing such petition shall be members of the same political party	774
as the political party of which the candidate is a member.	775

For purposes of signing or circulating a petition of	776
candidacy for party nomination or election, an elector is	777
considered to be a member of a political party if the elector	778
voted in that party's primary election within the preceding two	779
calendar years, or if the elector did not vote in any other	780
party's primary election within the preceding two calendar years.	781

If the declaration of candidacy is of one that is to be	782
submitted only to electors within a county, or within a district	783
or subdivision or part thereof smaller than a county, the petition	784
shall be filed with the board of elections of the county. If the	785
declaration of candidacy is of one that is to be submitted only to	786
electors of a district or subdivision or part thereof that is	787
situated in more than one county, the petition shall be filed with	788
the board of elections of the county within which the major	789
portion of the population thereof, as ascertained by the next	790
preceding federal census, is located.	791

A petition shall consist of separate petition papers, each of	792
which shall contain signatures of electors of only one county.	793
Petitions or separate petition papers containing signatures of	794
electors of more than one county shall not thereby be declared	795
invalid. In case petitions or separate petition papers containing	796
signatures of electors of more than one county are filed, the	797
board shall determine the county from which the majority of	798
signatures came, and only signatures from such county shall be	799
counted. Signatures from any other county shall be invalid.	800

Each separate petition paper shall be circulated by one	801
person only, who shall be the candidate or a joint candidate or a	802
member of the same political party as the candidates, and each	803
separate petition paper shall be governed by the rules set forth	804
in section 3501.38 of the Revised Code.	805

The secretary of state shall promptly transmit to each board	806
such separate petition papers of each petition accompanying a	807
declaration of candidacy filed with the secretary of state as	808
purport to contain signatures of electors of the county of such	809
board. The board of the most populous county of a district shall	810
promptly transmit to each board within such district such separate	811
petition papers of each petition accompanying a declaration of	812
candidacy filed with it as purport to contain signatures of	813
electors of the county of each such board. The board of a county	814
within which the major portion of the population of a subdivision,	815
situated in more than one county, is located, shall promptly	816
transmit to the board of each other county within which a portion	817
of such subdivision is located such separate petition papers of	818
each petition accompanying a declaration of candidacy filed with	819
it as purport to contain signatures of electors of the portion of	820
such subdivision in the county of each such board.	821

All petition papers so transmitted to a board and all	822
petitions accompanying declarations of candidacy filed with such	823
board shall, under proper regulations, be open to public	824
inspection until four p.m. of the seventieth day before the day of	825
the next primary election, or if that next primary election is a	826
presidential primary election, the fifty-fifth day before that	827
presidential primary election. Each board shall, not later than	828
the sixty-eighth day before the day of such primary election, or	829
if the primary election is a presidential primary election, not	830
later than the fifty-third day before such presidential primary	831
election, examine and determine the validity or invalidity of the	832
signatures on the petition papers so transmitted to or filed with	833
it and shall return to the secretary of state all petition papers	834
transmitted to it by the secretary of state, together with its	835
certification of its determination as to the validity or	836
invalidity of signatures thereon, and shall return to each other	837
board all petition papers transmitted to it by such board,	838
together with its certification of its determination as to the	839
validity or invalidity of the signatures thereon. All other	840
matters affecting the validity or invalidity of such petition	841
papers shall be determined by the secretary of state or the board	842
with whom such petition papers were filed.	843

Protests against the candidacy of any person filing a	844
declaration of candidacy for party nomination or for election to	845
an office or position, as provided in this section, may be filed	846
by any qualified elector who is a member of the same political	847
party as the candidate and who is eligible to vote at the primary	848
election for the candidate whose declaration of candidacy the	849
elector objects to, or by the controlling committee of such party.	850
Such protest must be in writing, and must be filed not later than	851
four p.m. of the sixty-fourth day before the day of the primary	852
election, or if the primary election is a presidential primary	853
election, not later than four p.m. of the forty-ninth day before	854
the day of the presidential primary election. Such protest shall	855
be filed with the election officials with whom the declaration of	856
candidacy and petition was filed. Upon the filing of such	857
protest, the election officials with whom it is filed shall	858
promptly fix the time for hearing it, and shall forthwith mail	859
notice of the filing of such protest and the time fixed for	860
hearing to the person whose candidacy is so protested. They shall	861
also forthwith mail notice of the time fixed for such hearing to	862
the person who filed the protest. At the time fixed, such	863
election officials shall hear the protest and determine the	864
validity or invalidity of the declaration of candidacy and	865
petition. If they find that such candidate is not an elector of	866
the state, district, county, or political subdivision in which the	867
candidate seeks a party nomination or election to an office or	868
position, or has not fully complied with this chapter, the	869
candidate's declaration of candidacy and petition shall be	870
determined to be invalid and shall be rejected, otherwise it shall	871
be determined to be valid. Such determination shall be final.	872

A protest against the candidacy of any persons filing a	873
declaration of candidacy for joint party nomination to the offices	874
of governor and lieutenant governor shall be filed, heard, and	875
determined in the same manner as a protest against the candidacy	876
of any person filing a declaration of candidacy singly.	877

The secretary of state shall, on the sixtieth day before the	878
day of a primary election, or if the primary election is a	879
presidential primary election, on the forty-fifth day before the	880
day of the presidential primary election, certify to each board in	881
the state the forms of the official ballots to be used at such	882
primary election, together with the names of the candidates to be	883
printed thereon whose nomination or election is to be determined	884
by electors throughout the entire state and who filed valid	885
declarations of candidacy and petitions.	886

The board of the most populous county in a district comprised	887
of more than one county but less than all of the counties of the	888
state shall on the sixtieth day before the day of a primary	889
election, or if the primary election is a presidential primary	890
election, on the forty-fifth day before the day of a presidential	891
primary election, certify to the board of each county in the	892
district the names of the candidates to be printed on the official	893
ballots to be used at such primary election, whose nomination or	894
election is to be determined only by electors within such district	895
and who filed valid declarations of candidacy and petitions.	896

The board of a county within which the major portion of the	897
population of a subdivision smaller than the county and situated	898
in more than one county is located shall, on the sixtieth day	899
before the day of a primary election, or if the primary election	900
is a presidential primary election, on the forty-fifth day before	901
the day of a presidential primary election, certify to the board	902
of each county in which a portion of such subdivision is located	903
the names of the candidates to be printed on the official ballots	904
to be used at such primary election, whose nomination or election	905
is to be determined only by electors within such subdivision and	906
who filed valid declarations of candidacy and petitions.	907

Sec. 3513.052. (A) No person shall seek nomination or	908
election to any of the following offices or positions at the same	909
election by filing a declaration of candidacy and petition, a	910
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	911
petition, or by becoming a candidate through party nomination in a	912
primary election, or by the filling of a vacancy under section	913
3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code:	914

(1) Two or more state offices;

915

(2) Two or more county offices;

916

(3) A state office and a county office;

917

(4) Any combination of two or more municipal or township	918
offices, positions as a member of a city, local, or exempted	919
village board of education, or positions as a member of a	920
governing board of an educational service center.	921

(B) The secretary of state or a board of elections shall not	922
accept for filing a declaration of candidacy and petition, a	923
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	924
petition of a person seeking to become a candidate if that person,	925
for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	926
candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	927
a nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party	928
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy	929
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for:	930

(1) Any state or county office, if the declaration of	931
candidacy, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	932
nominating petition is for a state or county office;	933

(2) Any municipal or township office, or for member of a	934
city, local, or exempted village board of education, or for member	935
of a governing board of an educational service center, if the	936
declaration of candidacy, declaration of intent to be a write-in	937
candidate, or nominating petition is for a municipal or township	938
office, or for member of a city, local, or exempted village board	939
of education, or for member of a governing board of an	940
educational service center.	941

(C)(1) If the secretary of state determines, before the day	942
of the primary election, that a person is seeking nomination to	943
more than one office at that election in violation of division (A)	944
of this section, the secretary of state shall do one of the	945
following:	946

(a) If each office or the district for each office for which	947
the person is seeking nomination is wholly within a single county,	948
the secretary of state shall notify the board of elections of that	949
county. The board then shall determine the date on which the	950
person first sought to become a candidate for each of those	951
offices by filing a declaration of candidacy or a declaration of	952
intent to be a write-in candidate or by the filling of a vacancy	953
under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code. The board shall vote	954
promptly to disqualify that person as a candidate for each office	955
for which the person sought to become a candidate after the date	956
on which the person first sought to become a candidate for any of	957
those offices. If the board determines that the person sought to	958
become a candidate for more than one of those offices on the same	959
date, the board shall vote promptly to disqualify that person as a	960
candidate for each office that would be listed on the ballot below	961
the highest office for which that person seeks nomination,	962
according to the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of	963
the Revised Code.	964

(b) If one or more of the offices for which the person is	965
seeking nomination is a state office or an office with a district	966
larger than a single county, the secretary of state shall	967
determine the date on which the person first sought to become a	968
candidate for each of those offices by filing a declaration of	969
candidacy or a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate or	970
by the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised	971
Code. The secretary of state shall order the board of elections	972
of each county in which the person is seeking to appear on the	973
ballot to disqualify that person as a candidate for each office	974
for which the person sought to become a candidate after the date	975
on which the person first sought to become a candidate for any of	976
those offices. If the secretary of state determines that the	977
person sought to become a candidate for more than one of those	978
offices on the same date, the secretary of state shall order the	979
board of elections of each county in which the person is seeking	980
to appear on the ballot to disqualify that person as a candidate	981
for each office that would be listed on the ballot below the	982
highest office for which that person seeks nomination, according	983
to the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the	984
Revised Code. Each board of elections so notified shall vote	985
promptly to disqualify the person as a candidate in accordance	986
with the order of the secretary of state.	987

(2) If a board of elections determines, before the day of the	988
primary election, that a person is seeking nomination to more than	989
one office at that election in violation of division (A) of this	990
section, the board shall do one of the following:	991

(a) If each office or the district for each office for which	992
the person is seeking nomination is wholly within that county,	993
the board shall determine the date on which the person first	994
sought to become a candidate for each of those offices by filing a	995
declaration of candidacy or a declaration of intent to be a	996
write-in candidate or by the filling of a vacancy under section	997
3513.30 of the Revised Code. The board shall vote promptly to	998
disqualify that person as a candidate for each office for which	999
the person sought to become a candidate after the date on which	1000
the person first sought to become a candidate for any of those	1001
offices. If the board determines that the person sought to become	1002
a candidate for more than one of those offices on the same date,	1003
the board shall vote promptly to disqualify that person as a	1004
candidate for each office that would be listed on the ballot below	1005
the highest office for which that person seeks nomination,	1006
according to the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of	1007
the Revised Code.	1008

(b) If one or more of the offices for which the person is	1009
seeking nomination is a state office or an office with a district	1010
larger than a single county, the board shall notify the secretary	1011
of state. The secretary of state then shall determine the date on	1012
which the person first sought to become a candidate for each of	1013
those offices by filing a declaration of candidacy or a	1014
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate or by the filling	1015
of a vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code. The	1016
secretary of state shall order the board of elections of each	1017
county in which the person is seeking to appear on the ballot to	1018
disqualify that person as a candidate for each office for which	1019
the person sought to become a candidate after the date on which	1020
the person first sought to become a candidate for any of those	1021
offices. If the secretary of state determines that the person	1022
sought to become a candidate for more than one of those offices on	1023
the same date, the secretary of state shall order the board of	1024
elections of each county in which the person is seeking to appear	1025
on the ballot to disqualify that person as a candidate for each	1026
office that would be listed on the ballot below the highest office	1027
for which that person seeks nomination, according to the ballot	1028
order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code. Each	1029
board of elections so notified shall vote promptly to disqualify	1030
the person as a candidate in accordance with the order of the	1031
secretary of state.	1032

(D)(1) If the secretary of state determines, after the day of	1033
the primary election and before the day of the general election,	1034
that a person is seeking election to more than one office at that	1035
election in violation of division (A) of this section, the	1036
secretary of state shall do one of the following:	1037

(a) If each office or the district for each office for which	1038
the person is seeking election is wholly within a single county,	1039
the secretary of state shall notify the board of elections of that	1040
county. The board then shall determine the offices for which the	1041
person seeks to appear as a candidate on the ballot. The board	1042
shall vote promptly to disqualify that person as a candidate for	1043
each office that would be listed on the ballot below the highest	1044
office for which that person seeks election, according to the	1045
ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code.	1046
If the person sought nomination at a primary election and has not	1047
yet been issued a certificate of nomination, the board shall not	1048
issue that certificate for that person for any office that would	1049
be listed on the ballot below the highest office for which that	1050
person seeks election, according to the ballot order prescribed	1051
under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code.	1052

(b) If one or more of the offices for which the person is	1053
seeking election is a state office or an office with a district	1054
larger than a single county, the secretary of state shall promptly	1055
investigate and determine the offices for which the person seeks	1056
to appear as a candidate on the ballot. The secretary of state	1057
shall order the board of elections of each county in which the	1058
person is seeking to appear on the ballot to disqualify that	1059
person as a candidate for each office that would be listed on the	1060
ballot below the highest office for which that person seeks	1061
election, according to the ballot order prescribed under section	1062
3505.03 of the Revised Code. Each board of elections so notified	1063
shall vote promptly to disqualify the person as a candidate in	1064
accordance with the order of the secretary of state. If the person	1065
sought nomination at a primary election and has not yet been	1066
issued a certificate of nomination, the board shall not issue that	1067
certificate for that person for any office that would be listed on	1068
the ballot below the highest office for which that person seeks	1069
election, according to the ballot order prescribed under section	1070
3505.03 of the Revised Code.	1071

(2) If a board of elections determines, after the day of the	1072
primary election and before the day of the general election, that	1073
a person is seeking election to more than one office at that	1074
election in violation of division (A) of this section, the board	1075
of elections shall do one of the following:	1076

(a) If each office or the district for each office for which	1077
the person is seeking election is wholly within that county, the	1078
board shall determine the offices for which the person seeks to	1079
appear as a candidate on the ballot. The board shall vote	1080
promptly to disqualify that person as a candidate for each office	1081
that would be listed on the ballot below the highest office for	1082
which that person seeks election, according to the ballot order	1083
prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code. If the	1084
person sought nomination at a primary election and has not yet	1085
been issued a certificate of nomination, the board shall not issue	1086
that certificate for that person for any office that would be	1087
listed on the ballot below the highest office for which that	1088
person seeks election, according to the ballot order prescribed	1089
under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code.	1090

(b) If one or more of the offices for which the person is	1091
seeking election is a state office or an office with a district	1092
larger than a single county, the board shall notify the secretary	1093
of state. The secretary of state promptly shall investigate and	1094
determine the offices for which the person seeks to appear as a	1095
candidate on the ballot. The secretary of state shall order the	1096
board of elections of each county in which the person is seeking	1097
to appear on the ballot to disqualify that person as a candidate	1098
for each office that would be listed on the ballot below the	1099
highest office for which that person seeks election, according to	1100
the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised	1101
Code. Each board of elections so notified shall vote promptly to	1102
disqualify the person as a candidate in accordance with the order	1103
of the secretary of state. If the person sought nomination at a	1104
primary election and has not yet been issued a certificate of	1105
nomination, the board shall not issue that certificate for that	1106
person for any office that would be listed on the ballot below the	1107
highest office for which that person seeks election, according to	1108
the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised	1109
Code.	1110

(E) When a person is disqualified as a candidate under	1111
division (C) or (D) of this section, that person's name shall not	1112
appear on the ballots for any office for which that person has	1113
been disqualified as a candidate. If the ballots have already	1114
been prepared, the board of elections shall remove the name of the	1115
disqualified candidate from the ballots to the extent practicable	1116
in the time remaining before the election and according to the	1117
directions of the secretary of state. If the name is not removed	1118
from the ballots before the day of the election, the votes for the	1119
disqualified candidate are void and shall not be counted.	1120

(F) Any vacancy created by the disqualification of a person	1121
as a candidate under division (C) or (D) of this section may be	1122
filled in the manner provided for in sections 3513.30 and 3513.31	1123
of the Revised Code.	1124

(G) Nothing in this section or section 3513.04, 3513.041,	1125
3513.05, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.257,	1126
3513.259, or 3513.261 of the Revised Code prohibits, and the	1127
secretary of state or a board of elections shall not disqualify, a	1128
person from being a candidate to fill a vacant office as otherwise	1129
provided by law.	1130

(H) Nothing in this section or section 3513.04, 3513.041,	1131
3513.05, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.257,	1132
3513.259, or 3513.261 of the Revised Code prohibits, and the	1133
secretary of state or a board of elections shall not disqualify, a	1134
person from being a candidate for an office, if that person timely	1135
withdraws as a candidate for any offices specified in division (A)	1136
of this section for which that person first sought to become a	1137
candidate by filing a declaration of candidacy and petition, a	1138
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	1139
petition, by party nomination in a primary election, or by the	1140
filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the	1141
Revised Code.	1142

(I) As used in this section:

1143

(1) "State office" means the offices of governor, lieutenant	1144
governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of	1145
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,	1146
member of the general assembly, chief justice of the supreme	1147
court, and justice of the supreme court.	1148

(2) "Timely withdraws" means either of the following:

1149

(a) Withdrawing as a candidate before the applicable deadline	1150
for filing a declaration of candidacy, declaration of intent to be	1151
a write-in candidate, or nominating petition for the subsequent	1152
office for which the person is seeking to become a candidate at	1153
the same election;	1154

(b) Withdrawing as a candidate before the applicable deadline	1155
for the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of	1156
the Revised Code, if the person is seeking to become a candidate	1157
for a subsequent office at the same election under either of those	1158
sections.	1159

Sec. 3513.23. (A) If an elector voting at a primary election	1160
writes in a blank space provided thereforfor that purpose on the	1161
ballot of one political party under the title of an office for	1162
which a nomination is to be made the name of a person other than	1163
the persons whose names are printed on the ballot as candidates	1164
for suchthe nomination, and if suchthat elector records the vote	1165
in the manner provided on the ballot next to the name written,	1166
suchthat ballot shall be counted as a vote for the nomination of	1167
the person whose name is so written thereon if that person has	1168
filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate under	1169
section 3513.041 of the Revised Code, but in.	1170

(B) In no event shall a person, whose name is written on a	1171
primary election ballot, be nominated as a candidate for election	1172
to an office if the name of no person living on the day of such	1173
that primary election is printed on suchthe ballot as a candidate	1174
for suchthat nomination, unless the total number of votes cast	1175
for the person whose name is written on the ballot is not less	1176
than that number of petition signatures that would have been	1177
required for the printing of the person's name on the primary	1178
ballot pursuant to section 3513.05 of the Revised Code.	1179

Sec. 3513.251.  Nominations of candidates for election as	1180
officers of a municipal corporation having a population of less	1181
than two thousand as ascertained by the next preceding federal	1182
census shall be made only by nominating petition and their	1183
election shall occur only in nonpartisan elections, unless a	1184
majority of the electors of such municipal corporation have	1185
petitioned for a primary election. Nominations of candidates for	1186
election as officers of a municipal corporation having a	1187
population of two thousand or more shall be made either by primary	1188
election in conjunction with a partisan general election or by	1189
nominating petition in conjunction with a nonpartisan general	1190
election, as determined under section 3513.01 of the Revised Code.	1191

The nominating petitions of nonpartisan candidates for	1192
election as officers of a municipal corporation having a	1193
population of less than two thousand, as ascertained by the most	1194
recent federal census, shall be signed by not less than ten	1195
qualified electors of the municipal corporation. Any nominating	1196
petition filed under this section shall be filed with the board of	1197
elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before	1198
the day of the general election, provided that no such nominating	1199
petition shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain	1200
signatures aggregating in number more than three times the minimum	1201
number of signatures required by this section. A board of	1202
elections shall not accept for filing a nominating petition of a	1203
person if that person, for the same election, has already filed a	1204
declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in	1205
candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a candidate	1206
through party nomination at a primary election or by the filling	1207
of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code	1208
for any other municipal office, or for a township office, for	1209
member of a city, local, or exempted village board of education,	1210
or for member of a governing board of an educational service	1211
center. When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for	1212
filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed	1213
invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in the	1214
petition, the board of elections finds the number of signatures	1215
accepted exceeds three times the minimum number of signatures	1216
required. A board of elections may discontinue verifying	1217
signatures when the number of verified signatures on a petition	1218
equals the minimum required number of qualified signatures.	1219

Nomination of nonpartisan candidates for election as officers	1220
of a municipal corporation having a population of two thousand or	1221
more, as ascertained by the next preceding federal census, shall	1222
be made only by nominating petition. Nominating petitions of	1223
nonpartisan candidates for election as officers of a municipal	1224
corporation having a population of two thousand or more but less	1225
than five thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding federal	1226
census, shall be signed by not less than fifty qualified electors	1227
of the municipal corporation or ward thereof in the case of the	1228
nominating petition of a candidate for election as councilman from	1229
such ward. Nominating petitions of nonpartisan candidates for	1230
election as officers of a municipal corporation having a	1231
population of five thousand or more, as ascertained by the next	1232
preceding federal census, shall be signed by not less than fifty	1233
qualified electors of the municipal corporation or ward thereof in	1234
the case of the nominating petition of a candidate for election as	1235
councilmancouncilperson from such ward.	1236

Sec. 3513.253.  Nominations of candidates for election as	1237
officers of a township shall be made only by nominating petitions,	1238
unless a majority of the electors of such township have petitioned	1239
for a primary election. The nominating petitions of nonpartisan	1240
candidates for township trustee and township clerk shall be signed	1241
by not less than twenty-five qualified electors of the township.	1242
Such petition shall be filed with the board of elections not later	1243
than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before the day of the	1244
general election, provided that no such nominating petition shall	1245
be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures	1246
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number of	1247
signatures required by this section. A board of elections shall	1248
not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if that	1249
person, for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	1250
candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	1251
a nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party	1252
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy	1253
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for any other	1254
township office, or for a municipal office, for member of a city,	1255
local, or exempted village board of education, or for member of a	1256
governing board of an educational service center. When a petition	1257
of a candidate has been accepted for filing by a board of	1258
elections, the petition shall not be deemed invalid if, upon	1259
verification of signatures contained in the petition, the board of	1260
elections finds the number of signatures accepted exceeds three	1261
times the minimum number of signatures required. A board of	1262
elections may discontinue verifying signatures when the number of	1263
verified signatures on a petition equals the minimum required	1264
number of qualified signatures.	1265

Sec. 3513.254.  The name of each candidate for member of a	1266
city, local, or exempted village board of education or for member	1267
of a governing board of an educational service center described in	1268
section 3311.051 of the Revised Code shall appear on the	1269
nonpartisan ballot. Nominating petitions of candidates for member	1270
of a board of education of a local or exempted village school	1271
district or for member of a governing board of an educational	1272
service center described in section 3311.051 of the Revised Code	1273
shall be signed by twenty-five qualified electors of the school	1274
district or educational service center service area. Nominating	1275
petitions for candidates for member of a board of education of a	1276
city school district having a population of less than twenty	1277
thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding federal census,	1278
shall be signed by twenty-five qualified electors of the school	1279
district. Nominating petitions for candidates for member of a	1280
board of education of a city school district having a population	1281
of twenty thousand or more but less than fifty thousand, as	1282
ascertained by the next preceding federal census, shall be signed	1283
by seventy-five qualified electors of the school district.	1284
Nominating petitions for candidates for member of a board of	1285
education of a city school district having a population of fifty	1286
thousand or more but less than one hundred thousand, as	1287
ascertained by the next preceding federal census, shall be signed	1288
by one hundred fifty qualified electors of the school district.	1289
Nominating petitions for candidates for member of a board of	1290
education of a city school district having a population of one	1291
hundred thousand or more, as ascertained by the next preceding	1292
federal census, shall be signed by three hundred qualified	1293
electors of the school district. Nominating	1294

Nominating petitions shall be filed with the board of	1295
elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before	1296
the day of the general election, provided that no such petition	1297
shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures	1298
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number of	1299
signatures required by this section. A board of elections shall	1300
not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if that	1301
person, for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	1302
candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	1303
a nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party	1304
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy	1305
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for any other	1306
position as a member of a city, local, or exempted village board	1307
of education or position as a member of a governing board of an	1308
educational service center, or for a municipal or township office.	1309
When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for filing by a	1310
board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed invalid if,	1311
upon verification of signatures contained in the petition, the	1312
board of elections finds the number of signatures accepted exceeds	1313
three times the minimum number of signatures required. A board of	1314
elections may discontinue verifying petitions when the number of	1315
verified signatures equals the minimum required number of	1316
qualified signatures.	1317

Sec. 3513.255.  This section does not apply to candidates for	1318
election to a governing board of an educational service center	1319
described in section 3311.051 of the Revised Code. The name of	1320
each candidate for election as a member of a governing board of an	1321
educational service center shall appear on the nonpartisan ballot.	1322
Each nominating petition shall be signed by fifty qualified	1323
electors who reside in one of the following, as applicable:	1324

(A) The school districts over which the educational service	1325
center governing board has jurisdiction, in the case of any	1326
candidate running for a position on any educational service center	1327
governing board other than a governing board established in	1328
accordance with section 3311.054 of the Revised Code;	1329

(B) The subdistrict in which the candidate is running, in	1330
the case of a position on a governing board of an educational	1331
service center established in accordance with section 3311.054 of	1332
the Revised Code.	1333

Each nominating petition shall be filed with the board of	1334
elections of the county in which the central administrative	1335
offices of the educational service center governing board are	1336
located not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before	1337
the day of the general election, provided that no such petition	1338
shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures	1339
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number of	1340
signatures required by this section. A board of elections shall	1341
not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if that	1342
person, for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	1343
candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	1344
a nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party	1345
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy	1346
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for any other	1347
position as a member of a governing board of an educational	1348
service center or position as a member of a city, local, or	1349
exempted village board of education, or for a municipal or	1350
township office. When a petition of a candidate has been accepted	1351
for filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be	1352
deemed invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in	1353
the petition, the board of elections finds the number of	1354
signatures accepted exceeds three times the minimum signatures	1355
required. A board of elections may discontinue verifying	1356
petitions when the number of verified signatures equals the	1357
minimum required number of qualified signatures.	1358

Sec. 3513.257.  Each person desiring to become an independent	1359
candidate for an office for which candidates may be nominated at a	1360
primary election, except persons desiring to become independent	1361
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	1362
governor and for the offices of president and vice-president of	1363
the United States, shall file no later than four p.m. of the day	1364
before the day of the primary election immediately preceding the	1365
general election at which such candidacy is to be voted for by the	1366
voters, a statement of candidacy and nominating petition as	1367
provided in section 3513.261 of the Revised Code. Persons	1368
desiring to become independent joint candidates for the offices of	1369
governor and lieutenant governor shall file, not later than four	1370
p.m. of the day before the day of the primary election, one	1371
statement of candidacy and one nominating petition for the two of	1372
them. Persons desiring to become independent joint candidates for	1373
the offices of president and vice-president of the United States	1374
shall file, not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day	1375
before the day of the general election at which the president and	1376
vice-president are to be elected, one statement of candidacy and	1377
one nominating petition for the two of them. The prospective	1378
independent joint candidates' statement of candidacy shall be	1379
filed with the nominating petition as one instrument.	1380

The statement of candidacy and separate petition papers of	1381
each candidate or pair of joint candidates shall be filed at the	1382
same time as one instrument.	1383

The nominating petition shall contain signatures of qualified	1384
electors of the district, political subdivision, or portion of a	1385
political subdivision in which the candidacy is to be voted on in	1386
an amount to be determined as follows:	1387

(A) If the candidacy is to be voted on by electors	1388
throughout the entire state, the nominating petition, including	1389
the nominating petition of independent joint candidates for the	1390
offices of governor and lieutenant governor, shall be signed by no	1391
less than five thousand qualified electors, provided that no	1392
petition shall be accepted for filing if it purports to contain	1393
more than fifteen thousand signatures.	1394

(B) If the candidacy is to be voted on by electors in any	1395
district, political subdivision, or part thereof in which less	1396
than five thousand electors voted for the office of governor at	1397
the most recent election for that office, the nominating petition	1398
shall contain signatures of not less than twenty-five qualified	1399
electors of the district, political subdivision, or part thereof,	1400
or a number of qualified signatures equal to at least five per	1401
cent of that vote, if this number is less than twenty-five.	1402

(C) If the candidacy is to be voted on by electors in any	1403
district, political subdivision, or part thereof in which five	1404
thousand or more electors voted for the office of governor at the	1405
most recent election for that office, the nominating petition	1406
shall contain a number of signatures equal to at least one per	1407
cent of those electors.	1408

All nominating petitions of candidates for offices to be	1409
voted on by electors throughout the entire state shall be filed in	1410
the office of the secretary of state. No nominating petition for	1411
the offices of president and vice-president of the United States	1412
shall be accepted for filing unless there is submitted to the	1413
secretary of state, at the time of filing the petition, a slate of	1414
presidential electors sufficient in number to satisfy the	1415
requirement of the United States Constitution. The secretary of	1416
state shall not accept for filing the statement of candidacy of a	1417
person who desires to be an independent candidate for the office	1418
of governor unless it also shows the joint candidacy of a person	1419
who desires to be an independent candidate for the office of	1420
lieutenant governor, shall not accept for filing the statement of	1421
candidacy of a person who desires to be an independent candidate	1422
for the office of lieutenant governor unless it also shows the	1423
joint candidacy of a person who desires to be an independent	1424
candidate for the office of governor, and shall not accept for	1425
filing the statement of candidacy of a person who desires to be an	1426
independent candidate to the office of governor or lieutenant	1427
governor who, for the same election, has already been shown as an	1428
independent candidate for governor or lieutenant governor onfiled	1429
a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a	1430
write-in candidate, or a statement of candidacy previously filed	1431
and accepted during the filing period preceding the same primary	1432
election, or has become a candidate by the filling of a vacancy	1433
under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code for any other state	1434
office or any county office.	1435

Nominating petitions of candidates for offices to be voted on	1436
by electors within a district or political subdivision comprised	1437
of more than one county but less than all counties of the state	1438
shall be filed with the boards of elections of that county or part	1439
of a county within the district or political subdivision which had	1440
a population greater than that of any other county or part of a	1441
county within the district or political subdivision according to	1442
the last federal decennial census.	1443

Nominating petitions for offices to be voted on by electors	1444
within a county or district smaller than a county shall be filed	1445
with the board of elections for such county.	1446

No petition other than the petition of a candidate whose	1447
candidacy is to be considered by electors throughout the entire	1448
state shall be accepted for filing if it appears on its face to	1449
contain more than three times the minimum required number of	1450
signatures. A board of elections shall not accept for filing a	1451
nominating petition of a person seeking to become a candidate if	1452
that person, for the same election, has already filed a	1453
declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in	1454
candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a candidate by	1455
the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code	1456
for any state or county office, if the nominating petition is for	1457
a state or county office, or for any municipal or township office,	1458
for member of a city, local, or exempted village board of	1459
education, or for member of a governing board of an educational	1460
service center, if the nominating petition is for a municipal or	1461
township office, or for member of a city, local, or exempted	1462
village board of education, or for member of a governing board of	1463
an educational service center. When a petition of a candidate has	1464
been accepted for filing by a board of elections, the petition	1465
shall not be deemed invalid if, upon verification of signatures	1466
contained in the petition, the board of elections finds the number	1467
of signatures accepted exceeds three times the minimum number of	1468
signatures required. A board of elections may discontinue	1469
verifying signatures when the number of verified signatures on a	1470
petition equals the minimum required number of qualified	1471
signatures.	1472

Any nonjudicial candidate who files a nominating petition may	1473
request, at the time of filing, that the candidate be designated	1474
on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or as an other-party	1475
candidate, or may request that the candidate's name be placed on	1476
the ballot without any designation. Any such candidate who fails	1477
to request a designation either as a nonparty candidate or as an	1478
other-party candidate shall have the candidate's name placed on	1479
the ballot without any designation.	1480

The purpose of establishing a filing deadline for independent	1481
candidates prior to the primary election immediately preceding the	1482
general election at which the candidacy is to be voted on by the	1483
voters is to recognize that the state has a substantial and	1484
compelling interest in protecting its electoral process by	1485
encouraging political stability, ensuring that the winner of the	1486
election will represent a majority of the community, providing the	1487
electorate with an understandable ballot, and enhancing voter	1488
education, thus fostering informed and educated expressions of the	1489
popular will in a general election. The filing deadline for	1490
independent candidates required in this section prevents	1491
splintered parties and unrestrained factionalism, avoids political	1492
fragmentation, and maintains the integrity of the ballot. The	1493
deadline, one day prior to the primary election, is the least	1494
drastic or restrictive means of protecting these state interests.	1495
The general assembly finds that the filing deadline for	1496
independent candidates in primary elections required in this	1497
section is reasonably related to the state's purpose of ensuring	1498
fair and honest elections while leaving unimpaired the political,	1499
voting, and associational rights secured by the first and	1500
fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution.	1501

Sec. 3513.259.  Nominations of candidates for the office of	1502
member of the state board of education shall be made only by	1503
nominating petition. The nominating petition of a candidate for	1504
the office of member of the state board of education shall be	1505
signed by not less than one hundred qualified electors.	1506

No such nominating petition shall be accepted for filing if	1507
it appears on its face to contain signatures aggregating in number	1508
more than three times the minimum number of signatures required by	1509
this section. A board of elections shall not accept for filing a	1510
nominating petition of a person if that person, for the same	1511
election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, a	1512
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	1513
petition, or has become a candidate through party nomination at a	1514
primary election or by the filling of a vacancy under section	1515
3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code, to be a candidate for any	1516
other state office or any county office. When a petition of a	1517
candidate has been accepted for filing by a board of elections,	1518
the petition shall not be deemed invalid if, upon verification of	1519
signatures contained in the petition, the board of elections finds	1520
the number of signatures accepted exceeds three times the minimum	1521
number of signatures required. A board of elections may	1522
discontinue verifying signatures when the number of verified	1523
signatures equals the minimum required number of signatures. Such	1524
petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the most	1525
populous county in such district not later than four p.m. of the	1526
seventy-fifth day before the day of the general election at which	1527
state board of education members are elected.	1528

Each nominating petition shall be signed by qualified	1529
electors residing in the district in which the candidate	1530
designated therein would be a candidate for election to the office	1531
of member of the state board of education. Each candidate shall	1532
be a qualified elector residing in the district in which hethe	1533
candidate seeks election to such office.	1534

As the word "district" is used in this section, it refers to	1535
a district created under section 3301.01 of the Revised Code.	1536

Sec. 3513.261.  A nominating petition may consist of one or	1537
more separate petition papers, each of which shall be	1538
substantially in the form prescribed in this section. If the	1539
petition consists of more than one separate petition paper, the	1540
statement of candidacy of the candidate or joint candidates named	1541
need be signed by the candidate or joint candidates on only one of	1542
such separate petition papers, but the statement of candidacy so	1543
signed shall be copied on each other separate petition paper	1544
before the signatures of electors are placed on it. Each	1545
nominating petition containing signatures of electors of more than	1546
one county shall consist of separate petition papers each of which	1547
shall contain signatures of electors of only one county; provided	1548
that petitions containing signatures of electors of more than one	1549
county shall not thereby be declared invalid. In case petitions	1550
containing signatures of electors of more than one county are	1551
filed, the board of elections shall determine the county from	1552
which the majority of the signatures came, and only signatures	1553
from this county shall be counted. Signatures from any other	1554
county shall be invalid.	1555

All signatures on nominating petitions shall be written in	1556
ink or indelible pencil.	1557

At the time of filing a nominating petition, the candidate	1558
designated in the nominating petition, and joint candidates for	1559
governor and lieutenant governor, shall pay to the election	1560
officials with whom it is filed the fees specified for the office	1561
under divisions (A) and (B) of section 3513.10 of the Revised	1562
Code. The fees shall be disposed of by those election officials	1563
in the manner that is provided in section 3513.10 of the Revised	1564
Code for the disposition of other fees, and in no case shall a fee	1565
required under that section be returned to a candidate.	1566

Candidates or joint candidates whose names are written on the	1567
ballot, and who are elected, shall pay the same fees under section	1568
3513.10 of the Revised Code that candidates who file nominating	1569
petitions pay. Payment of these fees shall be a condition	1570
precedent to the granting of their certificates of election.	1571

Each nominating petition shall contain a statement of	1572
candidacy that shall be signed by the candidate or joint	1573
candidates named in it. Such statement of candidacy shall	1574
contain a declaration made under penalty of election falsification	1575
that the candidate desires to be a candidate for the office named	1576
in it, and that the candidate is an elector qualified to vote for	1577
the office the candidate seeks.	1578

The form of the nominating petition and statement of	1579
candidacy shall be substantially as follows:	1580

"STATEMENT OF CANDIDACY

1581

I, ................................... (Name of candidate),	1582
the undersigned, hereby declare under penalty of election	1583
falsification that my voting residence is in ................	1584
.......... Precinct of the ......................... (Township) or	1585
(Ward and City, or Village) in the county of ............... Ohio;	1586
that my post-office address is ............................	1587
(Street and Number, if any, or Rural Route and Number) of the	1588
............................... (City, Village, or post office) of	1589
...................., Ohio; and that I am a qualified elector in	1590
the precinct in which my voting residence is located. I hereby	1591
declare that I desire to be a candidate for election to the office	1592
of .............. in the ........................ (State,	1593
District, County, City, Village, Township, or School District) for	1594
the ...................................... (Full term or unexpired	1595
term ending ................) at the General Election to be held	1596
on the ........... day of ..............., ....	1597

I further declare that I am an elector qualified to vote for	1598
the office I seek. Dated this ....... day of .............., ....	1599

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY	1602
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.	1603

I, ................................., hereby constitute the	1604
persons named below a committee to represent me:	1605

................................................................

1607

................................................................

1608

................................................................

1609

................................................................

1610

................................................................

1611

NOMINATING PETITION

1612

We, the undersigned, qualified electors of the state of Ohio,	1613
whose voting residence is in the County, City, Village, Ward,	1614
Township or Precinct set opposite our names, hereby nominate	1615
.................... as a candidate for election to the office of	1616
........................... in the ............................	1617
(State, District, County, City, Village, Township, or School	1618
District) for the ................. (Full term or unexpired term	1619
ending ...................) to be voted for at the general	1620
election next hereafter to be held, and certify that this person	1621
is, in our opinion, well qualified to perform the duties of the	1622
office or position to which the person desires to be elected.	1623

.................................................................

1634

.................................................................

1635

.................................................................

1636

..........................., declares under penalty of election	1637
falsification that such person is a qualified elector of the state	1638
of Ohio and resides at the address appearing below such person's	1639
signature hereto; that such person is the circulator of the	1640
foregoing petition paper containing ................ signatures;	1641
that such person witnessed the affixing of every signature; that	1642
all signers were to the best of such person's knowledge and belief	1643
qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best of such	1644
person's knowledge and belief the signature of the person whose	1645
signature it purports to be.	1646

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY	1651
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."	1652

The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of nominating	1653
petition for a group of candidates for the office of member of a	1654
board of education, township office, and offices of municipal	1655
corporations of under two thousand population.	1656

The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of statement of	1657
candidacy and nominating petition, which shall be substantially	1658
similar to the form of statement of candidacy and nominating	1659
petition set forth in this section, that will be suitable for	1660
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	1661
governor.	1662

If such petition nominates a candidate whose election is to	1663
be determined by the electors of a county or a district or	1664
subdivision within the county, it shall be filed with the board of	1665
such county. If the petition nominates a candidate whose election	1666
is to be determined by the voters of a subdivision located in more	1667
than one county, it shall be filed with the board of the county in	1668
which the major portion of the population of such subdivision is	1669
located.	1670

If the petition nominates a candidate whose election is to be	1671
determined by the electors of a district comprised of more than	1672
one county but less than all of the counties of the state, it	1673
shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous	1674
county in such district. If the petition nominates a candidate	1675
whose election is to be determined by the electors of the state at	1676
large, it shall be filed with the secretary of state.	1677

The secretary of state or a board of elections shall not	1678
accept for filing a nominating petition of a person seeking to	1679
become a candidate if that person, for the same election, has	1680
already filed a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent	1681
to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating petition, or has	1682
become a candidate through party nomination at a primary election	1683
or by the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of	1684
the Revised Code for any state or county office, if the nominating	1685
petition is for a state or county office, or for any municipal or	1686
township office, for member of a city, local, or exempted village	1687
board of education, or for member of a governing board of an	1688
educational service center, if the nominating petition is for a	1689
municipal or township office, or for member of a city, local, or	1690
exempted village board of education, or for member of a governing	1691
board of an educational service center.	1692

Sec. 3513.30.  (A)(1) Where only one valid declaration of	1693
candidacy is filed for nomination as a candidate of a political	1694
party for an office and such candidate dies prior to the tenth day	1695
before the primary election, both of the following may occur:	1696

(a) The political party whose candidate died may fill the	1697
vacancy so created as provided in division (A)(2) of this section.	1698

(b) Any major political party other than the one whose	1699
candidate died may select a candidate as provided in division	1700
(A)(2) of this section under either of the following	1701
circumstances:	1702

(i) No person has filed a valid declaration of candidacy for	1703
nomination as that party's candidate at the primary election.	1704

(ii) Only one person has filed a valid declaration of	1705
candidacy for nomination as that party's candidate at the primary	1706
election, that person has withdrawn or, died, or been disqualified	1707
under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, and the vacancy so	1708
created has not been filled.	1709

(2) A vacancy may be filled under division (A)(1)(a) and a	1710
selection may be made under division (A)(1)(b) of this section by	1711
the appropriate committee of the political party in the same	1712
manner as provided in divisions (A) throughto (E) of section	1713
3513.31 of the Revised Code for the filling of similar vacancies	1714
created by withdrawals or disqualifications under section 3513.052	1715
of the Revised Code after the primary election, except that the	1716
certification required under that section may not be filed with	1717
the secretary of state, or with a board of the most populous	1718
county of a district, or with the board of a county in which the	1719
major portion of the population of a subdivision is located, later	1720
than four p.m. of the tenth day before the day of such primary	1721
election, or with any other board later than four p.m. of the	1722
fifth day before the day of such primary election.	1723

(3) If only one valid declaration of candidacy is filed for	1724
nomination as a candidate of a political party for an office and	1725
that candidate dies on or after the tenth day before the day of	1726
the primary election, that candidate is considered to have	1727
received the nomination of that candidate's political party at	1728
that primary election, and, for purposes of filling the vacancy so	1729
created, that candidate's death shall be treated as if that	1730
candidate died on the day after the day of the primary election.	1731

(B) Any person filing a declaration of candidacy may	1732
withdraw as such candidate at any time prior to the primary	1733
election, or, if the primary election is a presidential primary	1734
election, at any time prior to the fiftieth day before the	1735
presidential primary election. The withdrawal shall be effected	1736
and the statement of withdrawal shall be filed in accordance with	1737
the procedures prescribed in division (D) of this section for the	1738
withdrawal of persons nominated in a primary election or by	1739
nominating petition.	1740

(C) A person who is the first choice for president of the	1741
United States by a candidate for delegate or alternate to a	1742
national convention of a political party may withdraw consent for	1743
the selection of the person as such first choice no later than	1744
four p.m. of the thirtieth day before the day of the presidential	1745
primary election. Withdrawal of consent shall be for the entire	1746
slate of candidates for delegates and alternates who named such	1747
person as their presidential first choice and shall constitute	1748
withdrawal from the primary election by such delegates and	1749
alternates. The withdrawal shall be made in writing and delivered	1750
to the secretary of state. The boards of elections shall remove	1751
both the name of the withdrawn first choice and the names of such	1752
withdrawn candidates from the ballots to the extent practicable in	1753
the time remaining before the election and according to the	1754
directions of the secretary of state. If such names are not	1755
removed from all ballots before the day of the election, the votes	1756
for the withdrawn first choice or candidates are void and shall	1757
not be counted.	1758

(D) Any person nominated in a primary election or by	1759
nominating petition as a candidate for election at the next	1760
general election may withdraw as such candidate at any time prior	1761
to the general election. Such withdrawal may be effected by the	1762
filing of a written statement by such candidate announcing the	1763
candidate's withdrawal and requesting that the candidate's name	1764
not be printed on the ballots. If such candidate's declaration of	1765
candidacy or nominating petition was filed with the secretary of	1766
state, the candidate's statement of withdrawal shall be addressed	1767
to and filed with the secretary of state. If such candidate's	1768
declaration of candidacy or nominating petition was filed with a	1769
board of elections, the candidate's statement of withdrawal shall	1770
be addressed to, and filed with such board.	1771

(E) When a person withdraws under division (B) or (D) of	1772
this section, the board of elections shall remove the name of the	1773
withdrawn candidate from the ballots to the extent practicable in	1774
the time remaining before the election and according to the	1775
directions of the secretary of state. If the name is not removed	1776
from all ballots before the day of the election, the votes for the	1777
withdrawn candidate are void and shall not be counted.	1778

Sec. 3513.31.  (A) If a person nominated in a primary	1779
election as a candidate for election at the next general election,	1780
whose candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of the entire	1781
state, withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as that	1782
candidate under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the vacancy	1783
in the party nomination so created may be filled by the state	1784
central committee of the major political party that made the	1785
nomination at the primary election, if the committee's chairperson	1786
and secretary certify the name of the person selected to fill the	1787
vacancy by the time specified in this division, at a meeting	1788
called for that purpose. The meeting shall be called by the	1789
chairperson of that committee, who shall give each member of the	1790
committee at least two days' notice of the time, place, and	1791
purpose of the meeting. If a majority of the members of the	1792
committee are present at the meeting, a majority of those present	1793
may select a person to fill the vacancy. The chairperson and	1794
secretary of the meeting shall certify in writing and under oath	1795
to the secretary of state, not later than the seventy-sixth day	1796
before the day of the general election, the name of the person	1797
selected to fill the vacancy. The certification must be	1798
accompanied by the written acceptance of the nomination by the	1799
person whose name is certified. A vacancy that may be filled by	1800
an intermediate or minor political party shall be filled in	1801
accordance with the party's rules by authorized officials of the	1802
party. Certification must be made as in the manner provided for a	1803
major political party.	1804

(B) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1805
candidate for election at the next general election, whose	1806
candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of a district	1807
comprised of more than one county but less than all of the	1808
counties of the state, withdraws as that candidate or is	1809
disqualified as that candidate under section 3513.052 of the	1810
Revised Code, the vacancy in the party nomination so created may	1811
be filled by a district committee of the major political party	1812
that made the nomination at the primary election, if the	1813
committee's chairperson and secretary certify the name of the	1814
person selected to fill the vacancy by the time specified in this	1815
division, at a meeting called for that purpose. The district	1816
committee shall consist of the chairperson and secretary of the	1817
county central committee of such political party in each county in	1818
the district. The district committee shall be called by the	1819
chairperson of the county central committee of such political	1820
party of the most populous county in the district, who shall give	1821
each member of the district committee at least two days' notice of	1822
the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. If a majority of the	1823
members of the district committee are present at the district	1824
committee meeting, a majority of those present may select a person	1825
to fill the vacancy. The chairperson and secretary of the meeting	1826
shall certify in writing and under oath to the board of elections	1827
of the most populous county in the district, not later than four	1828
p.m. of the seventy-sixth day before the day of the general	1829
election, the name of the person selected to fill the vacancy. The	1830
certification must be accompanied by the written acceptance of the	1831
nomination by the person whose name is certified. A vacancy that	1832
may be filled by an intermediate or minor political party shall be	1833
filled in accordance with the party's rules by authorized	1834
officials of the party. Certification must be made as in the	1835
manner provided for a major political party.	1836

(C) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1837
candidate for election at the next general election, whose	1838
candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of a county,	1839
withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as that candidate	1840
under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the vacancy in the	1841
party nomination so created may be filled by the county central	1842
committee of the major political party that made the nomination at	1843
the primary election, or by the county executive committee if so	1844
authorized, if the committee's chairperson and secretary certify	1845
the name of the person selected to fill the vacancy by the time	1846
specified in this division, at a meeting called for that purpose.	1847
The meeting shall be called by the chairperson of that committee,	1848
who shall give each member of the committee at least two days'	1849
notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. If a	1850
majority of the members of the committee are present at the	1851
meeting, a majority of those present may select a person to fill	1852
the vacancy. The chairperson and secretary of the meeting shall	1853
certify in writing and under oath to the board of that county, not	1854
later than four p.m. of the seventy-sixth day before the day of	1855
the general election, the name of the person selected to fill the	1856
vacancy. The certification must be accompanied by the written	1857
acceptance of the nomination by the person whose name is	1858
certified. A vacancy that may be filled by an intermediate or	1859
minor political party shall be filled in accordance with the	1860
party's rules by authorized officials of the party. Certification	1861
must be made as in the manner provided for a major political	1862
party.	1863

(D) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1864
candidate for election at the next general election, whose	1865
candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of a district within	1866
a county, withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as that	1867
candidate under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the vacancy	1868
in the party nomination so created may be filled by a district	1869
committee consisting of those members of the county central	1870
committee or, if so authorized, those members of the county	1871
executive committee in that county of the major political party	1872
that made the nomination at the primary election who represent the	1873
precincts or the wards and townships within the district, if the	1874
committee's chairperson and secretary certify the name of the	1875
person selected to fill the vacancy by the time specified in this	1876
division, at a meeting called for that purpose. The district	1877
committee meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the county	1878
central committee or executive committee, as appropriate, who	1879
shall give each member of the district committee at least two	1880
days' notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. If a	1881
majority of the members of the district committee are present at	1882
the district committee meeting, a majority of those present may	1883
select a person to fill the vacancy. The chairperson and	1884
secretary of the district committee meeting shall certify in	1885
writing and under oath to the board of the county, not later than	1886
four p.m. of the seventy-sixth day before the day of the general	1887
election, the name of the person selected to fill the vacancy. The	1888
certification must be accompanied by the written acceptance of the	1889
nomination by the person whose name is certified. A vacancy that	1890
may be filled by an intermediate or minor political party shall be	1891
filled in accordance with the party's rules by authorized	1892
officials of the party. Certification must be made as in the	1893
manner provided for a major political party.	1894

(E) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1895
candidate for election at the next general election, whose	1896
candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of a subdivision	1897
within a county, withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as	1898
that candidate under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the	1899
vacancy in the party nomination so created may be filled by a	1900
subdivision committee consisting of those members of the county	1901
central committee or, if so authorized, those members of the	1902
county executive committee in that county of the major political	1903
party that made the nomination at that primary election who	1904
represent the precincts or the wards and townships within that	1905
subdivision, if the committee's chairperson and secretary certify	1906
the name of the person selected to fill the vacancy by the time	1907
specified in this division, at a meeting called for that purpose.	1908

The subdivision committee meeting shall be called by the	1909
chairperson of the county central committee or executive	1910
committee, as appropriate, who shall give each member of the	1911
subdivision committee at least two days' notice of the time,	1912
place, and purpose of the meeting. If a majority of the members	1913
of the subdivision committee are present at the subdivision	1914
committee meeting, a majority of those present may select a person	1915
to fill the vacancy. The chairperson and secretary of the	1916
subdivision committee meeting shall certify in writing and under	1917
oath to the board of the county, not later than four p.m. of the	1918
seventy-sixth day before the day of the general election, the name	1919
of the person selected to fill the vacancy. The certification	1920
must be accompanied by the written acceptance of the nomination by	1921
the person whose name is certified. A vacancy that may be filled	1922
by an intermediate or minor political party shall be filled in	1923
accordance with the party's rules by authorized officials of the	1924
party. Certification must be made in the manner provided for a	1925
major political party.	1926

(F) If a person nominated by petition as an independent or	1927
nonpartisan candidate for election at the next general election	1928
withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as that candidate	1929
under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the vacancy so created	1930
may be filled by a majority of the committee of five, as	1931
designated on the candidate's nominating petition, if a member of	1932
that committee certifies in writing and under oath to the election	1933
officials with whom the candidate filed the candidate's nominating	1934
petition, not later than the seventy-sixth day before the day of	1935
the general election, the name of the person selected to fill the	1936
vacancy. The certification shall be accompanied by the written	1937
acceptance of the nomination by the person whose name is certified	1938
and shall be made in the manner provided for a major political	1939
party.	1940

(G) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1941
candidate for election at the next general election dies, the	1942
vacancy so created may be filled by the same committee in the same	1943
manner as provided in this section for the filling of similar	1944
vacancies created by withdrawals or disqualifications under	1945
section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, except that the	1946
certification, when filling a vacancy created by death, may not be	1947
filed with the secretary of state, or with a board of the most	1948
populous county of a district, or with the board of a county in	1949
which the major portion of the population of a subdivision is	1950
located, later than four p.m. of the tenth day before the day of	1951
such general election, or with any other board later than four	1952
p.m. of the fifth day before the day of such general election.	1953

(H) If a person nominated by petition as an independent or	1954
nonpartisan candidate for election at the next general election	1955
dies prior to the tenth day before the day of that general	1956
election, the vacancy so created may be filled by a majority of	1957
the committee of five designated in the nominating petition to	1958
represent the candidate named in it. To fill the vacancy a member	1959
of the committee shall, not later than four p.m. of the fifth day	1960
before the day of the general election, file with the election	1961
officials with whom the petition nominating the person was filed,	1962
a certificate signed and sworn to under oath by a majority of the	1963
members, designating the person they select to fill the vacancy.	1964
The certification must be accompanied by the written acceptance of	1965
the nomination by the person whose name is so certified.	1966

(I) If a person holding an elective office dies or resigns	1967
subsequent to the one-hundredth day before the day of a primary	1968
election and prior to the seventy-sixth day before the day of the	1969
next general election, and if, under the laws of this state, a	1970
person may be elected at that general election to fill the	1971
unexpired term of the person who has died or resigned, the	1972
appropriate committee of each political party, acting as in the	1973
case of a vacancy in a party nomination, as provided in divisions	1974
(A) to (D) of this section, may select a person as the party	1975
candidate for election for such unexpired term at that general	1976
election, and certify the person's name to the appropriate	1977
election official not later than four p.m. on the seventy-sixth	1978
day before the day of that general election, or on the tenth day	1979
following the day on which the vacancy occurs, whichever is later.	1980
When the vacancy occurs on or subsequent to the seventy-sixth day	1981
and six or more days prior to the fortieth day before the general	1982
election, the appropriate committee may select a person as the	1983
party candidate and certify the person's name, as provided in the	1984
preceding sentence, not later than four p.m. on the tenth day	1985
following the day on which the vacancy occurs. When the vacancy	1986
occurs fewer than six days before the fortieth day before the	1987
general election, the deadline for filing shall be four p.m. on	1988
the thirty-sixth day before the general election. Thereupon the	1989
name shall be printed as the party candidate under proper titles	1990
and in the proper place on the proper ballots for use at the	1991
election. If a person has been nominated in a primary election,	1992
the authorized committee of that political party shall not select	1993
and certify a person as the party candidate.	1994

(J) Each person desiring to become an independent candidate	1995
to fill the unexpired term shall file a statement of candidacy and	1996
nominating petition, as provided in section 3513.261 of the	1997
Revised Code, with the appropriate election official not later	1998
than four p.m. on the tenth day following the day on which the	1999
vacancy occurs, provided that when the vacancy occurs fewer than	2000
six days before the fortieth day before the general election, the	2001
deadline for filing shall be four p.m. on the thirty-sixth day	2002
before the general election. The nominating petition shall	2003
contain at least seven hundred fifty signatures and no more than	2004
one thousand five hundred signatures of qualified electors of the	2005
district, political subdivision, or portion of a political	2006
subdivision in which the office is to be voted upon, or the amount	2007
provided for in section 3513.257 of the Revised Code, whichever is	2008
less.	2009

(K) When a person nominated as a candidate by a political	2010
party in a primary election or by nominating petition for an	2011
elective office for which candidates are nominated at a party	2012
primary election withdraws or, dies, or is disqualified under	2013
section 3513.052 of the Revised Code prior to the general	2014
election, the appropriate committee of any other major political	2015
party or committee of five that has not nominated a candidate for	2016
that office, or whose nominee as a candidate for that office has	2017
withdrawn or, died, or been disqualified without the vacancy so	2018
created having been filled, may, acting as in the case of a	2019
vacancy in a party nomination or nomination by petition as	2020
provided in divisions (A) to (F) of this section, whichever is	2021
appropriate, select a person as a candidate of that party or of	2022
that committee of five for election to the office.	2023

Sec. 3517.02.  All members of controlling committees of a	2024
major or intermediate political party shall be elected by direct	2025
vote of the members of the party, except as otherwise provided in	2026
section 3517.05 of the Revised Code. Their names shall be placed	2027
upon the official ballot, and, notwithstanding division (B) of	2028
section 3513.23 of the Revised Code, the persons receiving the	2029
highest number of votes for committeemencommitteepersons shall be	2030
the members of suchthose controlling committees. Each member of	2031
sucha controlling committee shall be a resident and qualified	2032
elector of the district, ward, or precinct which he that the	2033
member is elected to represent. All members of controlling	2034
committees of a minor political party shall be determined in	2035
accordance with party rules.	2036

Each political party shall file with the office of the	2037
secretary of state a copy of its constitution and bylaws, if any,	2038
within thirty days of adoption or amendment. Each such party	2039
shall also file with the office of the secretary of state a list	2040
of members of its controlling committees, and other party	2041
officials within thirty days of their election or appointment.	2042

Sec. 3517.03.  The controlling committees of each major	2043
political party or organization shall be a state central committee	2044
consisting of two members, one a man and one a woman, representing	2045
either each congressional district in the state or each senatorial	2046
district in the state, as the outgoing committee determines; a	2047
county central committee consisting of one member from each	2048
election precinct in the county, or of one member from each ward	2049
in each city and from each township in the county, as the outgoing	2050
committee determines; and such district, city, township, or other	2051
committees as the rules of the party provide.	2052

All the members of such committees shall be members of the	2053
party and shall be elected for terms of either two or four years,	2054
as determined by party rules, by direct vote at the primary held	2055
in an even-numbered year. CandidatesExcept as otherwise provided	2056
in section 3517.02 of the Revised Code, candidates for election as	2057
state central committee members shall be elected at primaries in	2058
the same manner as provided in sections 3513.01 to 3513.32 of the	2059
Revised Code, for the nomination of candidates for office in a	2060
county. Candidates for election as members of the county central	2061
committee shall be elected at primaries in the same manner as	2062
provided in suchthose sections for the nomination of candidates	2063
for county offices, except as otherwise provided in section	2064
sections 3513.051 and 3517.02 of the of the Revised Code.	2065

Each major party controlling committee shall elect an	2066
executive committee whichthat shall have suchthe powers as are	2067
granted to it by the party controlling committee, and as are	2068
provided to it by law. When a judicial, senatorial, or	2069
congressional district is comprised of more than one county, the	2070
chairperson and secretary of the county central committee from	2071
each county in suchthat district shall constitute the judicial,	2072
senatorial, or congressional committee of suchthe district. When	2073
a judicial, senatorial, or congressional district is included	2074
within a county, the county central committee shall constitute the	2075
judicial, senatorial, or congressional committee of suchthe	2076
district.	2077

The controlling committee of each intermediate political	2078
party or organization shall be a state central committee	2079
consisting of two members, one a man and one a woman, from each	2080
congressional district in the state. All members of suchthe	2081
committee shall be members of the party and shall be elected by	2082
direct vote at the primary held in the even-numbered years.	2083
CandidatesExcept as otherwise provided in section 3517.02 of the	2084
Revised Code, candidates for election shall be elected at the	2085
primary in the same manner as provided in sections 3513.01 to	2086
3513.32 of the Revised Code. An intermediate political party may	2087
have such other party organization as its rules provide. Each	2088
intermediate party shall file the names and addresses of its	2089
officers with the secretary of state.	2090

A minor political party may elect controlling committees at a	2091
primary election in the even-numbered year by filing a plan for	2092
party organization with the secretary of state on or before the	2093
ninetieth day before the day of the primary election. SuchThe	2094
plan shall specify which offices are to be elected and provide the	2095
procedure for qualification of candidates for suchthose offices.	2096
Candidates to be elected pursuant to suchthe plan shall be	2097
required to be designated and qualified on or before the ninetieth	2098
day before the day of the election. Such parties may, in lieu of	2099
electing a controlling committee or other officials, choose such	2100
committee or other officials in accordance with party rules. Each	2101
such party shall file the names and addresses of members of its	2102
controlling committee and party officers with the secretary of	2103
state.	2104

Sec. 3517.10.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in this	2105
division, every campaign committee, political action committee,	2106
legislative campaign fund, political party, and political	2107
contributing entity that made or received a contribution or made	2108
an expenditure in connection with the nomination or election of	2109
any candidate or in connection with any ballot issue or question	2110
at any election held or to be held in this state shall file, on a	2111
form prescribed under this section, by electronic means of	2112
transmission as provided in this section and section 3517.106 of	2113
the Revised Code, or, until January March 1, 20032004, on	2114
computer disk as provided in section 3517.106 of the Revised Code,	2115
a full, true, and itemized statement, made under penalty of	2116
election falsification, setting forth in detail the contributions	2117
and expenditures, no later than four p.m. of the following dates:	2118

(1) The twelfth day before the election to reflect	2119
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	2120
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	2121
statement, if any, to the close of business on the twentieth day	2122
before the election;	2123

(2) The thirty-eighth day after the election to reflect the	2124
contributions received and expenditures made from the close of	2125
business on the last day reflected in the last previously filed	2126
statement, if any, to the close of business on the seventh day	2127
before the filing of the statement;	2128

(3) The last business day of January of every year to	2129
reflect the contributions received and expenditures made from the	2130
close of business on the last day reflected in the last previously	2131
filed statement, if any, to the close of business on the last day	2132
of December of the previous year.	2133

A campaign committee shall only be required to file the	2134
statements prescribed under divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this	2135
section in connection with the nomination or election of the	2136
committee's candidate.	2137

The statement required under division (A)(1) of this section	2138
shall not be required of any campaign committee, political action	2139
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	2140
political contributing entity that has received contributions of	2141
less than one thousand dollars and has made expenditures of less	2142
than one thousand dollars at the close of business on the	2143
twentieth day before the election. Those contributions and	2144
expenditures shall be reported in the statement required under	2145
division (A)(2) of this section.	2146

If an election to select candidates to appear on the general	2147
election ballot is held within sixty days before a general	2148
election, the campaign committee of a successful candidate in the	2149
earlier election may file the statement required by division	2150
(A)(1) of this section for the general election instead of the	2151
statement required by division (A)(2) of this section for the	2152
earlier election if the pregeneral election statement reflects the	2153
status of contributions and expenditures for the period twenty	2154
days before the earlier election to twenty days before the general	2155
election.	2156

If a person becomes a candidate less than twenty days before	2157
an election, the candidate's campaign committee is not required to	2158
file the statement required by division (A)(1) of this section.	2159

No statement under division (A)(3) of this section shall be	2160
required for any year in which a campaign committee, political	2161
action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	2162
political contributing entity is required to file a postgeneral	2163
election statement under division (A)(2) of this section. However,	2164
such a statement may be filed, at the option of the campaign	2165
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	2166
political party, or political contributing entity.	2167

No statement under division (A)(3) of this section shall be	2168
required if the campaign committee, political action committee,	2169
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	2170
contributing entity has no contributions that it has received and	2171
no expenditures that it has made since the last date reflected in	2172
its last previously filed statement. However, the campaign	2173
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	2174
political party, or political contributing entity shall file a	2175
statement to that effect, on a form prescribed under this section	2176
and made under penalty of election falsification, on the date	2177
required in division (A)(3) of this section.	2178

The campaign committee of a statewide candidate shall file a	2179
monthly statement of contributions received during each of the	2180
months of July, August, and September in the year of the general	2181
election in which the candidate seeks office. The campaign	2182
committee of a statewide candidate shall file the monthly	2183
statement not later than three business days after the last day of	2184
the month covered by the statement. During the period beginning	2185
on the nineteenth day before the general election in which a	2186
statewide candidate seeks election to office and extending through	2187
the day of that general election, each time the campaign committee	2188
of the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	2189
governor or of a candidate for the office of secretary of state,	2190
auditor of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general receives	2191
a contribution from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount	2192
of contributions received from that contributor during that period	2193
to equal or exceed two thousand five hundred dollars and each time	2194
the campaign committee of a candidate for the office of chief	2195
justice or justice of the supreme court receives a contribution	2196
from a contributor that causes the aggregate amount of	2197
contributions received from that contributor during that period to	2198
exceed five hundred dollars, the campaign committee shall file a	2199
two-business-day statement reflecting that contribution. During	2200
the period beginning on the nineteenth day before a primary	2201
election in which a candidate for statewide office seeks	2202
nomination to office and extending through the day of that primary	2203
election, each time either the campaign committee of a statewide	2204
candidate in that primary election that files a notice under	2205
division (C)(1) of section 3517.103 of the Revised Code or the	2206
campaign committee of a statewide candidate in that primary	2207
election to which, in accordance with division (D) of section	2208
3517.103 of the Revised Code, the contribution limitations	2209
prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised Code no longer apply	2210
receives a contribution from a contributor that causes the	2211
aggregate amount of contributions received from that contributor	2212
during that period to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars,	2213
the campaign committee shall file a two-business-day statement	2214
reflecting that contribution. Contributions reported on a	2215
two-business-day statement required to be filed by a campaign	2216
committee of a statewide candidate in a primary election shall	2217
also be included in the postprimary election statement required to	2218
be filed by that campaign committee under division (A)(2) of this	2219
section. A two-business-day statement required by this paragraph	2220
shall be filed not later than two business days after receipt of	2221
the contribution. The statements required by this paragraph shall	2222
be filed in addition to any other statements required by this	2223
section.	2224

The secretary of state may permit the filing of	2225
two-business-day statements by facsimile or other electronic means	2226
of transmission until January 1, 2001. Subject to the secretary	2227
of state having implemented, tested, and verified the successful	2228
operation of any system the secretary of state prescribes pursuant	2229
to divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of this section and division	2230
(H)(1) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code for the filing of	2231
campaign finance statements by electronic means of transmission,	2232
on and after January 1, 2001, a campaign committee of a statewide	2233
candidate shall file a two-business-day statement under the	2234
preceding paragraph by electronic means of transmission if the	2235
campaign committee is required to file a preelection,	2236
postelection, or monthly statement of contributions and	2237
expenditures by electronic means of transmission under this	2238
section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.	2239

If a campaign committee or political action committee has no	2240
balance on hand and no outstanding obligations and desires to	2241
terminate itself, it shall file a statement to that effect, on a	2242
form prescribed under this section and made under penalty of	2243
election falsification, with the official with whom it files a	2244
statement under division (A) of this section after filing a final	2245
statement of contributions and a final statement of expenditures,	2246
if contributions have been received or expenditures made since the	2247
period reflected in its last previously filed statement.	2248

(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(7) of this	2249
section, each statement required by division (A) of this section	2250
shall contain the following information:	2251

(1) The full name and address of each campaign committee,	2252
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	2253
party, or political contributing entity, including any treasurer	2254
of the committee, fund, party, or entity, filing a contribution	2255
and expenditure statement;	2256

(2)(a) In the case of a campaign committee, the candidate's	2257
full name and address;	2258

(b) In the case of a political action committee, the	2259
registration number assigned to the committee under division	2260
(D)(1) of this section.	2261

(3) The date of the election and whether it was or will be a	2262
general, primary, or special election;	2263

(4) A statement of contributions received, which shall	2264
include the following information:	2265

(a) The month, day, and year of the contribution;

2266

(b)(i) The full name and address of each person, political	2267
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political	2268
action committee, or political contributing entity from whom	2269
contributions are received and the registration number assigned to	2270
the political action committee under division (D)(1) of this	2271
section. The requirement of filing the full address does not	2272
apply to any statement filed by a state or local committee of a	2273
political party, to a finance committee of such committee, or to a	2274
committee recognized by a state or local committee as its	2275
fund-raising auxiliary. Notwithstanding division (F)(1) of this	2276
section, the requirement of filing the full address shall be	2277
considered as being met if the address filed is the same address	2278
the contributor provided under division (E)(1) of this section.	2279

(ii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or	2280
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly	2281
receives a contribution from an individual that exceeds one	2282
hundred dollars, the name of the individual's current employer, if	2283
any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's	2284
occupation;	2285

(iii) If a campaign committee of a statewide candidate or	2286
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly	2287
receives a contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031	2288
of the Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and	2289
salaries of two or more employees that exceeds in the aggregate	2290
one hundred dollars during any one filing period under division	2291
(A)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, the full name of the	2292
employees' employer and the full name of the labor organization of	2293
which the employees are members, if any.	2294

(c) A description of the contribution received, if other	2295
than money;	2296

(d) The value in dollars and cents of the contribution;

2297

(e) A separately itemized account of all contributions and	2298
expenditures regardless of the amount, except a receipt of a	2299
contribution from a person in the sum of twenty-five dollars or	2300
less at one social or fund-raising activity and a receipt of a	2301
contribution transmitted pursuant to section 3599.031 of the	2302
Revised Code from amounts deducted from the wages and salaries of	2303
employees if the contribution from the amount deducted from the	2304
wages and salary of any one employee is twenty-five dollars or	2305
less aggregated in a calendar year. An account of the total	2306
contributions from each social or fund-raising activity shall	2307
include a description of and the value of each in-kind	2308
contribution received at that activity from any person who made	2309
one or more such contributions whose aggregate value exceeded two	2310
hundred fifty dollars and shall be listed separately, together	2311
with the expenses incurred and paid in connection with that	2312
activity. A campaign committee, political action committee,	2313
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	2314
contributing entity shall keep records of contributions from each	2315
person in the amount of twenty-five dollars or less at one social	2316
or fund-raising activity and contributions from amounts deducted	2317
under section 3599.031 of the Revised Code from the wages and	2318
salary of each employee in the amount of twenty-five dollars or	2319
less aggregated in a calendar year. No continuing association	2320
that is recognized by a state or local committee of a political	2321
party as an auxiliary of the party and that makes a contribution	2322
from funds derived solely from regular dues paid by members of the	2323
auxiliary shall be required to list the name or address of any	2324
members who paid those dues.	2325

Contributions that are other income shall be itemized	2326
separately from all other contributions. The information required	2327
under division (B)(4) of this section shall be provided for all	2328
other income itemized. As used in this paragraph, "other income"	2329
means a loan, investment income, or interest income.	2330

(f) In the case of a campaign committee of a state elected	2331
officer, if a person doing business with the state elected officer	2332
in the officer's official capacity makes a contribution to the	2333
campaign committee of that officer, the information required under	2334
division (B)(4) of this section in regard to that contribution,	2335
which shall be filed together with and considered a part of the	2336
committee's statement of contributions as required under division	2337
(A) of this section but shall be filed on a separate form provided	2338
by the secretary of state. As used in division (B)(4)(f) of this	2339
section:	2340

(i) "State elected officer" has the same meaning as in	2341
section 3517.092 of the Revised Code.	2342

(ii) "Person doing business" means a person or an officer of	2343
an entity who enters into one or more contracts with a state	2344
elected officer or anyone authorized to enter into contracts on	2345
behalf of that officer to receive payments for goods or services,	2346
if the payments total, in the aggregate, more than five thousand	2347
dollars during a calendar year.	2348

(5) A statement of expenditures which shall include the	2349
following information:	2350

(a) The month, day, and year of the expenditure;

2351

(b) The full name and address of each person, political	2352
party, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political	2353
action committee, or political contributing entity to whom the	2354
expenditure was made and the registration number assigned to the	2355
political action committee under division (D)(1) of this section;	2356

(c) The object or purpose for which the expenditure was	2357
made;	2358

(d) The amount of each expenditure.

2359

(C)(1) The statement of contributions and expenditures shall	2360
be signed by the person completing the form. If a statement of	2361
contributions and expenditures is filed by electronic means of	2362
transmission pursuant to this section or section 3517.106 of the	2363
Revised Code, the electronic signature of the person who executes	2364
the statement and transmits the statement by electronic means of	2365
transmission, as provided in division (H) of section 3517.106 of	2366
the Revised Code, shall be attached to or associated with the	2367
statement and shall be binding on all persons and for all purposes	2368
under the campaign finance reporting law as if the signature had	2369
been handwritten in ink on a printed form.	2370

(2) The person filing the statement, under penalty of	2371
election falsification, shall include with it a list of each	2372
anonymous contribution, the circumstances under which it was	2373
received, and the reason it cannot be attributed to a specific	2374
donor.	2375

(3) Each statement of a campaign committee of a candidate	2376
who holds public office shall contain a designation of each	2377
contributor who is an employee in any unit or department under the	2378
candidate's direct supervision and control. In a space provided	2379
in the statement, the person filing the statement shall affirm	2380
that each such contribution was voluntarily made.	2381

(4) A campaign committee that did not receive contributions	2382
or make expenditures in connection with the nomination or election	2383
of its candidate shall file a statement to that effect, on a form	2384
prescribed under this section and made under penalty of election	2385
falsification, on the date required in division (A)(2) of this	2386
section.	2387

(5) The campaign committee of any person who attempts to	2388
become a candidate and who, for any reason, does not become	2389
certified in accordance with Title XXXV of the Revised Code for	2390
placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special	2391
election to be held in this state, and who, at any time prior to	2392
or after an election, receives contributions or makes	2393
expenditures, or has given consent for another to receive	2394
contributions or make expenditures, for the purpose of bringing	2395
about the person's nomination or election to public office, shall	2396
file the statement or statements prescribed by this section and a	2397
termination statement, if applicable. This paragraph does not	2398
apply to any person with respect to an election to the offices of	2399
member of a county or state central committee, presidential	2400
elector, or delegate to a national convention or conference of a	2401
political party.	2402

(6)(a) The statements required to be filed under this	2403
section shall specify the balance in the hands of the campaign	2404
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	2405
political party, or political contributing entity and the	2406
disposition intended to be made of that balance.	2407

(b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form for all	2408
statements required to be filed under this section and shall	2409
furnish the forms to the boards of elections in the several	2410
counties. The boards of elections shall supply printed copies of	2411
those forms without charge. The secretary of state shall	2412
prescribe the appropriate methodology, protocol, and data file	2413
structure for statements required or permitted to be filed by	2414
electronic means of transmission under division (A) of this	2415
section and divisions (E), (F), and (G) of section 3517.106 of the	2416
Revised Code and for statements permitted to be filed on computer	2417
disk under division (F) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code.	2418
Subject to division (A) of this section and divisions (E), (F),	2419
and (G) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the statements	2420
required to be stored on computer by the secretary of state under	2421
division (B) of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be	2422
filed in whatever format the secretary of state considers	2423
necessary to enable the secretary of state to store the	2424
information contained in the statements on computer. Any such	2425
format shall be of a type and nature that is readily available to	2426
whoever is required to file the statements in that format.	2427

(c) The secretary of state shall assess the need for	2428
training regarding the filing of campaign finance statements by	2429
electronic means of transmission and regarding associated	2430
technologies for candidates, campaign committees, political action	2431
committees, legislative campaign funds, political parties,	2432
political contributing entities, or individuals, partnerships, or	2433
other entities required or permitted to file statements by	2434
electronic means of transmission under this section or section	2435
3517.105 or 3517.106 of the Revised Code. If, in the opinion of	2436
the secretary of state, training in these areas is necessary, the	2437
secretary of state shall arrange for the provision of voluntary	2438
training programs for candidates, campaign committees, political	2439
action committees, legislative campaign funds, political parties,	2440
political contributing entities, and individuals, partnerships,	2441
and other entities.	2442

(7) Each monthly statement and each two-business-day	2443
statement required by division (A) of this section shall contain	2444
the information required by divisions (B)(1) to (4), (C)(2), and,	2445
if appropriate, (C)(3) of this section. Each statement shall be	2446
signed as required by division (C)(1) of this section.	2447

(D)(1) Prior to receiving a contribution or making an	2448
expenditure, every campaign committee, political action committee,	2449
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	2450
contributing entity shall appoint a treasurer and shall file, on a	2451
form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that	2452
appointment, including the full name and address of the treasurer	2453
and of the campaign committee, political action committee,	2454
legislative campaign fund, political party, or political	2455
contributing entity. That designation shall be filed with the	2456
official with whom the campaign committee, political action	2457
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or	2458
political contributing entity is required to file statements under	2459
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code. The name of a campaign	2460
committee shall include at least the last name of the campaign	2461
committee's candidate. The secretary of state shall assign a	2462
registration number to each political action committee that files	2463
a designation of the appointment of a treasurer under division	2464
(D)(1) of this section if the political action committee is	2465
required by division (A)(1) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code	2466
to file the statements prescribed by this section with the	2467
secretary of state.	2468

(2) The treasurer appointed under division (D)(1) of this	2469
section shall keep a strict account of all contributions, from	2470
whom received and the purpose for which they were disbursed.	2471

(3)(a) Except as otherwise provided in section 3517.108 of	2472
the Revised Code, a campaign committee shall deposit all monetary	2473
contributions received by the committee into an account separate	2474
from a personal or business account of the candidate or campaign	2475
committee.	2476

(b) A political action committee shall deposit all monetary	2477
contributions received by the committee into an account separate	2478
from all other funds.	2479

(c) A state or county political party may establish a state	2480
candidate fund that is separate from an account that contains the	2481
public moneys received from the Ohio political party fund under	2482
section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and from all other funds. A	2483
state or county political party may deposit into its state	2484
candidate fund any amounts of monetary contributions that are made	2485
to or accepted by the political party subject to the applicable	2486
limitations, if any, prescribed in section 3517.102 of the Revised	2487
Code. A state or county political party shall deposit all other	2488
monetary contributions received by the party into one or more	2489
accounts that are separate from its state candidate fund and from	2490
its account that contains the public moneys received from the Ohio	2491
political party fund under section 3517.17 of the Revised Code.	2492

(d) Each state political party shall have only one	2493
legislative campaign fund for each house of the general assembly.	2494
Each such fund shall be separate from any other funds or accounts	2495
of that state party. A legislative campaign fund is authorized to	2496
receive contributions and make expenditures for the primary	2497
purpose of furthering the election of candidates who are members	2498
of that political party to the house of the general assembly with	2499
which that legislative campaign fund is associated. Each	2500
legislative campaign fund shall be administered and controlled in	2501
a manner designated by the caucus. As used in division (D)(3)(d)	2502
of this section, "caucus" has the same meaning as in section	2503
3517.01 of the Revised Code and includes, as an ex officio member,	2504
the chairperson of the state political party with which the caucus	2505
is associated or that chairperson's designee.	2506

(4) Every expenditure in excess of twenty-five dollars shall	2507
be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the	2508
expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement of	2509
expenditures. A canceled check with a notation of the purpose of	2510
the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of division	2511
(D)(4) of this section.	2512

(5) The secretary of state or the board of elections, as the	2513
case may be, shall issue a receipt for each statement filed under	2514
this section and shall preserve a copy of the receipt for a period	2515
of at least six years. All statements filed under this section	2516
shall be open to public inspection in the office where they are	2517
filed and shall be carefully preserved for a period of at least	2518
six years after the year in which they are filed.	2519

(6) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to	2520
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe the manner of	2521
immediately acknowledging, with date and time received, and	2522
preserving the receipt of statements that are transmitted by	2523
electronic means of transmission to the secretary of state	2524
pursuant to this section or section 3517.106 of the Revised Code	2525
and the manner of preserving the contribution and expenditure	2526
information in those statements. The secretary of state shall	2527
preserve the contribution and expenditure information in those	2528
statements for at least ten years after the year in which they are	2529
filed by electronic means of transmission.	2530

(7) The secretary of state, pursuant to division (I) of	2531
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall make available online	2532
to the public through the internet the contribution and	2533
expenditure information in all statements, all addenda,	2534
amendments, or other corrections to statements, and all amended	2535
statements filed with the secretary of state by electronic or	2536
other means of transmission under this section, division (B)(2)(b)	2537
or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105, or section 3517.106 or 3517.11	2538
of the Revised Code. The secretary of state may remove the	2539
information from the internet after a reasonable period of time.	2540

(E)(1) Any person, political party, campaign committee,	2541
legislative campaign fund, political action committee, or	2542
political contributing entity that makes a contribution in	2543
connection with the nomination or election of any candidate or in	2544
connection with any ballot issue or question at any election held	2545
or to be held in this state shall provide its full name and	2546
address to the recipient of the contribution at the time the	2547
contribution is made. The political action committee also shall	2548
provide the registration number assigned to the committee under	2549
division (D)(1) of this section to the recipient of the	2550
contribution at the time the contribution is made.	2551

(2) Any individual who makes a contribution that exceeds one	2552
hundred dollars to a campaign committee of a statewide candidate	2553
or candidate for the office of member of the general assembly	2554
shall provide the name of the individual's current employer, if	2555
any, or, if the individual is self-employed, the individual's	2556
occupation to the recipient of the contribution at the time the	2557
contribution is made. Sections 3599.39 and 3599.40 of the Revised	2558
Code do not apply to division (E)(2) of this section.	2559

(3) If a campaign committee shows that it has exercised its	2560
best efforts to obtain, maintain, and submit the information	2561
required under divisions (B)(4)(b)(ii) and (iii) of this section,	2562
that committee is considered to have met the requirements of those	2563
divisions. A campaign committee shall not be considered to have	2564
exercised its best efforts unless, in connection with written	2565
solicitations, it regularly includes a written request for the	2566
information required under division (B)(4)(b)(ii) of this section	2567
from the contributor or the information required under division	2568
(B)(4)(b)(iii) of this section from whoever transmits the	2569
contribution.	2570

(4) Any check that a political action committee uses to make	2571
a contribution or an expenditure shall contain the full name and	2572
address of the committee and the registration number assigned to	2573
the committee under division (D)(1) of this section.	2574

(F) As used in this section:

2575

(1) "Address" means all of the following if they exist:	2576
apartment number, street, road, or highway name and number, rural	2577
delivery route number, city or village, state, and zip code as	2578
used in a person's post-office address, but not post-office box.	2579
If an address is required in this section, a post-office box and	2580
office, room, or suite number may be included in addition to but	2581
not in lieu of an apartment, street, road, or highway name and	2582
number. If an address is required in this section, a campaign	2583
committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund,	2584
political party, or political contributing entity may use the	2585
business or residence address of its treasurer or deputy	2586
treasurer. The post-office box number of the campaign committee,	2587
political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political	2588
party, or political contributing entity may be used in addition to	2589
that address.	2590

(2) "Statewide candidate" means the joint candidates for the	2591
offices of governor and lieutenant governor or a candidate for the	2592
office of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of	2593
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,	2594
chief justice of the supreme court, or justice of the supreme	2595
court.	2596

(3) "Internet" has the same meaning as in section 3517.106	2597
of the Revised Code.	2598

(G) An independent expenditure shall be reported whenever	2599
and in the same manner that an expenditure is required to be	2600
reported under this section and shall be reported pursuant to	2601
division (B)(2)(a) or (C)(2)(a) of section 3517.105 of the Revised	2602
Code.	2603

(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of	2604
this section, if, during the combined preelection and postelection	2605
reporting periods for an election, a campaign committee has	2606
received contributions of five hundred dollars or less and has	2607
made expenditures in the total amount of five hundred dollars or	2608
less, it may file a statement to that effect, under penalty of	2609
election falsification, in lieu of the statement required by	2610
division (A)(2) of this section. The statement shall indicate the	2611
total amount of contributions received and the total amount of	2612
expenditures made during those combined reporting periods.	2613

(2) In the case of a successful candidate at a primary	2614
election, if either the total contributions received by or the	2615
total expenditures made by the candidate's campaign committee	2616
during the preprimary, postprimary, pregeneral, and postgeneral	2617
election periods combined equal more than five hundred dollars,	2618
the campaign committee may file the statement under division	2619
(H)(1) of this section only for the primary election. The first	2620
statement that the campaign committee files in regard to the	2621
general election shall reflect all contributions received and all	2622
expenditures made during the preprimary and postprimary election	2623
periods.	2624

(3) Divisions (H)(1) and (2) of this section do not apply if	2625
a campaign committee receives contributions or makes expenditures	2626
prior to the first day of January of the year of the election at	2627
which the candidate seeks nomination or election to office or if	2628
the campaign committee does not file a termination statement with	2629
its postprimary election statement in the case of an unsuccessful	2630
primary election candidate or with its postgeneral election	2631
statement in the case of other candidates.	2632

(I) In the case of a contribution made by a partnership or	2633
unincorporated business, all of the following apply:	2634

(1) The recipient of the contribution shall report the	2635
contribution by listing both the partnership or unincorporated	2636
business and the name of the partner or owner making the	2637
contribution.	2638

(2) For purposes of section 3517.102 of the Revised Code,	2639
the contribution shall be considered to have been made by the	2640
partner or owner reported under division (I)(1) of this section.	2641

(3) No contribution from a partnership or unincorporated	2642
business shall be accepted unless the recipient reports the	2643
contribution under division (I)(1) of this section.	2644

(J) A candidate shall have only one campaign committee at	2645
any given time for all of the offices for which the person is a	2646
candidate or holds office.	2647

(K)(1) In addition to filing a designation of appointment of	2648
a treasurer under division (D)(1) of this section, the campaign	2649
committee of any candidate for an elected municipal office that	2650
pays an annual amount of compensation of five thousand dollars or	2651
less, the campaign committee of any candidate for member of a	2652
board of education except member of the state board of education,	2653
or the campaign committee of any candidate for township trustee or	2654
township clerk may sign, under penalty of election falsification,	2655
a certificate attesting that the committee will not accept	2656
contributions during an election period that exceed in the	2657
aggregate two thousand dollars from all contributors and one	2658
hundred dollars from any one individual, and that the campaign	2659
committee will not make expenditures during an election period	2660
that exceed in the aggregate two thousand dollars.	2661

The certificate shall be on a form prescribed by the	2662
secretary of state and shall be filed not later than ten days	2663
after the candidate files a declaration of candidacy and petition,	2664
a nominating petition, or a declaration of intent to be a write-in	2665
candidate.	2666

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (K)(3) of this	2667
section, a campaign committee that files a certificate under	2668
division (K)(1) of this section is not required to file the	2669
statements required by division (A) of section 3517.10 of the	2670
Revised Code.	2671

(3) If, after filing a certificate under division (K)(1) of	2672
this section, a campaign committee exceeds any of the limitations	2673
described in that division during an election period, the	2674
certificate is void and thereafter the campaign committee shall	2675
file the statements required by division (A) of section 3517.10 of	2676
the Revised Code. If the campaign committee has not previously	2677
filed a statement, then on the first statement the campaign	2678
committee is required to file under division (A) of section	2679
3517.10 of the Revised Code after the committee's certificate is	2680
void, the committee shall report all contributions received and	2681
expenditures made from the time the candidate filed the	2682
candidate's declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating	2683
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.	2684

(4) As used in division (K) of this section, "election	2685
period" means the period of time beginning on the day a person	2686
files a declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating	2687
petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate	2688
through the day of the election at which the person seeks	2689
nomination to office if the person is not elected to office, or,	2690
if the candidate was nominated in a primary election, the day of	2691
the election at which the candidate seeks office.	2692

(L) Notwithstanding division (B)(4) of this section, a	2693
political contributing entity that receives contributions from the	2694
dues, membership fees, or other assessments of its members or from	2695
its officers, shareholders, and employees may report the aggregate	2696
amount of contributions received from those contributors and the	2697
number of individuals making those contributions, for each filing	2698
period identified under divisions (A)(1), (2), and (3) of this	2699
section. Division (B)(4) of this section applies to a political	2700
contributing entity with regard to contributions it receives from	2701
all other contributors.	2702

Sec. 3517.106.  (A) As used in this section:

2703

(1) "Internet" means the international computer network of	2704
both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet switched data	2705
networks, including the graphical subnetwork called the world wide	2706
web.	2707

(2) "Statewide office" means any of the offices of governor,	2708
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state,	2709
treasurer of state, attorney general, chief justice of the supreme	2710
court, and justice of the supreme court.	2711

(3) "Addendum to a statement" includes an amendment or other	2712
correction to that statement.	2713

(B) The secretary of state shall store on computer the	2714
information contained in statements of contributions and	2715
expenditures and monthly statements required to be filed under	2716
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and in statements of	2717
independent expenditures required to be filed under section	2718
3517.105 of the Revised Code by any of the following:	2719

(1) The campaign committees of candidates for statewide	2720
office;	2721

(2) The political action committees and political	2722
contributing entities described in division (A)(1) of section	2723
3517.11 of the Revised Code;	2724

(3) Legislative campaign funds;

2725

(4) State political parties;

2726

(5) Individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor	2727
organizations, or other entities that make independent	2728
expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate	2729
or a statewide ballot issue or question;	2730

(6) The campaign committees of candidates for the office of	2731
member of the general assembly.	2732

(C)(1) The secretary of state shall make available to the	2733
campaign committees, political action committees, political	2734
contributing entities, legislative campaign funds, political	2735
parties, individuals, partnerships, corporations, labor	2736
organizations, and other entities described in division (B) of	2737
this section, and to members of the news media and other	2738
interested persons, for a reasonable fee, computer programs that	2739
are compatible with the secretary of state's method of storing the	2740
information contained in the statements.	2741

(2) The secretary of state shall make the information	2742
required to be stored under division (B) of this section available	2743
on computer at the secretary of state's office so that, to the	2744
maximum extent feasible, individuals may obtain at the secretary	2745
of state's office any part or all of that information for any	2746
given year, subject to the limitation expressed in division (D) of	2747
this section.	2748

(D) The secretary of state shall keep the information stored	2749
on computer under division (B) of this section for at least six	2750
years.	2751

(E)(1) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	2752
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	2753
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	2754
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	2755
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	2756
electronic means of transmission, on and after January 1, 2001,	2757
the campaign committee of each candidate for statewide office may	2758
file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised	2759
Code by electronic means of transmission or, if the total amount	2760
of the contributions received or the total amount of the	2761
expenditures made by the campaign committee for the applicable	2762
reporting period as specified in division (A) of section 3517.10	2763
of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars, shall file those	2764
statements by electronic means of transmission.	2765

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five	2766
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a	2767
candidate for statewide office is received by the secretary of	2768
state by electronic or other means of transmission, the secretary	2769
of state shall make available online to the public through the	2770
internet, as provided in division (I) of this section, the	2771
contribution and expenditure information in that statement. The	2772
secretary of state shall not make available online to the public	2773
through the internet any contribution or expenditure information	2774
contained in a statement for any candidate until the secretary of	2775
state is able to make available online to the public through the	2776
internet the contribution and expenditure information for all	2777
candidates for a particular office. As soon as the secretary of	2778
state has available all of that information, the secretary of	2779
state shall simultaneously make available online to the public	2780
through the internet the information for all candidates for a	2781
particular office.	2782

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	2783
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	2784
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	2785
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign	2786
committee shall file by electronic means of transmission any	2787
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary	2788
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the	2789
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.	2790

Within five business days after the secretary of state	2791
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for statewide	2792
office an addendum to the statement or an amended statement by	2793
electronic or other means of transmission under this division or	2794
division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the	2795
secretary of state shall make the contribution and expenditure	2796
information in the addendum or amended statement available online	2797
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of	2798
this section.	2799

(2) Subject to division (E)(3) of this section and subject	2800
to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and verified	2801
the successful operation of any system the secretary of state	2802
prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	2803
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	2804
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	2805
means of transmission, on and after January 1, 2001, a political	2806
action committee and a political contributing entity described in	2807
division (B)(2) of this section, a legislative campaign fund, and	2808
a state political party may file the statements prescribed by	2809
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of	2810
transmission.	2811

Within five business days after a statement filed by a	2812
political action committee or a political contributing entity	2813
described in division (B)(2) of this section, a legislative	2814
campaign fund, or a state political party is received by the	2815
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	2816
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	2817
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	2818
the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.	2819

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	2820
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	2821
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	2822
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political	2823
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative	2824
campaign fund, or state political party shall file by electronic	2825
means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides	2826
the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or,	2827
if required by the secretary of state under that division, an	2828
amended statement.	2829

Within five business days after the secretary of state	2830
receives from a political action committee or a political	2831
contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of this section,	2832
a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party an	2833
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or	2834
other means of transmission under this division or division	2835
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of	2836
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in	2837
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public	2838
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	2839

(3) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	2840
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	2841
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	2842
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	2843
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	2844
electronic means of transmission, on and after January 1, 2002, a	2845
political action committee and a political contributing entity	2846
described in division (B)(2) of this section, a legislative	2847
campaign fund, and a state political party shall file the	2848
statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by	2849
electronic means of transmission if the total amount of the	2850
contributions received or the total amount of the expenditures	2851
made by the political action committee, political contributing	2852
entity, legislative campaign fund, or political party for the	2853
applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of	2854
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars.	2855

Within five business days after a statement filed by a	2856
political action committee or a political contributing entity	2857
described in division (B)(2) of this section, a legislative	2858
campaign fund, or a state political party is received by the	2859
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	2860
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	2861
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	2862
the contribution and expenditure information in that statement.	2863

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	2864
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	2865
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	2866
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the political	2867
action committee, political contributing entity, legislative	2868
campaign fund, or state political party shall file by electronic	2869
means of transmission any addendum to the statement that provides	2870
the information necessary to complete or correct the statement or,	2871
if required by the secretary of state under that division, an	2872
amended statement.	2873

Within five business days after the secretary of state	2874
receives from a political action committee or a political	2875
contributing entity described in division (B)(2) of this section,	2876
a legislative campaign fund, or a state political party an	2877
addendum to the statement or an amended statement by electronic or	2878
other means of transmission under this division or division	2879
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of	2880
state shall make the contribution and expenditure information in	2881
the addendum or amended statement available online to the public	2882
through the internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	2883

(F)(1) Subject to division (F)(4) of this section and	2884
subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and	2885
verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of	2886
state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	2887
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	2888
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	2889
means of transmission or on computer disk, on and after January 1,	2890
2001, a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member	2891
of the general assembly may file the statements prescribed by	2892
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic means of	2893
transmission to the office of the secretary of state or,	2894
until January March 1, 20032004, on computer disk with the	2895
appropriate board of elections specified in division (A)(2) of	2896
section 3517.11 of the Revised Code.	2897

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five	2898
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a	2899
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly is	2900
received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of	2901
transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online	2902
to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of	2903
this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that	2904
statement. The secretary of state shall not make available online	2905
to the public through the internet any contribution or expenditure	2906
information contained in a statement for any candidate until the	2907
secretary of state is able to make available online to the public	2908
through the internet the contribution and expenditure information	2909
for all candidates for a particular office. As soon as the	2910
secretary of state has available all of that information, the	2911
secretary of state shall simultaneously make available online to	2912
the public through the internet the information for all candidates	2913
for a particular office.	2914

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission or	2915
on computer disk is found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the	2916
examination of the statement for completeness and accuracy	2917
pursuant to division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised	2918
Code, the campaign committee shall file by electronic means of	2919
transmission to the office of the secretary of state, or, until	2920
JanuaryMarch 1, 20032004, on computer disk with the appropriate	2921
board of elections if the original statement was filed on computer	2922
disk, any addendum to the statement that provides the information	2923
necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if required by	2924
the secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.	2925

Within five business days after the secretary of state	2926
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office	2927
of member of the general assembly an addendum to the statement or	2928
an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission	2929
under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of	2930
the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the	2931
contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or	2932
amended statement available online to the public through the	2933
internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	2934

(2) Until JanuaryMarch 1, 20032004, if a campaign committee	2935
of a candidate for the office of member of the general assembly	2936
files a statement of contributions and expenditures, an addendum	2937
to the statement, or an amended statement by electronic means of	2938
transmission or on computer disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of	2939
this section, the campaign committee shall file as prescribed by	2940
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the appropriate board of	2941
elections specified in division (A)(2) of section 3517.11 of the	2942
Revised Code a printed version of the statement, addendum, or	2943
amended statement filed by electronic means of transmission or on	2944
computer disk, in the format that the secretary of state shall	2945
prescribe. If a statement, addendum, or amended statement is not	2946
filed by electronic means of transmission or on computer disk but	2947
is filed by printed version only, the campaign committee shall	2948
file two copies of the printed version of the statement, addendum,	2949
or amended statement with the appropriate board of elections. The	2950
board of elections shall send one of those copies by overnight	2951
delivery service to the secretary of state before the close of	2952
business on the day the board of elections receives the statement,	2953
addendum, or amended statement.	2954

(3)(a) Subject to division (F)(4) of this section and	2955
subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and	2956
verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of	2957
state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	2958
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	2959
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	2960
means of transmission or on computer disk, on and after January 1,	2961
2001, the secretary of state shall assess, and a campaign	2962
committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general	2963
assembly shall pay, a fee as provided in this division if the	2964
campaign committee has not filed the campaign finance statements	2965
prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic	2966
means of transmission or on computer disk pursuant to division	2967
(F)(1) of this section. The fee shall be calculated on the total	2968
contributions received for the applicable reporting period	2969
specified in division (A) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code	2970
as follows:	2971

(i) No fee for total contributions up to and including ten	2972
thousand dollars;	2973

(ii) A fee of fifty dollars for total contributions of over	2974
ten thousand dollars up to and including twenty-five thousand	2975
dollars;	2976

(iii) A fee of one hundred fifty dollars for total	2977
contributions over twenty-five thousand dollars up to and	2978
including fifty thousand dollars;	2979

(iv) A fee of two hundred dollars for total contributions	2980
over fifty thousand dollars.	2981

(b) No campaign committee of a candidate for the office of	2982
member of the general assembly shall be required to pay the fee	2983
prescribed by division (F)(3)(a) of this section in connection	2984
with the filing of an addendum to a statement of contributions and	2985
expenditures or in connection with the filing of an amended	2986
statement.	2987

(c) The fee prescribed by division (F)(3)(a) of this section	2988
shall be made payable to the secretary of state and shall be	2989
collected by the appropriate board of elections at the time the	2990
campaign committee of a candidate for the office of member of the	2991
general assembly files the statement of contributions and	2992
expenditures. The fee shall be sent along with the statement,	2993
before the close of business on the day it is received, to the	2994
secretary of state by overnight delivery service.	2995

(4) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	2996
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	2997
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	2998
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	2999
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	3000
electronic means of transmission, on and after JanuaryMarch 1,	3001
20032004, a campaign committee of a candidate for the office of	3002
member of the general assembly shall file the statements	3003
prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code by electronic	3004
means of transmission to the secretary of state if the total	3005
amount of the contributions received by the campaign committee for	3006
the applicable reporting period as specified in division (A) of	3007
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code exceeds ten thousand dollars.	3008

Except as otherwise provided in this division, within five	3009
business days after a statement filed by a campaign committee of a	3010
candidate for the office of member of the general assembly is	3011
received by the secretary of state by electronic or other means of	3012
transmission, the secretary of state shall make available online	3013
to the public through the internet, as provided in division (I) of	3014
this section, the contribution and expenditure information in that	3015
statement. The secretary of state shall not make available online	3016
to the public through the internet any contribution or expenditure	3017
information contained in a statement for any candidate until the	3018
secretary of state is able to make available online to the public	3019
through the internet the contribution and expenditure information	3020
for all candidates for a particular office. As soon as the	3021
secretary of state has available all of that information, the	3022
secretary of state shall simultaneously make available online to	3023
the public through the internet the information for all candidates	3024
for a particular office.	3025

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	3026
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	3027
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	3028
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the campaign	3029
committee of a candidate for the office of member of the general	3030
assembly shall file by electronic means of transmission any	3031
addendum to the statement that provides the information necessary	3032
to complete or correct the statement or, if required by the	3033
secretary of state under that division, an amended statement.	3034

Within five business days after the secretary of state	3035
receives from a campaign committee of a candidate for the office	3036
of member of the general assembly an addendum to the statement or	3037
an amended statement by electronic or other means of transmission	3038
under this division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of	3039
the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall make the	3040
contribution and expenditure information in the addendum or	3041
amended statement available online to the public through the	3042
internet as provided in division (I) of this section.	3043

(G)(1) Subject to division (G)(2) of this section and	3044
subject to the secretary of state having implemented, tested, and	3045
verified the successful operation of any system the secretary of	3046
state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	3047
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	3048
Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by electronic	3049
means of transmission, on and after January 1, 2001, any	3050
individual, partnership, or other entity that makes independent	3051
expenditures in support of or opposition to a statewide candidate	3052
or a statewide ballot issue or question as provided in division	3053
(B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code may	3054
file the statement specified in that division by electronic means	3055
of transmission.	3056

Within five business days after a statement filed by an	3057
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the	3058
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	3059
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	3060
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	3061
the expenditure information in that statement.	3062

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	3063
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	3064
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	3065
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,	3066
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of	3067
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the	3068
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if	3069
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended	3070
statement.	3071

Within five business days after the secretary of state	3072
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity	3073
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105	3074
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended	3075
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this	3076
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised	3077
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure	3078
information in the addendum or amended statement available online	3079
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of	3080
this section.	3081

(2) Subject to the secretary of state having implemented,	3082
tested, and verified the successful operation of any system the	3083
secretary of state prescribes pursuant to division (H)(1) of this	3084
section and divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of	3085
the Revised Code for the filing of campaign finance statements by	3086
electronic means of transmission, on and after January 1, 2002,	3087
any individual, partnership, or other entity that makes	3088
independent expenditures in support of or opposition to a	3089
statewide candidate or a statewide ballot issue or question as	3090
provided in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 of	3091
the Revised Code shall file the statement specified in that	3092
division by electronic means of transmission if the total amount	3093
of the independent expenditures made during the reporting period	3094
under that division exceeds ten thousand dollars.	3095

Within five business days after a statement filed by an	3096
individual, partnership, or other entity is received by the	3097
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission,	3098
the secretary of state shall make available online to the public	3099
through the internet, as provided in division (I) of this section,	3100
the expenditure information in that statement.	3101

If a statement filed by electronic means of transmission is	3102
found to be incomplete or inaccurate after the examination of the	3103
statement for completeness and accuracy pursuant to division	3104
(B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the individual,	3105
partnership, or other entity shall file by electronic means of	3106
transmission any addendum to the statement that provides the	3107
information necessary to complete or correct the statement or, if	3108
required by the secretary of state under that division, an amended	3109
statement.	3110

Within five business days after the secretary of state	3111
receives from an individual, partnership, or other entity	3112
described in division (B)(2)(b) or (C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105	3113
of the Revised Code an addendum to the statement or an amended	3114
statement by electronic or other means of transmission under this	3115
division or division (B)(3)(a) of section 3517.11 of the Revised	3116
Code, the secretary of state shall make the expenditure	3117
information in the addendum or amended statement available online	3118
to the public through the internet as provided in division (I) of	3119
this section.	3120

(H)(1) The secretary of state, by rule adopted pursuant to	3121
section 3517.23 of the Revised Code, shall prescribe one or more	3122
techniques by which a person who executes and transmits by	3123
electronic means a statement of contributions and expenditures, a	3124
statement of independent expenditures, an addendum to either	3125
statement, an amended statement of contributions and expenditures,	3126
or an amended statement of independent expenditures under this	3127
section or section 3517.10 or 3517.105 of the Revised Code shall	3128
electronically sign the statement, addendum, or amended statement.	3129
Any technique prescribed by the secretary of state pursuant to	3130
this division shall create an electronic signature that satisfies	3131
all of the following:	3132

(a) It is unique to the signer.

3133

(b) It objectively identifies the signer.

3134

(c) It involves the use of a signature device or other means	3135
or method that is under the sole control of the signer and that	3136
cannot be readily duplicated or compromised.	3137

(d) It is created and linked to the electronic record to	3138
which it relates in a manner that, if the record or signature is	3139
intentionally or unintentionally changed after signing, the	3140
electronic signature is invalidated.	3141

(2) An electronic signature prescribed by the secretary of	3142
state under division (H)(1) of this section shall be attached to	3143
or associated with the statement of contributions and	3144
expenditures, the statement of independent expenditures, the	3145
addendum to either statement, the amended statement of	3146
contributions and expenditures, or the amended statement of	3147
independent expenditures that is executed and transmitted by	3148
electronic means by the person to whom the electronic signature is	3149
attributed. The electronic signature that is attached to or	3150
associated with the statement, addendum, or amended statement	3151
under this division shall be binding on all persons and for all	3152
purposes under the campaign finance reporting law as if the	3153
signature had been handwritten in ink on a printed form of the	3154
statement, addendum, or amended statement.	3155

(I) The secretary of state shall make the contribution and	3156
expenditure information in all statements, all addenda to the	3157
statements, and all amended statements that are filed with the	3158
secretary of state by electronic or other means of transmission	3159
under this section or section 3517.10, 3517.105, or 3517.11 of the	3160
Revised Code available online to the public by any means that are	3161
searchable, viewable, and accessible through the internet.	3162

(J)(1) As used in this division, "library" means a library	3163
that is open to the public and that is one of the following:	3164

(a) A library that is maintained and regulated under section	3165
715.13 of the Revised Code;	3166

(b) A library that is created, maintained, and regulated	3167
under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code.	3168

(2) The secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the	3169
location on the internet at which the contribution and expenditure	3170
information in campaign finance statements required to be made	3171
available online to the public through the internet pursuant to	3172
division (I) of this section may be accessed.	3173

On and after January 1, 2001, ifIf that location is part of	3174
the graphical subnetwork called the world wide web and if the	3175
secretary of state has notified a library of that world wide web	3176
location as required by this division, the library shall include a	3177
link to that world wide web location on each internet-connected	3178
computer it maintains that is accessible to the public.	3179

(3) If the system the secretary of state prescribes for the	3180
filing of campaign finance statements by electronic means of	3181
transmission pursuant to division (H)(1) of this section and	3182
divisions (C)(6)(b) and (D)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised	3183
Code includes filing those statements through the internet via an	3184
interactive location on the graphical subnetwork called the world	3185
wide web, the secretary of state shall notify all libraries of the	3186
world wide web location at which those statements may be filed.	3187

On and after January 1, 2001, ifIf those statements may be	3188
filed through the internet via an interactive location on the	3189
graphical subnetwork called the world wide web and if the	3190
secretary of state has notified a library of that world wide web	3191
location as required by this division, the library shall include a	3192
link to that world wide web location on each internet-connected	3193
computer it maintains that is accessible to the public.	3194

(K) It is an affirmative defense to a complaint or charge	3195
brought against any campaign committee, political action	3196
committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, political	3197
contributing entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity	3198
for the failure to file by electronic means of transmission a	3199
campaign finance statement as required by this section or section	3200
3517.10 or 3517.105 of the Revised Code that all of the following	3201
apply to the campaign committee, political action committee,	3202
legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing	3203
entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity that failed to	3204
file the required statement:	3205

(1) The campaign committee, political action committee,	3206
legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing	3207
entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity attempted to	3208
file by electronic means of transmission the required statement	3209
prior to the deadline set forth in the applicable section.	3210

(2) The campaign committee, political action committee,	3211
legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing	3212
entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity was unable to	3213
file by electronic means of transmission due to an expected or	3214
unexpected shutdown of the whole or part of the electronic	3215
campaign finance statement-filing system, such as for maintenance	3216
or because of hardware, software, or network connection failure.	3217

(3) The campaign committee, political action committee,	3218
legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing	3219
entity, or individual, partnership, or other entity filed by	3220
electronic means of transmission the required statement within a	3221
reasonable period of time after being unable to so file it under	3222
the circumstance described in division (K)(2) of this section.	3223

Sec. 3517.11.  (A)(1) Campaign committees of candidates for	3224
statewide offices or the state board of education, political	3225
action committees or political contributing entities that make	3226
contributions to campaign committees of candidates that are	3227
required to file the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of	3228
the Revised Code with the secretary of state, political action	3229
committees or political contributing entities that make	3230
contributions to campaign committees of candidates for member of	3231
the general assembly, political action committees or political	3232
contributing entities that make contributions to state and	3233
national political parties and to legislative campaign funds,	3234
political action committees or political contributing entities	3235
that receive contributions or make expenditures in connection with	3236
a statewide ballot issue, political action committees or political	3237
contributing entities that make contributions to other political	3238
action committees or political contributing entities, political	3239
parties, and campaign committees, except as set forth in division	3240
(A)(3) of this section, legislative campaign funds, and state and	3241
national political parties shall file the statements prescribed by	3242
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the secretary of state.	3243

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of section	3244
3517.106 of the Revised Code, campaign committees of candidates	3245
for all other offices shall file the statements prescribed by	3246
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board of elections	3247
where their candidates are required to file their petitions or	3248
other papers for nomination or election.	3249

A campaign committee of a candidate for office of member of	3250
the general assembly shall file two copies of the printed version	3251
of any statement, addendum, or amended statement if the committee	3252
does not file by electronic means of transmission or on computer	3253
disk pursuant to division (F)(1) of section 3517.106 of the	3254
Revised Code but files by printed version only with the	3255
appropriate board of elections. The board of elections shall send	3256
one of those copies by overnight delivery service to the secretary	3257
of state before the close of business on the day the board of	3258
elections receives the statement, addendum, or amended statement.	3259

(3) Political action committees or political contributing	3260
entities that only contribute to a county political party,	3261
contribute to campaign committees of candidates whose nomination	3262
or election is to be submitted only to electors within a county,	3263
subdivision, or district, excluding candidates for member of the	3264
general assembly, and receive contributions or make expenditures	3265
in connection with ballot questions or issues to be submitted only	3266
to electors within a county, subdivision, or district shall file	3267
the statements prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code	3268
with the board of elections in that county or in the county	3269
contained in whole or part within the subdivision or district	3270
having a population greater than that of any other county	3271
contained in whole or part within that subdivision or district, as	3272
the case may be.	3273

(4) County political parties shall file the statements	3274
prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code with the board	3275
of elections of their respective counties.	3276

(B)(1) The official with whom petitions and other papers for	3277
nomination or election to public office are filed shall furnish	3278
each candidate at the time of that filing a copy of sections	3279
3517.01, 3517.08 to 3517.11, 3517.13 to 3517.993, 3599.03, and	3280
3599.031 of the Revised Code and any other materials that the	3281
secretary of state may require. Each candidate receiving the	3282
materials shall acknowledge their receipt in writing. .	3283

(2) On or before the tenth day before the dates on which	3284
statements are required to be filed by section 3517.10 of the	3285
Revised Code, every candidate subject to the provisions of this	3286
section and sections 3517.10 and 3517.106 of the Revised Code	3287
shall be notified of the requirements and applicable penalties of	3288
those sections. The secretary of state, by certified mail, return	3289
receipt requested, shall notify all candidates required to file	3290
those statements with the secretary of state's office. The board	3291
of elections of every county shall notify by first class mail any	3292
candidate who has personally appeared at the office of the board	3293
on or before the tenth day before the statements are required to	3294
be filed and signed a form, to be provided by the secretary of	3295
state, attesting that the candidate has been notified of the	3296
candidate's obligations under the campaign finance law. The board	3297
shall forward the completed form to the secretary of state. The	3298
board shall use certified mail, return receipt requested, to	3299
notify all other candidates required to file those statements with	3300
it.	3301

(3)(a) Any statement required to be filed under sections	3302
3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code that is found to be	3303
incomplete or inaccurate by the officer to whom it is submitted	3304
shall be accepted on a conditional basis, and the person who filed	3305
it shall be notified by certified mail as to the incomplete or	3306
inaccurate nature of the statement. The secretary of state may	3307
examine statements filed for candidates for the office of member	3308
of the general assembly for completeness and accuracy. On and	3309
after January 1, 2001, theThe secretary of state shall examine	3310
for completeness and accuracy statements that campaign committees	3311
of candidates for the office of member of the general assembly	3312
file by electronic means of transmission pursuant to division (F)	3313
of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code. If an officer at the	3314
board of elections where a statement filed for a candidate for the	3315
office of member of the general assembly was submitted finds the	3316
statement to be incomplete or inaccurate, the officer shall	3317
immediately notify the secretary of state of its incomplete or	3318
inaccurate nature. If either an officer at the board of elections	3319
or the secretary of state finds a statement filed for a candidate	3320
for the office of member of the general assembly to be incomplete	3321
or inaccurate, only the secretary of state shall send the	3322
notification as to the incomplete or inaccurate nature of the	3323
statement.	3324

Within twenty-one days after receipt of the notice, in the	3325
case of a preelectionpre-election statement, a postelection	3326
statement, a monthly statement, or an annual statement prescribed	3327
by section 3517.10, an annual statement prescribed by section	3328
3517.101, or a statement prescribed by division (B)(2)(b) or	3329
(C)(2)(b) of section 3517.105 or section 3517.107 of the Revised	3330
Code, the recipient shall file an addendum, amendment, or other	3331
correction to the statement providing the information necessary to	3332
complete or correct the statement. The secretary of state may	3333
require that, in lieu of filing an addendum, amendment, or other	3334
correction to a statement that is filed by electronic means of	3335
transmission to the office of the secretary of state or on	3336
computer disk with the appropriate board of elections pursuant to	3337
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, the recipient of the notice	3338
described in this division file by electronic means of	3339
transmission, or, until JanuaryMarch 1, 20032004, on computer	3340
disk with the appropriate board of elections if the original	3341
statement was filed on computer disk, an amended statement that	3342
incorporates the information necessary to complete or correct the	3343
statement. The secretary of state shall determine by rule when an	3344
addendum, amendment, or other correction to a two-business-day	3345
statement prescribed by section 3517.10 of the Revised Code or an	3346
amended two-business-day statement shall be filed. An addendum,	3347
amendment, or other correction to a statement that is filed by	3348
electronic means of transmission or on computer disk pursuant to	3349
section 3517.106 of the Revised Code shall be filed in the same	3350
manner as the statement. The provisions of sections 3517.10 and	3351
3517.106 of the Revised Code pertaining to the filing of	3352
statements of contributions and expenditures and statements of	3353
independent expenditures by electronic means of transmission or on	3354
computer disk apply to the filing of addenda, amendments, or other	3355
corrections to those statements by electronic means of	3356
transmission or, until JanuaryMarch 1, 20032004, on computer disk	3357
and the filing of amended statements by electronic means of	3358
transmission or, until JanuaryMarch 1, 20032004, on computer	3359
disk.	3360

(b) Within five business days after the secretary of state	3361
receives, by electronic or other means of transmission, an	3362
addendum, amendment, or other correction to a statement or an	3363
amended statement under division (B)(3)(a) of this section, the	3364
secretary of state, pursuant to divisions (E), (F), (G), and (I)	3365
of section 3517.106 of the Revised Code, shall make the	3366
contribution and expenditure information in that addendum,	3367
amendment, correction, or amended statement available online to	3368
the public through the internet. As used in this division,	3369
"internet" has the same meaning as in section 3517.106 of the	3370
Revised Code.	3371

(4)(a) The secretary of state or the board of elections	3372
shall examine all statements for compliance with sections 3517.08	3373
to 3517.17 of the Revised Code.	3374

(b) The secretary of state may contract with an individual	3375
or entity not associated with the secretary of state and	3376
experienced in interpreting the campaign finance law of this state	3377
to conduct examinations of statements filed by any statewide	3378
candidate, as defined in section 3517.103 of the Revised Code.	3379

(c) The examination shall be conducted by a person or entity	3380
qualified to conduct it. The results of the examination shall be	3381
available to the public, and, when the examination is conducted by	3382
an individual or entity not associated with the secretary of	3383
state, the results of the examination shall be reported to the	3384
secretary of state.	3385

(C)(1) In the event of a failure to file or a late filing of	3386
a statement required to be filed under sections 3517.081 to	3387
3517.17 of the Revised Code or if a filed statement or any	3388
addendum to the statement, if an addendum is required to be filed,	3389
is incomplete or inaccurate or appears to disclose a failure to	3390
comply with or a violation of law, the official whose duty it is	3391
to examine the statement shall promptly file a complaint with the	3392
Ohio elections commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised	3393
Code if the law is one over which the commission has jurisdiction	3394
to hear complaints, or the official shall promptly report the	3395
failure or violation to the board of elections and the board shall	3396
promptly report it to the prosecuting attorney in accordance with	3397
division (J) of section 3501.11 of the Revised Code. If the	3398
official files a complaint with the commission, the commission	3399
shall proceed in accordance with sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of	3400
the Revised Code.	3401

(2) For purposes of division (C)(1) of this section, a	3402
statement or an addendum to a statement required to be filed under	3403
sections 3517.081 to 3517.17 of the Revised Code is incomplete or	3404
inaccurate under this section if the statement or addendum fails	3405
to disclose substantially all contributions that are received from	3406
a source and that are required to be reported under sections	3407
3517.10, 3517.107, and 3517.108 of the Revised Code or if the	3408
statement or addendum fails to disclose at least ninety per cent	3409
of the total contributions received or of the total expenditures	3410
made during the reporting period.	3411

(D) No certificate of nomination or election shall be issued	3412
to a person, and no person elected to an office shall enter upon	3413
the performance of the duties of that office, until that person or	3414
that person's campaign committee, as appropriate, has fully	3415
complied with this section and sections 3517.08, 3517.081,	3416
3517.10, and 3517.13 of the Revised Code.	3417

Sec. 3519.03. (A) The committee named in a initiative	3418
petition may prepare the argument or explanation, or both, in	3419
favor of the measure proposed, and the committee named in a	3420
referendum petition may prepare the argument or explanation, or	3421
both, against any law,or section, or item of law. The persons	3422
who prepare the argument or explanation, or both, in opposition to	3423
the initiated proposal, or the argument or explanation, or both,	3424
in favor of the measure to be referred shall be named by the	3425
general assembly, if it is in session, and if not in session, then	3426
or by the governor, if the general assembly is not in session.	3427
Such argument or explanation, or both, shall not exceed three	3428
hundred words, and shall be filed with the secretary of state at	3429
least seventy-five days prior to the date of the election at which	3430
the measure is to be voted upon.	3431

(B)(1) If the committee named in an initiative petition, the	3432
committee named in a referendum petition, or other persons	3433
designated under division (A) of this section fail to prepare and	3434
file their arguments or explanations by the seventy-fifth day	3435
before the date of the election, the secretary of state shall	3436
notify the Ohio ballot board that those arguments or explanations	3437
have not been so prepared and filed. The board then shall prepare	3438
the missing arguments or explanations or designate a group of	3439
persons to prepare those arguments or explanations. All arguments	3440
or explanations prepared under this division shall be filed with	3441
the secretary of state no later than seventy days before the date	3442
of the election. No argument or explanation shall exceed three	3443
hundred words.	3444

(2) If the Ohio ballot board fails to provide for the	3445
preparation of missing arguments or explanations under division	3446
(B)(1) of this section after being notified by the secretary of	3447
state that one or more arguments or explanations have not been	3448
timely prepared and filed, the positions of the four appointed	3449
members of the board shall be considered vacant, and new members	3450
shall be appointed in the manner provided for original	3451
appointments.	3452

Sec. 3599.09. Whoever knowingly violates division (A) of	3453
section 3513.052 is guilty of seeking nomination or election to	3454
more than one prohibited office at the same election and shall be	3455
fined not more than five hundred dollars.	3456

Section 2. That existing sections 107.08, 3501.01, 3501.38,	3457
3501.39, 3505.03, 3505.061, 3505.062, 3505.063, 3513.04, 3513.041,	3458
3513.05, 3513.23, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255,	3459
3513.257, 3513.259, 3513.261, 3513.30, 3513.31, 3517.02, 3517.03,	3460
3517.10, 3517.106, 3517.11, and 3519.03 of the Revised Code are	3461
hereby repealed.	3462

Section 3.  Sections 3513.255 and 3513.259 of the Revised	3463
Code are presented in this act as composites of the sections as	3464
amended by both Am. Sub. H.B. 99 and Am. Sub. H.B. 117 of the	3465
121st General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the	3466
principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised	3467
Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of	3468
simultaneous operation, finds that the composites are the	3469
resulting versions of the sections in effect prior to the	3470
effective date of the sections as presented in this act.	3471

Section 4. This act is hereby declared to be an emergency	3472
measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public	3473
peace, health, and safety. The reason for the necessity is that	3474
certain General Assembly candidates who otherwise will be required	3475
to file their campaign finance statements by electronic means of	3476
transmission beginning on January 1, 2003, lack the technological	3477
means to file the required statements in that manner. Therefore,	3478
this act shall go into immediate effect.	3479