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, and 3519.03 and

5

to enact sections 3513.052 and 3599.09 of the

6

Revised Code to require the Ohio Ballot Board or a

7

group of persons designated by the Board to prepare

8

and file arguments in support of or in opposition

9

to each constitutional amendment proposed by the

10

General Assembly, each constitutional amendment or

11

state law proposed by an initiative petition, and

12

each state law, or section or item of state law,

13

subject to a referendum petition, if the persons

14

designated to prepare those arguments fail to

15

timely prepare and file them; to specify that the

16

positions of the four appointed Board members must

17

be considered vacant if the Board fails to have the

18

missing arguments prepared and filed; to require

19

the Board to certify ballot language and

20

explanations to the Secretary of State at least 80

21

days prior to an election; to specify that an

22

election to fill an unexpired term of certain

23

judicial offices must be held at the first general

24

election for the office that occurs more than 40

25

days after the governor's appointment to fill the

26

vacant office; to include members of a board of

27

elections in the definition of an "election

28

official" for purposes of statutes relating to

29

elections and political communications; to prohibit

30

a petition from being withdrawn after it is filed

31

in a public office; to require the designation of

32

"Independent" to be printed on a ballot under the

33

name of each nonjudicial candidate who files a

34

nominating petition and requests that designation;

35

to specify that no person may seek to be a

36

candidate for two or more specified offices that

37

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

38

board of elections or the Secretary of State to

39

reject any declaration of candidacy, declaration of

40

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

41

petition filed by a person who is a candidate for a

42

specified office at the same election; to require a

43

board of elections or the Secretary of State to

44

disqualify any such candidate based on certain

45

criteria; and to remove the requirement that a

46

write-in candidate for the position of

47

committeeperson of a political party controlling

48

committee receive the same number of votes as

49

petition signatures necessary to qualify the person

50

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

51

in order to win an election by receiving the

52

greatest number of votes cast for the position.

53

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

Section 1. That sections 107.08, 3501.01, 3501.38, 3501.39,	54
3505.03, 3505.061, 3505.062, 3505.063, 3513.04, 3513.041, 3513.05,	55
3513.23, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.257,	56
3513.259, 3513.261, 3513.30, 3513.31, 3517.02, 3517.03, and	57
3519.03 be amended and sections 3513.052 and 3599.09 of the	58
Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:	59

Sec. 107.08.  The office of a judge is vacant at the	60
expiration of the term of the incumbent when no person has been	61
elected as histhe judge's successor. SuchThe vacancy shall be	62
filled by appointment by the governor. If the appointment is to a	63
court of appeals, court of common pleas, or municipal court, the	64
clerk of the court shall give written notice to the board of	65
elections responsible for conducting elections for that court of	66
the name of the appointee. A successor shall be elected for the	67
unexpired term at the first general election for the office that	68
occurs more than thirtyforty days after suchthe appointment.	69

Sec. 3501.01.  As used in the sections of the Revised Code	70
relating to elections and political communications:	71

(A) "General election" means the election held on the first	72
Tuesday after the first Monday in each November.	73

(B) "Regular municipal election" means the election held on	74
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each	75
odd-numbered year.	76

(C) "Regular state election" means the election held on the	77
first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each	78
even-numbered year.	79

(D) "Special election" means any election other than those	80
elections defined in other divisions of this section. A special	81
election may be held only on the first Tuesday after the first	82
Monday in February, May, August, or November, or on the day	83
authorized by a particular municipal or county charter for the	84
holding of a primary election, except that in any year in which a	85
presidential primary election is held, no special election shall	86
be held in February or May, except as authorized by a municipal or	87
county charter, but may be held on the first Tuesday after the	88
first Monday in March.	89

(E)(1) "Primary" or "primary election" means an election	90
held for the purpose of nominating persons as candidates of	91
political parties for election to offices, and for the purpose of	92
electing persons as members of the controlling committees of	93
political parties and as delegates and alternates to the	94
conventions of political parties. Primary elections shall be held	95
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each year	96
except in years in which a presidential primary election is held.	97

(2) "Presidential primary election" means a primary election	98
as defined by division (E)(1) of this section at which an election	99
is held for the purpose of choosing delegates and alternates to	100
the national conventions of the major political parties pursuant	101
to section 3513.12 of the Revised Code. Unless otherwise	102
specified, presidential primary elections are included in	103
references to primary elections. In years in which a presidential	104
primary election is held, all primary elections shall be held on	105
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March except as	106
otherwise authorized by a municipal or county charter.	107

(F) "Political party" means any group of voters meeting the	108
requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code for	109
the formation and existence of a political party.	110

(1) "Major political party" means any political party	111
organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for	112
governor or nominees for presidential electors received no less	113
than twenty per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the	114
most recent regular state election.	115

(2) "Intermediate political party" means any political party	116
organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for	117
governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than	118
twenty per cent but not less than ten per cent of the total vote	119
cast for such office at the most recent regular state election.	120

(3) "Minor political party" means any political party	121
organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for	122
governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than	123
ten per cent but not less than five per cent of the total vote	124
cast for such office at the most recent regular state election or	125
which has filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any	126
election in which it received less than five per cent of such	127
vote, a petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to	128
at least one per cent of the total vote cast for such office in	129
the last preceding regular state election, except that a newly	130
formed political party shall be known as a minor political party	131
until the time of the first election for governor or president	132
which occurs not less than twelve months subsequent to the	133
formation of such party, after which election the status of such	134
party shall be determined by the vote for the office of governor	135
or president.	136

(G) "Dominant party in a precinct" or "dominant political	137
party in a precinct" means that political party whose candidate	138
for election to the office of governor at the most recent regular	139
state election at which a governor was elected received more votes	140
than any other person received for election to that office in such	141
precinct at such election.	142

(H) "Candidate" means any qualified person certified in	143
accordance with the provisions of the Revised Code for placement	144
on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special election	145
to be held in this state, or any qualified person who claims to be	146
a write-in candidate, or who knowingly assents to being	147
represented as a write-in candidate by another at either a	148
primary, general, or special election to be held in this state.	149

(I) "Independent candidate" means any candidate who claims	150
not to be affiliated with a political party, and whose name has	151
been certified on the office-type ballot at a general or special	152
election through the filing of a statement of candidacy and	153
nominating petition, as prescribed in section 3513.257 of the	154
Revised Code.	155

(J) "Nonpartisan candidate" means any candidate whose name	156
is required, pursuant to section 3505.04 of the Revised Code, to	157
be listed on the nonpartisan ballot, including all candidates for	158
judicial office, for member of any board of education, for	159
municipal or township offices in which primary elections are not	160
held for nominating candidates by political parties, and for	161
offices of municipal corporations having charters that provide for	162
separate ballots for elections for these offices.	163

(K) "Party candidate" means any candidate who claims to be a	164
member of a political party, whose name has been certified on the	165
office-type ballot at a general or special election through the	166
filing of a declaration of candidacy and petition of candidate,	167
and who has won the primary election of the candidate's party for	168
the public office the candidate seeks or is selected by party	169
committee in accordance with section 3513.31 of the Revised Code.	170

(L) "Officer of a political party" includes, but is not	171
limited to, any member, elected or appointed, of a controlling	172
committee, whether representing the territory of the state, a	173
district therein, a county, township, a city, a ward, a precinct,	174
or other territory, of a major, intermediate, or minor political	175
party.	176

(M) "Question or issue" means any question or issue	177
certified in accordance with the Revised Code for placement on an	178
official ballot at a general or special election to be held in	179
this state.	180

(N) "Elector" or "qualified elector" means a person having	181
the qualifications provided by law to be entitled to vote.	182

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

183

(P) "Voting residence" means that place of residence of an	184
elector which shall determine the precinct in which the elector	185
may vote.	186

(Q) "Precinct" means a district within a county established	187
by the board of elections of such county within which all	188
qualified electors having a voting residence therein may vote at	189
the same polling place.	190

(R) "Polling place" means that place provided for each	191
precinct at which the electors having a voting residence in such	192
precinct may vote.	193

(S) "Board" or "board of elections" means the board of	194
elections appointed in a county pursuant to section 3501.06 of the	195
Revised Code.	196

(T) "Political subdivision" means "a county,""township,"	197
"city,""village," or "school district."	198

(U) "Election officer" or "election official" means any of	199
the following:	200

(1) Secretary of state;

201

(2) Employees of the secretary of state serving in the	202
division of elections in the capacity of attorney, administrative	203
officer, administrative assistant, elections administrator, office	204
manager, or clerical supervisor;	205

(3) Director of a board of elections;

206

(4) Deputy director of a board of elections;

207

(5) Member of a board of elections;

208

(6) Employees of a board of elections;

209

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

210

(7)(8) Employees appointed by the boards of elections on a	211
temporary or part-time basis.	212

(V) "Acknowledgment notice" means a notice sent by a board	213
of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state,	214
informing a voter registration applicant or an applicant who	215
wishes to change the applicant's residence or name of the status	216
of the application; the information necessary to complete or	217
update the application, if any; and if the application is	218
complete, the precinct in which the applicant is to vote.	219

(W) "Confirmation notice" means a notice sent by a board of	220
elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, to a	221
registered elector to confirm the registered elector's current	222
address.	223

(X) "Designated agency" means an office or agency in the	224
state that provides public assistance or that provides	225
state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to	226
persons with disabilities and that is required by the National	227
Voter Registration Act of 1993 to implement a program designed and	228
administered by the secretary of state for registering voters, or	229
any other public or government office or agency that implements a	230
program designed and administered by the secretary of state for	231
registering voters, including the department of job and family	232
services, the program administered under section 3701.132 of the	233
Revised Code by the department of health, the department of mental	234
health, the department of mental retardation and developmental	235
disabilities, the rehabilitation services commission, and any	236
other agency the secretary of state designates. "Designated	237
agency" does not include public high schools and vocational	238
schools, public libraries, or the office of a county treasurer.	239

(Y) "National Voter Registration Act of 1993" means the	240
"National Voter Registration Act of 1993," 107 Stat. 77, 42	241
U.S.C.A. 1973gg.	242

(Z) "Voting Rights Act of 1965" means the "Voting Rights Act	243
of 1965," 79 Stat. 437, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973, as amended.	244

Sec. 3501.38.  All declarations of candidacy, nominating	245
petitions, or other petitions presented to or filed with the	246
secretary of state or a board of elections or with any other	247
public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any	248
nomination or office or for the holding of an election on any	249
issue shall, in addition to meeting the other specific	250
requirements prescribed in the sections of the Revised Code	251
relating to them, be governed by the following rules:	252

(A) Only electors qualified to vote on the candidacy or	253
issue which is the subject of the petition shall sign a petition.	254
Each signer shall be a registered elector pursuant to section	255
3503.11 of the Revised Code. The facts of qualification shall be	256
determined as of the date when the petition is filed.	257

(B) Signatures shall be affixed in ink. Each signer may	258
also print the signer's name, so as to clearly identify the	259
signer's signature.	260

(C) Each signer shall place on the petition after the	261
signer's name the date of signing and the location of the	262
signer's voting residence, including the street and number if in a	263
municipal corporation or the rural route number, post office	264
address, or township if outside a municipal corporation. The	265
voting address given on the petition shall be the address	266
appearing in the registration records at the board of elections.	267

(D) No person shall write any name other than the person's	268
own on any petition. No person may authorize another to sign for	269
the person. Where a petition contains the signature of an elector	270
two or more times, only the first signature shall be counted.	271

(E) On each petition paper, the circulator shall indicate	272
the number of signatures contained on it, and shall sign a	273
statement made under penalty of election falsification that the	274
circulator witnessed the affixing of every signature, that all	275
signers were to the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief	276
qualified to sign, and that every signature is to the best of the	277
circulator's knowledge and belief the signature of the person	278
whose signature it purports to be.	279

(F) If a circulator knowingly permits an unqualified person	280
to sign a petition paper or permits a person to write a name other	281
than the person's own on a petition paper, that petition paper is	282
invalid; otherwise, the signature of a person not qualified to	283
sign shall be rejected but shall not invalidate the other valid	284
signatures on the paper.	285

(G) The circulator of a petition may, before filing it in a	286
public office, strike from it any signature the circulator does	287
not wish to present as a part of the petition.	288

(H) Any signer of a petition may remove the signer's	289
signature from that petition at any time before the petition is	290
filed in a public office by striking the signer's name from the	291
petition; no signature may be removed after the petition is filed	292
in any public office.	293

(I)(1) No alterations, corrections, or additions may be made	294
to a petition after it is filed in a public office.	295

(2) No petition may be withdrawn after it is filed in a	296
public office. Nothing in this division prohibits a person from	297
withdrawing as a candidate as otherwise provided by law.	298

(J) All declarations of candidacy, nominating petitions, or	299
other petitions under this section shall be accompanied by the	300
following statement in boldface capital letters: WHOEVER COMMITS	301
ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.	302

(K) All separate petition papers shall be filed at the same	303
time, as one instrument.	304

Sec. 3501.39.  (A) The secretary of state or a board of	305
elections shall accept any petition described in section 3501.38	306
of the Revised Code unless one of the following occurs:	307

(1) A written protest against the petition or candidacy,	308
naming specific objections, is filed, a hearing is held, and a	309
determination is made by the election officials with whom the	310
protest is filed that the petition is invalid, in accordance with	311
any section of the Revised Code providing a protest procedure.	312

(2) A written protest against the petition or candidacy,	313
naming specific objections, is filed, a hearing is held, and a	314
determination is made by the election officials with whom the	315
protest is filed that the petition violates any requirement	316
established by law.	317

(3) The candidate's candidacy or the petition violates the	318
requirements of this chapter, Chapter 3513. of the Revised Code,	319
or any other requirements established by law.	320

(B) AExcept as otherwise provided in section 3513.052 of the	321
Revised Code, a board of elections shall not invalidate any	322
declaration of candidacy or nominating petition under division	323
(A)(3) of this section after the fiftieth day prior to the	324
election at which the candidate seeks nomination to office, if the	325
candidate filed a declaration of candidacy, or election to office,	326
if the candidate filed a nominating petition.	327

Sec. 3505.03.  On the office type ballot shall be printed the	328
names of all candidates for election to offices, except judicial	329
offices, who were nominated at the most recent primary election as	330
candidates of a political party or who were nominated in	331
accordance with section 3513.02 of the Revised Code, and the names	332
of all candidates for election to offices who were nominated by	333
nominating petitions, except candidates for judicial offices, for	334
member of the state board of education, for member of a board of	335
education, for municipal offices, and for township offices.	336

The face of suchthe ballot below the stub shall be	337
substantially in the following form:	338

"OFFICIAL OFFICE TYPE BALLOT

339

(A) To vote for a candidate record your vote in the manner	340
provided next to the name of such candidate.	341

(B) If you tear, soil, deface, or erroneously mark this	342
ballot, return it to the precinct election officers or, if you	343
cannot return it, notify the precinct election officers, and	344
obtain another ballot."	345

The order in which the offices shall be listed on the ballot	346
shall be prescribed by, and certified to each board of elections	347
by, the secretary of state; provided that for state, district, and	348
county offices the order from top to bottom shall be as follows:	349
governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor of	350
state, secretary of state, treasurer of state, United States	351
senator, representative to congress, state senator, state	352
representative, county commissioner, county auditor, prosecuting	353
attorney, clerk of the court of common pleas, sheriff, county	354
recorder, county treasurer, county engineer, and coroner. The	355
offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall be printed on	356
the ballot in a manner that requires a voter to cast one vote	357
jointly for the candidates who have been nominated by the same	358
political party or petition.	359

The names of all candidates for an office shall be arranged	360
in a group under the title of that office, and, except for	361
absentee ballots or when the number of candidates for a particular	362
office is the same as the number of candidates to be elected for	363
that office, shall be rotated from one precinct to another. On	364
absentee ballots, the names of all candidates for an office shall	365
be arranged in a group under the title of that office and shall be	366
so alternated that each name shall appear, insofar as may be	367
reasonably possible, substantially an equal number of times at the	368
beginning, at the end, and in each intermediate place, if any, of	369
the group in which such name belongs, unless the number of	370
candidates for a particular office is the same as the number of	371
candidates to be elected for that office.	372

The method of printing the ballots to meet the rotation	373
requirement of this section shall be as follows: Thethe least	374
common multiple of the number of names in each of the several	375
groups of candidates shall be used, and the number of changes made	376
in the printer's forms in printing suchthe ballots shall	377
correspond with suchthat multiple. The board of elections shall	378
number all precincts in regular serial sequence. In the first	379
precinct, the names of the candidates in each group shall be	380
listed in alphabetical order. In each succeeding precinct, the	381
name in each group whichthat is listed first in the preceding	382
precinct shall be listed last, and the name of each candidate	383
shall be moved up one place. In each precinct using paper	384
ballots, the printed ballots shall then be assembled in tablets.	385

Under the name of each candidate nominated at a primary	386
election and each candidate certified by a party committee to fill	387
a vacancy under section 3513.31 of the Revised Code shall be	388
printed, in less prominent type face than that in which the	389
candidate's name is printed, the name of the political party by	390
which the candidate was nominated or certified. Under the name of	391
each nonjudicial candidate appearing on the ballot who filed a	392
nominating petition and requested a ballot designation under	393
section 3513.257 of the Revised Code shall be printed, in less	394
prominent type face than that in which the candidate's name is	395
printed, the designation of "independent."	396

Except as provided in this section, no words, designations,	397
or emblems descriptive of a candidate or histhe candidate's	398
political affiliation, or indicative of the method by which the	399
candidate was nominated or certified, shall be printed under or	400
after a candidate's name whichthat is printed on the ballot.	401

Sec. 3505.061.  (A) The Ohio ballot board, as authorized by	402
Section 1 of Article XVI, Ohio Constitution, shall consist of the	403
secretary of state and four appointed members. No more than two	404
of the appointed members shall be of the same political party. One	405
of the members shall be appointed by the president of the senate,	406
one shall be appointed by the minortyminority leader of the	407
senate, one shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of	408
representatives, and one shall be appointed by the minority leader	409
of the house of representatives. The appointments shall be made	410
no later than the last Monday in January in the year in which the	411
appointments are to be made. If any appointment is not so made,	412
the secretary of state, acting in place of the person otherwise	413
required to make the appointment, shall appoint as many qualified	414
members affiliated with the appropriate political party as are	415
necessary.	416

(B) The initial appointees to the board shall serve until	417
the first Monday in February, 1977. Thereafter, terms of office	418
shall be for four years, each term ending on the first Monday in	419
February. The term of the secretary of state on the board shall	420
coincide with histhe secretary of state's term of office as	421
secretary of state. EachExcept as otherwise provided in division	422
(B)(2) of section 3505.063 and division (B)(2) of section 3519.03	423
of the Revised Code, each appointed member of the board shall hold	424
office from the date of his appointment until the end of the term	425
for which he was appointed. AnyExcept as otherwise provided in	426
those divisions, any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring	427
prior to the expiration of the term for which histhe member's	428
predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of	429
suchthat term. AnyExcept as otherwise provided in those	430
divisions, any member shall continue in office subsequent to the	431
expiration date of histhe member's term until histhe member's	432
successor takes office, or until a period of sixty days has	433
elapsed, whichever occurs first. Any vacancy occurring on the	434
board shall be filled in the manner provided for original	435
appointments. A member appointed to fill a vacancy shall be of	436
the same political party as that required of the member whom he	437
the member replaces.	438

(C) Members of the board shall serve without compensation	439
but shall be reimbursed for expenses actually and necessarily	440
incurred in the performance of their duties.	441

(D) The secretary of state shall be the chairmanchairperson	442
of the board, and hethe secretary of state or histhe secretary	443
of state's representative shall have a vote equal to that of any	444
other member. The vice-chairmanvice-chairperson shall act as	445
chairmanchairperson in the absence or disability of the chairman	446
chairperson, or during a vacancy in that office. The board shall	447
meet after notice of at least seven days at a time and place	448
determined by the chairmanchairperson. At its first meeting, the	449
board shall elect a vice-chairmanvice-chairperson from among its	450
members for a term of two years, and it shall adopt rules for its	451
procedures. After the first meeting, the board shall meet at the	452
call of the chairmanchairperson or upon the written request of	453
three other members. Three members constitute a quorum. No	454
action shall be taken without the concurrence of three members.	455

(E) The secretary of state shall provide such technical,	456
professional, and clerical employees as are necessary for the	457
board to carry out its duties.	458

Sec. 3505.062.  The Ohio ballot board shall do all of the	459
following:	460

(A) Prescribe the ballot language for constitutional	461
amendments proposed by the general assembly to be printed on the	462
questions and issues ballot, which language shall properly	463
identify the substance of the proposal to be voted upon.;	464

(B) Prepare an explanation of each constitutional amendment	465
proposed by the general assembly, which explanation may include	466
the purpose and effects of the proposed amendment.;	467

(C) Certify the ballot language and explanation, if any, to	468
the secretary of state no later than seventy-fiveeighty days	469
before the election at which the proposed question or issue is to	470
be submitted to the voters.;	471

(D) Prepare, or designate a group of persons to prepare,	472
arguments in support of or in opposition to a constitutional	473
amendment proposed by a resolution of the general assembly, a	474
constitutional amendment or state law proposed by initiative	475
petition, or a state law, or section or item of state law, subject	476
to a referendum petition, if the persons otherwise responsible for	477
the preparation of those arguments fail to timely prepare and file	478
them;	479

(E) Direct the means by which the secretary of state shall	480
disseminate information concerning proposed constitutional	481
amendments to the voters.;	482

(E)(F) Direct the chairmanchairperson to reimburse county	483
boards of elections for public notice costs associated with	484
statewide ballot issues, to the extent that the general assembly	485
appropriates money for suchthat purpose.	486

Sec. 3505.063.  (A) When the general assembly adopts a	487
resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, it may, by	488
resolution, designate a group of members who voted in support of	489
the resolution to prepare arguments for the proposed amendment,	490
and a group of members who voted in opposition to the resolution	491
to prepare arguments against the proposed amendment. If no	492
members voted in opposition to the resolution, or if the general	493
assembly chooses not to designate a group of members to prepare	494
arguments for the proposed amendment or chooses not to designate a	495
group of members to prepare arguments against the proposed	496
amendment, the Ohio ballot board mayshall prepare the relevant	497
arguments or designate a group of persons to prepare the	498
relevant arguments. All arguments prepared under this division	499
shall be filed with the secretary of state no later than	500
seventy-five days before the date of the election. No argument	501
shall exceed three hundred words.	502

(B)(1) If the group of members of the general assembly or	503
other group of persons designated under division (A) of this	504
section fail to prepare and file their arguments in support of or	505
in opposition to the proposed amendment by the seventy-fifth day	506
before the date of the election, the secretary of state shall	507
notify the Ohio ballot board that those arguments have not been so	508
prepared and filed. The board then shall prepare the missing	509
arguments or designate a group of persons to prepare those	510
arguments. All arguments prepared under this division shall be	511
filed with the secretary of state no later than seventy days	512
before the date of the election. No argument shall exceed three	513
hundred words.	514

(2) If the Ohio ballot board fails to provide for the	515
preparation of missing arguments under division (B)(1) of this	516
section after being notified by the secretary of state that one or	517
more arguments have not been timely prepared and filed, the	518
positions of the four appointed members of the board shall be	519
considered vacant, and new members shall be appointed in the	520
manner provided for original appointments.	521

(C) The secretary of state shall disseminate information,	522
which may include part or all of the official explanation and	523
arguments concerning proposed amendments, by means of direct mail	524
or other written publication, broadcast, or such other means, or	525
combination of means, as the Ohio ballot board may direct, in	526
order to inform the voters as fully as possible concerning	527
proposed amendments.	528

Sec. 3513.04.  Candidates for party nominations to state,	529
district, county, and municipal offices or positions, for which	530
party nominations are provided by law, and for election as members	531
of party controlling committees shall have their names printed on	532
the official primary ballot by filing a declaration of candidacy	533
and paying the fees specified for the office under divisions (A)	534
and (B) of section 3513.10 of the Revised Code, except that the	535
joint candidates for party nomination to the offices of governor	536
and lieutenant governor shall, for the two of them, file one	537
declaration of candidacy. The joint candidates also shall pay the	538
fees specified for the joint candidates under divisions (A) and	539
(B) of section 3513.10 of the Revised Code.	540

The secretary of state shall not accept for filing the	541
declaration of candidacy of a candidate for party nomination to	542
the office of governor unless the declaration of candidacy also	543
shows a joint candidate for the same party's nomination to the	544
office of lieutenant governor, shall not accept for filing the	545
declaration of candidacy of a candidate for party nomination to	546
the office of lieutenant governor unless the declaration of	547
candidacy also shows a joint candidate for the same party's	548
nomination to the office of governor, and shall not accept for	549
filing a declaration of candidacy that shows a candidate for party	550
nomination to the office of governor or lieutenant governor who,	551
for the same election, has already been shown as a candidate for	552
party nomination to the office of governor or lieutenant governor	553
onfiled a declaration of candidacy previously filed and accepted	554
for the same primary electionor a declaration of intent to be a	555
write-in candidate, or has become a candidate by the filling of a	556
vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code for any other	557
state office or any county office.	558

No person who seeks party nomination for an office or	559
position at a primary election by declaration of candidacy or by	560
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate and no person who	561
is a first choice for president of candidates seeking election as	562
delegates and alternates to the national conventions of the	563
different major political parties who are chosen by direct vote of	564
the electors as provided in this chapter shall be permitted to	565
become a candidate by nominating petition or by declaration of	566
intent to be a write-in candidate at the following general	567
election for any office other than the office of member of the	568
state board of education, office of member of a city, local, or	569
exempted village board of education, office of member of a	570
governing board of an educational service center, or office of	571
township trustee.	572

Sec. 3513.041.  A write-in space shall be provided on the	573
ballot for every office, except in an election for which the board	574
of elections has received no valid declarations of intent to be a	575
write-in candidate under this section. Write-in votes shall not	576
be counted for any candidate who has not filed a declaration of	577
intent to be a write-in candidate pursuant to this section. A	578
qualified person who has filed a declaration of intent may receive	579
write-in votes at either a primary or general election. Any	580
candidate, except one whose candidacy is to be submitted to	581
electors throughout the entire state, shall file a declaration of	582
intent to be a write-in candidate before four p.m. of the fiftieth	583
day preceding the election at which such candidacy is to be	584
considered. If the election is to be determined by electors of a	585
county or a district or subdivision within the county, such	586
declaration shall be filed with the board of elections of that	587
county. If the election is to be determined by electors of a	588
subdivision located in more than one county, such declaration	589
shall be filed with the board of elections of the county in which	590
the major portion of the population of such subdivision is	591
located. If the election is to be determined by electors of a	592
district comprised of more than one county but less than all of	593
the counties of the state, such declaration shall be filed with	594
the board of elections of the most populous county in such	595
district. Any candidate for an office to be voted upon by	596
electors throughout the entire state shall file a declaration of	597
intent to be a write-in candidate with the secretary of state	598
before four p.m. of the fiftieth day preceding the election at	599
which such candidacy is to be considered. In addition, candidates	600
for president and vice-president of the United States shall also	601
file with the secretary of state by said fiftieth day a slate of	602
presidential electors sufficient in number to satisfy the	603
requirements of the United States constitution.	604

A board of elections shall not accept for filing the	605
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate of a person	606
seeking to become a candidate if that person, for the same	607
election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, a	608
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	609
petition, or has become a candidate through party nomination at a	610
primary election or by the filling of a vacancy under section	611
3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code, for any state or county	612
office, if the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate is	613
for a state or county office, or for any municipal or township	614
office, for member of a city, local, or exempted village board of	615
education, or for member of a governing board of an educational	616
service center, if the declaration of intent to be a write-in	617
candidate is for a municipal or township office, or for member of	618
a city, local, or exempted village board of education, or for	619
member of a governing board of an educational service center.	620

No person shall file a declaration of intent to be a write-in	621
candidate for the office of governor unless the declaration also	622
shows the intent of another person to be a write-in candidate for	623
the office of lieutenant governor. No person shall file a	624
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for the office of	625
lieutenant governor unless the declaration also shows the intent	626
of another person to be a write-in candidate for the office of	627
governor. No person shall file a declaration of intent to be a	628
write-in candidate for the office of governor or lieutenant	629
governor if the person has previously filed a declaration of	630
intent to be a write-in candidate to the office of governor or	631
lieutenant governor at the same primary or general election. A	632
write-in vote for the two candidates who file such a declaration	633
shall be counted as a vote for them as joint candidates for the	634
offices of governor and lieutenant governor.	635

The secretary of state shall not accept for filing the	636
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate of a person for	637
the office of governor unless the declaration also shows the	638
intent of another person to be a write-in candidate for the office	639
of lieutenant governor, shall not accept for filing the	640
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate of a person for	641
the office of lieutenant governor unless the declaration also	642
shows the intent of another person to be a write-in candidate for	643
the office of governor, and shall not accept for filing the	644
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate of a person to	645
the office of governor or lieutenant governor if that person, for	646
the same election, has already been shown, onfiled a declaration	647
of candidacy, a declaration of intent previously filed and	648
accepted for the same primary or general electionto be a write-in	649
candidate, or a nominating petition, to be a write-in candidate to	650
the office of governor or lieutenant governoror has become a	651
candidate through party nomination at a primary election or by the	652
filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the	653
Revised Code, for any other state office or any county office.	654

Protests against the candidacy of any person filing a	655
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate may be filed by	656
any qualified elector who is eligible to vote in the election at	657
which the candidacy is to be considered. The protest shall be in	658
writing and shall be filed not later than four p.m. of the	659
forty-fifth day before the day of the election. The protest shall	660
be filed with the board of elections with which the declaration of	661
intent to be a write-in candidate was filed. Upon the filing of	662
the protest, the board with which it is filed shall promptly fix	663
the time for hearing it and shall proceed in regard to the hearing	664
in the same manner as for hearings set for protests filed under	665
section 3513.05 of the Revised Code. At the time fixed, the board	666
shall hear the protest and determine the validity or invalidity of	667
the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate. If the	668
board finds that the candidate is not an elector of the state,	669
district, county, or political subdivision in which the candidate	670
seeks election to office or has not fully complied with the	671
requirements of Title XXXV of the Revised Code in regard to the	672
candidate's candidacy, the candidate's declaration of intent to be	673
a write-in candidate shall be determined to be invalid and shall	674
be rejected; otherwise, it shall be determined to be valid. The	675
determination of the board is final.	676

The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the	677
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.	678

Sec. 3513.05.  Each person desiring to become a candidate for	679
a party nomination or for election to an office or position to be	680
voted for at a primary election, except persons desiring to become	681
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	682
governor and except as otherwise provided in section 3513.051 of	683
the Revised Code, shall, not later than four p.m. of the	684
seventy-fifth day before the day of the primary election, or if	685
the primary election is a presidential primary election, not later	686
than four p.m. of the sixtieth day before the day of the	687
presidential primary election, file a declaration of candidacy and	688
petition and pay the fees required under divisions (A) and (B) of	689
section 3513.10 of the Revised Code. The declaration of candidacy	690
and all separate petition papers shall be filed at the same time	691
as one instrument. When the offices are to be voted for at a	692
primary election, persons desiring to become joint candidates for	693
the offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall, not later	694
than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before the day of the	695
primary election, comply with section 3513.04 of the Revised Code.	696
The prospective joint candidates' declaration of candidacy and all	697
separate petition papers of candidacies shall be filed at the same	698
time as one instrument. The secretary of state or a board of	699
elections shall not accept for filing a declaration of candidacy	700
and petition of a person seeking to become a candidate if that	701
person, for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	702
candidacy or a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate,	703
or has become a candidate by the filling of a vacancy under	704
section 3513.30 of the Revised Code for any state or county	705
office, if the declaration of candidacy is for a state or county	706
office, or for any municipal or township office, if the	707
declaration of candidacy is for a municipal or township office.	708

If the declaration of candidacy declares a candidacy which is	709
to be submitted to electors throughout the entire state, the	710
petition, including a petition for joint candidates for the	711
offices of governor and lieutenant governor, shall be signed by at	712
least one thousand qualified electors who are members of the same	713
political party as the candidate or joint candidates, and the	714
declaration of candidacy and petition shall be filed with the	715
secretary of state; provided that the secretary of state shall not	716
accept or file any such petition appearing on its face to contain	717
signatures of more than three thousand electors.	718

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, if the	719
declaration of candidacy is of one that is to be submitted only to	720
electors within a district, political subdivision, or portion	721
thereof, the petition shall be signed by not less than fifty	722
qualified electors who are members of the same political party as	723
the political party of which the candidate is a member. If the	724
declaration of candidacy is for party nomination as a candidate	725
for member of the legislative authority of a municipal corporation	726
elected by ward, the petition shall be signed by not less than	727
twenty-five qualified electors who are members of the political	728
party of which the candidate is a member.	729

No such petition, except the petition for a candidacy that is	730
to be submitted to electors throughout the entire state, shall be	731
accepted for filing if it appears to contain on its face	732
signatures of more than three times the minimum number of	733
signatures. When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for	734
filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed	735
invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in the	736
petition, the board of elections finds the number of signatures	737
accepted exceeds three times the minimum number of signatures	738
required. A board of elections may discontinue verifying	739
signatures on petitions when the number of verified signatures	740
equals the minimum required number of qualified signatures.	741

If the declaration of candidacy declares a candidacy for	742
party nomination or for election as a candidate of an intermediate	743
or minor party, the minimum number of signatures on such petition	744
is one-half the minimum number provided in this section, except	745
that, when the candidacy is one for election as a member of the	746
state central committee or the county central committee of a	747
political party, the minimum number shall be the same for an	748
intermediate or minor party as for a major party.	749

If a declaration of candidacy is one for election as a member	750
of the state central committee or the county central committee of	751
a political party, the petition shall be signed by five qualified	752
electors of the district, county, ward, township, or precinct	753
within which electors may vote for such candidate. The electors	754
signing such petition shall be members of the same political party	755
as the political party of which the candidate is a member.	756

For purposes of signing or circulating a petition of	757
candidacy for party nomination or election, an elector is	758
considered to be a member of a political party if the elector	759
voted in that party's primary election within the preceding two	760
calendar years, or if the elector did not vote in any other	761
party's primary election within the preceding two calendar years.	762

If the declaration of candidacy is of one that is to be	763
submitted only to electors within a county, or within a district	764
or subdivision or part thereof smaller than a county, the petition	765
shall be filed with the board of elections of the county. If the	766
declaration of candidacy is of one that is to be submitted only to	767
electors of a district or subdivision or part thereof that is	768
situated in more than one county, the petition shall be filed with	769
the board of elections of the county within which the major	770
portion of the population thereof, as ascertained by the next	771
preceding federal census, is located.	772

A petition shall consist of separate petition papers, each of	773
which shall contain signatures of electors of only one county.	774
Petitions or separate petition papers containing signatures of	775
electors of more than one county shall not thereby be declared	776
invalid. In case petitions or separate petition papers containing	777
signatures of electors of more than one county are filed, the	778
board shall determine the county from which the majority of	779
signatures came, and only signatures from such county shall be	780
counted. Signatures from any other county shall be invalid.	781

Each separate petition paper shall be circulated by one	782
person only, who shall be the candidate or a joint candidate or a	783
member of the same political party as the candidates, and each	784
separate petition paper shall be governed by the rules set forth	785
in section 3501.38 of the Revised Code.	786

The secretary of state shall promptly transmit to each board	787
such separate petition papers of each petition accompanying a	788
declaration of candidacy filed with the secretary of state as	789
purport to contain signatures of electors of the county of such	790
board. The board of the most populous county of a district shall	791
promptly transmit to each board within such district such separate	792
petition papers of each petition accompanying a declaration of	793
candidacy filed with it as purport to contain signatures of	794
electors of the county of each such board. The board of a county	795
within which the major portion of the population of a subdivision,	796
situated in more than one county, is located, shall promptly	797
transmit to the board of each other county within which a portion	798
of such subdivision is located such separate petition papers of	799
each petition accompanying a declaration of candidacy filed with	800
it as purport to contain signatures of electors of the portion of	801
such subdivision in the county of each such board.	802

All petition papers so transmitted to a board and all	803
petitions accompanying declarations of candidacy filed with such	804
board shall, under proper regulations, be open to public	805
inspection until four p.m. of the seventieth day before the day of	806
the next primary election, or if that next primary election is a	807
presidential primary election, the fifty-fifth day before that	808
presidential primary election. Each board shall, not later than	809
the sixty-eighth day before the day of such primary election, or	810
if the primary election is a presidential primary election, not	811
later than the fifty-third day before such presidential primary	812
election, examine and determine the validity or invalidity of the	813
signatures on the petition papers so transmitted to or filed with	814
it and shall return to the secretary of state all petition papers	815
transmitted to it by the secretary of state, together with its	816
certification of its determination as to the validity or	817
invalidity of signatures thereon, and shall return to each other	818
board all petition papers transmitted to it by such board,	819
together with its certification of its determination as to the	820
validity or invalidity of the signatures thereon. All other	821
matters affecting the validity or invalidity of such petition	822
papers shall be determined by the secretary of state or the board	823
with whom such petition papers were filed.	824

Protests against the candidacy of any person filing a	825
declaration of candidacy for party nomination or for election to	826
an office or position, as provided in this section, may be filed	827
by any qualified elector who is a member of the same political	828
party as the candidate and who is eligible to vote at the primary	829
election for the candidate whose declaration of candidacy the	830
elector objects to, or by the controlling committee of such party.	831
Such protest must be in writing, and must be filed not later than	832
four p.m. of the sixty-fourth day before the day of the primary	833
election, or if the primary election is a presidential primary	834
election, not later than four p.m. of the forty-ninth day before	835
the day of the presidential primary election. Such protest shall	836
be filed with the election officials with whom the declaration of	837
candidacy and petition was filed. Upon the filing of such	838
protest, the election officials with whom it is filed shall	839
promptly fix the time for hearing it, and shall forthwith mail	840
notice of the filing of such protest and the time fixed for	841
hearing to the person whose candidacy is so protested. They shall	842
also forthwith mail notice of the time fixed for such hearing to	843
the person who filed the protest. At the time fixed, such	844
election officials shall hear the protest and determine the	845
validity or invalidity of the declaration of candidacy and	846
petition. If they find that such candidate is not an elector of	847
the state, district, county, or political subdivision in which the	848
candidate seeks a party nomination or election to an office or	849
position, or has not fully complied with this chapter, the	850
candidate's declaration of candidacy and petition shall be	851
determined to be invalid and shall be rejected, otherwise it shall	852
be determined to be valid. Such determination shall be final.	853

A protest against the candidacy of any persons filing a	854
declaration of candidacy for joint party nomination to the offices	855
of governor and lieutenant governor shall be filed, heard, and	856
determined in the same manner as a protest against the candidacy	857
of any person filing a declaration of candidacy singly.	858

The secretary of state shall, on the sixtieth day before the	859
day of a primary election, or if the primary election is a	860
presidential primary election, on the forty-fifth day before the	861
day of the presidential primary election, certify to each board in	862
the state the forms of the official ballots to be used at such	863
primary election, together with the names of the candidates to be	864
printed thereon whose nomination or election is to be determined	865
by electors throughout the entire state and who filed valid	866
declarations of candidacy and petitions.	867

The board of the most populous county in a district comprised	868
of more than one county but less than all of the counties of the	869
state shall on the sixtieth day before the day of a primary	870
election, or if the primary election is a presidential primary	871
election, on the forty-fifth day before the day of a presidential	872
primary election, certify to the board of each county in the	873
district the names of the candidates to be printed on the official	874
ballots to be used at such primary election, whose nomination or	875
election is to be determined only by electors within such district	876
and who filed valid declarations of candidacy and petitions.	877

The board of a county within which the major portion of the	878
population of a subdivision smaller than the county and situated	879
in more than one county is located shall, on the sixtieth day	880
before the day of a primary election, or if the primary election	881
is a presidential primary election, on the forty-fifth day before	882
the day of a presidential primary election, certify to the board	883
of each county in which a portion of such subdivision is located	884
the names of the candidates to be printed on the official ballots	885
to be used at such primary election, whose nomination or election	886
is to be determined only by electors within such subdivision and	887
who filed valid declarations of candidacy and petitions.	888

Sec. 3513.052. (A) No person shall seek nomination or	889
election to any of the following offices or positions at the same	890
election by filing a declaration of candidacy and petition, a	891
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	892
petition, or by becoming a candidate through party nomination in a	893
primary election, or by the filling of a vacancy under section	894
3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code:	895

(1) Two or more state offices;

896

(2) Two or more county offices;

897

(3) A state office and a county office;

898

(4) Any combination of two or more municipal or township	899
offices, positions as a member of a city, local, or exempted	900
village board of education, or positions as a member of a	901
governing board of an educational service center.	902

(B) The secretary of state or a board of elections shall not	903
accept for filing a declaration of candidacy and petition, a	904
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	905
petition of a person seeking to become a candidate if that person,	906
for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	907
candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	908
a nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party	909
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy	910
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for:	911

(1) Any state or county office, if the declaration of	912
candidacy, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	913
nominating petition is for a state or county office;	914

(2) Any municipal or township office, or for member of a	915
city, local, or exempted village board of education, or for member	916
of a governing board of an educational service center, if the	917
declaration of candidacy, declaration of intent to be a write-in	918
candidate, or nominating petition is for a municipal or township	919
office, or for member of a city, local, or exempted village board	920
of education, or for member of a governing board of an	921
educational service center.	922

(C)(1) If the secretary of state determines, before the day	923
of the primary election, that a person is seeking nomination to	924
more than one office at that election in violation of division (A)	925
of this section, the secretary of state shall do one of the	926
following:	927

(a) If each office or the district for each office for which	928
the person is seeking nomination is wholly within a single county,	929
the secretary of state shall notify the board of elections of that	930
county. The board then shall determine the date on which the	931
person first sought to become a candidate for each of those	932
offices by filing a declaration of candidacy or a declaration of	933
intent to be a write-in candidate or by the filling of a vacancy	934
under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code. The board shall vote	935
promptly to disqualify that person as a candidate for each office	936
for which the person sought to become a candidate after the date	937
on which the person first sought to become a candidate for any of	938
those offices. If the board determines that the person sought to	939
become a candidate for more than one of those offices on the same	940
date, the board shall vote promptly to disqualify that person as a	941
candidate for each office that would be listed on the ballot below	942
the highest office for which that person seeks nomination,	943
according to the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of	944
the Revised Code.	945

(b) If one or more of the offices for which the person is	946
seeking nomination is a state office or an office with a district	947
larger than a single county, the secretary of state shall	948
determine the date on which the person first sought to become a	949
candidate for each of those offices by filing a declaration of	950
candidacy or a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate or	951
by the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised	952
Code. The secretary of state shall order the board of elections	953
of each county in which the person is seeking to appear on the	954
ballot 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 secretary of state determines that the	958
person sought to become a candidate for more than one of those	959
offices on the same date, the secretary of state shall order the	960
board of elections of each county in which the person is seeking	961
to appear on the ballot to disqualify that person as a candidate	962
for each office that would be listed on the ballot below the	963
highest office for which that person seeks nomination, according	964
to the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the	965
Revised Code. Each board of elections so notified shall vote	966
promptly to disqualify the person as a candidate in accordance	967
with the order of the secretary of state.	968

(2) If a board of elections determines, before the day of the	969
primary election, that a person is seeking nomination to more than	970
one office at that election in violation of division (A) of this	971
section, the board shall do one of the following:	972

(a) If each office or the district for each office for which	973
the person is seeking nomination is wholly within that county,	974
the board shall determine the date on which the person first	975
sought to become a candidate for each of those offices by filing a	976
declaration of candidacy or a declaration of intent to be a	977
write-in candidate or by the filling of a vacancy under section	978
3513.30 of the Revised Code. The board shall vote promptly to	979
disqualify that person as a candidate for each office for which	980
the person sought to become a candidate after the date on which	981
the person first sought to become a candidate for any of those	982
offices. If the board determines that the person sought to become	983
a candidate for more than one of those offices on the same date,	984
the board shall vote promptly to disqualify that person as a	985
candidate for each office that would be listed on the ballot below	986
the highest office for which that person seeks nomination,	987
according to the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of	988
the Revised Code.	989

(b) If one or more of the offices for which the person is	990
seeking nomination is a state office or an office with a district	991
larger than a single county, the board shall notify the secretary	992
of state. The secretary of state then shall determine the date on	993
which the person first sought to become a candidate for each of	994
those offices by filing a declaration of candidacy or a	995
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate or by the filling	996
of a vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code. The	997
secretary of state shall order the board of elections of each	998
county in which the person is seeking to appear on the ballot to	999
disqualify that person as a candidate for each office for which	1000
the person sought to become a candidate after the date on which	1001
the person first sought to become a candidate for any of those	1002
offices. If the secretary of state determines that the person	1003
sought to become a candidate for more than one of those offices on	1004
the same date, the secretary of state shall order the board of	1005
elections of each county in which the person is seeking to appear	1006
on the ballot to disqualify that person as a candidate for each	1007
office that would be listed on the ballot below the highest office	1008
for which that person seeks nomination, according to the ballot	1009
order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code. Each	1010
board of elections so notified shall vote promptly to disqualify	1011
the person as a candidate in accordance with the order of the	1012
secretary of state.	1013

(D)(1) If the secretary of state determines, after the day of	1014
the primary election and before the day of the general election,	1015
that a person is seeking election to more than one office at that	1016
election in violation of division (A) of this section, the	1017
secretary of state shall do one of the following:	1018

(a) If each office or the district for each office for which	1019
the person is seeking election is wholly within a single county,	1020
the secretary of state shall notify the board of elections of that	1021
county. The board then shall determine the offices for which the	1022
person seeks to appear as a candidate on the ballot. The board	1023
shall vote promptly to disqualify that person as a candidate for	1024
each office that would be listed on the ballot below the highest	1025
office for which that person seeks election, according to the	1026
ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code.	1027
If the person sought nomination at a primary election and has not	1028
yet been issued a certificate of nomination, the board shall not	1029
issue that certificate for that person for any office that would	1030
be listed on the ballot below the highest office for which that	1031
person seeks election, according to the ballot order prescribed	1032
under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code.	1033

(b) If one or more of the offices for which the person is	1034
seeking election is a state office or an office with a district	1035
larger than a single county, the secretary of state shall promptly	1036
investigate and determine the offices for which the person seeks	1037
to appear as a candidate on the ballot. The secretary of state	1038
shall order the board of elections of each county in which the	1039
person is seeking to appear on the ballot to disqualify that	1040
person as a candidate for each office that would be listed on the	1041
ballot below the highest office for which that person seeks	1042
election, according to the ballot order prescribed under section	1043
3505.03 of the Revised Code. Each board of elections so notified	1044
shall vote promptly to disqualify the person as a candidate in	1045
accordance with the order of the secretary of state. If the person	1046
sought nomination at a primary election and has not yet been	1047
issued a certificate of nomination, the board shall not issue that	1048
certificate for that person for any office that would be listed on	1049
the ballot below the highest office for which that person seeks	1050
election, according to the ballot order prescribed under section	1051
3505.03 of the Revised Code.	1052

(2) If a board of elections determines, after the day of the	1053
primary election and before the day of the general election, that	1054
a person is seeking election to more than one office at that	1055
election in violation of division (A) of this section, the board	1056
of elections shall do one of the following:	1057

(a) If each office or the district for each office for which	1058
the person is seeking election is wholly within that county, the	1059
board shall determine the offices for which the person seeks to	1060
appear as a candidate on the ballot. The board shall vote	1061
promptly to disqualify that person as a candidate for each office	1062
that would be listed on the ballot below the highest office for	1063
which that person seeks election, according to the ballot order	1064
prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code. If the	1065
person sought nomination at a primary election and has not yet	1066
been issued a certificate of nomination, the board shall not issue	1067
that certificate for that person for any office that would be	1068
listed on the ballot below the highest office for which that	1069
person seeks election, according to the ballot order prescribed	1070
under section 3505.03 of the Revised Code.	1071

(b) If one or more of the offices for which the person is	1072
seeking election is a state office or an office with a district	1073
larger than a single county, the board shall notify the secretary	1074
of state. The secretary of state promptly shall investigate and	1075
determine the offices for which the person seeks to appear as a	1076
candidate on the ballot. The secretary of state shall order the	1077
board of elections of each county in which the person is seeking	1078
to appear on the ballot to disqualify that person as a candidate	1079
for each office that would be listed on the ballot below the	1080
highest office for which that person seeks election, according to	1081
the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised	1082
Code. Each board of elections so notified shall vote promptly to	1083
disqualify the person as a candidate in accordance with the order	1084
of the secretary of state. If the person sought nomination at a	1085
primary election and has not yet been issued a certificate of	1086
nomination, the board shall not issue that certificate for that	1087
person for any office that would be listed on the ballot below the	1088
highest office for which that person seeks election, according to	1089
the ballot order prescribed under section 3505.03 of the Revised	1090
Code.	1091

(E) When a person is disqualified as a candidate under	1092
division (C) or (D) of this section, that person's name shall not	1093
appear on the ballots for any office for which that person has	1094
been disqualified as a candidate. If the ballots have already	1095
been prepared, the board of elections shall remove the name of the	1096
disqualified candidate from the ballots to the extent practicable	1097
in the time remaining before the election and according to the	1098
directions of the secretary of state. If the name is not removed	1099
from the ballots before the day of the election, the votes for the	1100
disqualified candidate are void and shall not be counted.	1101

(F) Any vacancy created by the disqualification of a person	1102
as a candidate under division (C) or (D) of this section may be	1103
filled in the manner provided for in sections 3513.30 and 3513.31	1104
of the Revised Code.	1105

(G) Nothing in this section or section 3513.04, 3513.041,	1106
3513.05, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.257,	1107
3513.259, or 3513.261 of the Revised Code prohibits, and the	1108
secretary of state or a board of elections shall not disqualify, a	1109
person from being a candidate to fill a vacant office as otherwise	1110
provided by law.	1111

(H) Nothing in this section or section 3513.04, 3513.041,	1112
3513.05, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.257,	1113
3513.259, or 3513.261 of the Revised Code prohibits, and the	1114
secretary of state or a board of elections shall not disqualify, a	1115
person from being a candidate for an office, if that person timely	1116
withdraws as a candidate for any offices specified in division (A)	1117
of this section for which that person first sought to become a	1118
candidate by filing a declaration of candidacy and petition, a	1119
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	1120
petition, by party nomination in a primary election, or by the	1121
filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the	1122
Revised Code.	1123

(I) As used in this section:

1124

(1) "State office" means the offices of governor, lieutenant	1125
governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of	1126
state, attorney general, member of the state board of education,	1127
member of the general assembly, chief justice of the supreme	1128
court, and justice of the supreme court.	1129

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

1130

(a) Withdrawing as a candidate before the applicable deadline	1131
for filing a declaration of candidacy, declaration of intent to be	1132
a write-in candidate, or nominating petition for the subsequent	1133
office for which the person is seeking to become a candidate;	1134

(b) Withdrawing as a candidate before the applicable deadline	1135
for the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of	1136
the Revised Code, if the person is seeking to become a candidate	1137
for a subsequent office under either of those sections.	1138

Sec. 3513.23. (A) If an elector voting at a primary election	1139
writes in a blank space provided thereforfor that purpose on the	1140
ballot of one political party under the title of an office for	1141
which a nomination is to be made the name of a person other than	1142
the persons whose names are printed on the ballot as candidates	1143
for suchthe nomination, and if suchthat elector records the vote	1144
in the manner provided on the ballot next to the name written,	1145
suchthat ballot shall be counted as a vote for the nomination of	1146
the person whose name is so written thereon if that person has	1147
filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate under	1148
section 3513.041 of the Revised Code, but in.	1149

(B) In no event shall a person, whose name is written on a	1150
primary election ballot, be nominated as a candidate for election	1151
to an office if the name of no person living on the day of such	1152
that primary election is printed on suchthe ballot as a candidate	1153
for suchthat nomination, unless the total number of votes cast	1154
for the person whose name is written on the ballot is not less	1155
than that number of petition signatures that would have been	1156
required for the printing of the person's name on the primary	1157
ballot pursuant to section 3513.05 of the Revised Code.	1158

Sec. 3513.251.  Nominations of candidates for election as	1159
officers of a municipal corporation having a population of less	1160
than two thousand as ascertained by the next preceding federal	1161
census shall be made only by nominating petition and their	1162
election shall occur only in nonpartisan elections, unless a	1163
majority of the electors of such municipal corporation have	1164
petitioned for a primary election. Nominations of candidates for	1165
election as officers of a municipal corporation having a	1166
population of two thousand or more shall be made either by primary	1167
election in conjunction with a partisan general election or by	1168
nominating petition in conjunction with a nonpartisan general	1169
election, as determined under section 3513.01 of the Revised Code.	1170

The nominating petitions of nonpartisan candidates for	1171
election as officers of a municipal corporation having a	1172
population of less than two thousand, as ascertained by the most	1173
recent federal census, shall be signed by not less than ten	1174
qualified electors of the municipal corporation. Any nominating	1175
petition filed under this section shall be filed with the board of	1176
elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before	1177
the day of the general election, provided that no such nominating	1178
petition shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain	1179
signatures aggregating in number more than three times the minimum	1180
number of signatures required by this section. A board of	1181
elections shall not accept for filing a nominating petition of a	1182
person if that person, for the same election, has already filed a	1183
declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in	1184
candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a candidate	1185
through party nomination at a primary election or by the filling	1186
of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code	1187
for any other municipal office, or for a township office, for	1188
member of a city, local, or exempted village board of education,	1189
or for member of a governing board of an educational service	1190
center. When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for	1191
filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed	1192
invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in the	1193
petition, the board of elections finds the number of signatures	1194
accepted exceeds three times the minimum number of signatures	1195
required. A board of elections may discontinue verifying	1196
signatures when the number of verified signatures on a petition	1197
equals the minimum required number of qualified signatures.	1198

Nomination of nonpartisan candidates for election as officers	1199
of a municipal corporation having a population of two thousand or	1200
more, as ascertained by the next preceding federal census, shall	1201
be made only by nominating petition. Nominating petitions of	1202
nonpartisan candidates for election as officers of a municipal	1203
corporation having a population of two thousand or more but less	1204
than five thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding federal	1205
census, shall be signed by not less than fifty qualified electors	1206
of the municipal corporation or ward thereof in the case of the	1207
nominating petition of a candidate for election as councilman from	1208
such ward. Nominating petitions of nonpartisan candidates for	1209
election as officers of a municipal corporation having a	1210
population of five thousand or more, as ascertained by the next	1211
preceding federal census, shall be signed by not less than fifty	1212
qualified electors of the municipal corporation or ward thereof in	1213
the case of the nominating petition of a candidate for election as	1214
councilmancouncilperson from such ward.	1215

Sec. 3513.253.  Nominations of candidates for election as	1216
officers of a township shall be made only by nominating petitions,	1217
unless a majority of the electors of such township have petitioned	1218
for a primary election. The nominating petitions of nonpartisan	1219
candidates for township trustee and township clerk shall be signed	1220
by not less than twenty-five qualified electors of the township.	1221
Such petition shall be filed with the board of elections not later	1222
than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before the day of the	1223
general election, provided that no such nominating petition shall	1224
be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures	1225
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number of	1226
signatures required by this section. A board of elections shall	1227
not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if that	1228
person, for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	1229
candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	1230
a nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party	1231
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy	1232
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for any other	1233
township office, or for a municipal office, for member of a city,	1234
local, or exempted village board of education, or for member of a	1235
governing board of an educational service center. When a petition	1236
of a candidate has been accepted for filing by a board of	1237
elections, the petition shall not be deemed invalid if, upon	1238
verification of signatures contained in the petition, the board of	1239
elections finds the number of signatures accepted exceeds three	1240
times the minimum number of signatures required. A board of	1241
elections may discontinue verifying signatures when the number of	1242
verified signatures on a petition equals the minimum required	1243
number of qualified signatures.	1244

Sec. 3513.254.  The name of each candidate for member of a	1245
city, local, or exempted village board of education or for member	1246
of a governing board of an educational service center described in	1247
section 3311.051 of the Revised Code shall appear on the	1248
nonpartisan ballot. Nominating petitions of candidates for member	1249
of a board of education of a local or exempted village school	1250
district or for member of a governing board of an educational	1251
service center described in section 3311.051 of the Revised Code	1252
shall be signed by twenty-five qualified electors of the school	1253
district or educational service center service area. Nominating	1254
petitions for candidates for member of a board of education of a	1255
city school district having a population of less than twenty	1256
thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding federal census,	1257
shall be signed by twenty-five qualified electors of the school	1258
district. Nominating petitions for candidates for member of a	1259
board of education of a city school district having a population	1260
of twenty thousand or more but less than fifty thousand, as	1261
ascertained by the next preceding federal census, shall be signed	1262
by seventy-five qualified electors of the school district.	1263
Nominating petitions for candidates for member of a board of	1264
education of a city school district having a population of fifty	1265
thousand or more but less than one hundred thousand, as	1266
ascertained by the next preceding federal census, shall be signed	1267
by one hundred fifty qualified electors of the school district.	1268
Nominating petitions for candidates for member of a board of	1269
education of a city school district having a population of one	1270
hundred thousand or more, as ascertained by the next preceding	1271
federal census, shall be signed by three hundred qualified	1272
electors of the school district. Nominating	1273

Nominating petitions shall be filed with the board of	1274
elections not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before	1275
the day of the general election, provided that no such petition	1276
shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures	1277
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number of	1278
signatures required by this section. A board of elections shall	1279
not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if that	1280
person, for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	1281
candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	1282
a nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party	1283
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy	1284
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for any other	1285
position as a member of a city, local, or exempted village board	1286
of education or position as a member of a governing board of an	1287
educational service center, or for a municipal or township office.	1288
When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for filing by a	1289
board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed invalid if,	1290
upon verification of signatures contained in the petition, the	1291
board of elections finds the number of signatures accepted exceeds	1292
three times the minimum number of signatures required. A board of	1293
elections may discontinue verifying petitions when the number of	1294
verified signatures equals the minimum required number of	1295
qualified signatures.	1296

Sec. 3513.255.  This section does not apply to candidates for	1297
election to a governing board of an educational service center	1298
described in section 3311.051 of the Revised Code. The name of	1299
each candidate for election as a member of a governing board of an	1300
educational service center shall appear on the nonpartisan ballot.	1301
Each nominating petition shall be signed by fifty qualified	1302
electors who reside in one of the following, as applicable:	1303

(A) The school districts over which the educational service	1304
center governing board has jurisdiction, in the case of any	1305
candidate running for a position on any educational service center	1306
governing board other than a governing board established in	1307
accordance with section 3311.054 of the Revised Code;	1308

(B) The subdistrict in which the candidate is running, in	1309
the case of a position on a governing board of an educational	1310
service center established in accordance with section 3311.054 of	1311
the Revised Code.	1312

Each nominating petition shall be filed with the board of	1313
elections of the county in which the central administrative	1314
offices of the educational service center governing board are	1315
located not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day before	1316
the day of the general election, provided that no such petition	1317
shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures	1318
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number of	1319
signatures required by this section. A board of elections shall	1320
not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if that	1321
person, for the same election, has already filed a declaration of	1322
candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or	1323
a nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party	1324
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy	1325
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for any other	1326
position as a member of a governing board of an educational	1327
service center or position as a member of a city, local, or	1328
exempted village board of education, or for a municipal or	1329
township office. When a petition of a candidate has been accepted	1330
for filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be	1331
deemed invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in	1332
the petition, the board of elections finds the number of	1333
signatures accepted exceeds three times the minimum signatures	1334
required. A board of elections may discontinue verifying	1335
petitions when the number of verified signatures equals the	1336
minimum required number of qualified signatures.	1337

Sec. 3513.257.  Each person desiring to become an independent	1338
candidate for an office for which candidates may be nominated at a	1339
primary election, except persons desiring to become independent	1340
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	1341
governor and for the offices of president and vice-president of	1342
the United States, shall file no later than four p.m. of the day	1343
before the day of the primary election immediately preceding the	1344
general election at which such candidacy is to be voted for by the	1345
voters, a statement of candidacy and nominating petition as	1346
provided in section 3513.261 of the Revised Code. Persons	1347
desiring to become independent joint candidates for the offices of	1348
governor and lieutenant governor shall file, not later than four	1349
p.m. of the day before the day of the primary election, one	1350
statement of candidacy and one nominating petition for the two of	1351
them. Persons desiring to become independent joint candidates for	1352
the offices of president and vice-president of the United States	1353
shall file, not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fifth day	1354
before the day of the general election at which the president and	1355
vice-president are to be elected, one statement of candidacy and	1356
one nominating petition for the two of them. The prospective	1357
independent joint candidates' statement of candidacy shall be	1358
filed with the nominating petition as one instrument.	1359

The statement of candidacy and separate petition papers of	1360
each candidate or pair of joint candidates shall be filed at the	1361
same time as one instrument.	1362

The nominating petition shall contain signatures of qualified	1363
electors of the district, political subdivision, or portion of a	1364
political subdivision in which the candidacy is to be voted on in	1365
an amount to be determined as follows:	1366

(A) If the candidacy is to be voted on by electors	1367
throughout the entire state, the nominating petition, including	1368
the nominating petition of independent joint candidates for the	1369
offices of governor and lieutenant governor, shall be signed by no	1370
less than five thousand qualified electors, provided that no	1371
petition shall be accepted for filing if it purports to contain	1372
more than fifteen thousand signatures.	1373

(B) If the candidacy is to be voted on by electors in any	1374
district, political subdivision, or part thereof in which less	1375
than five thousand electors voted for the office of governor at	1376
the most recent election for that office, the nominating petition	1377
shall contain signatures of not less than twenty-five qualified	1378
electors of the district, political subdivision, or part thereof,	1379
or a number of qualified signatures equal to at least five per	1380
cent of that vote, if this number is less than twenty-five.	1381

(C) If the candidacy is to be voted on by electors in any	1382
district, political subdivision, or part thereof in which five	1383
thousand or more electors voted for the office of governor at the	1384
most recent election for that office, the nominating petition	1385
shall contain a number of signatures equal to at least one per	1386
cent of those electors.	1387

All nominating petitions of candidates for offices to be	1388
voted on by electors throughout the entire state shall be filed in	1389
the office of the secretary of state. No nominating petition for	1390
the offices of president and vice-president of the United States	1391
shall be accepted for filing unless there is submitted to the	1392
secretary of state, at the time of filing the petition, a slate of	1393
presidential electors sufficient in number to satisfy the	1394
requirement of the United States Constitution. The secretary of	1395
state shall not accept for filing the statement of candidacy of a	1396
person who desires to be an independent candidate for the office	1397
of governor unless it also shows the joint candidacy of a person	1398
who desires to be an independent candidate for the office of	1399
lieutenant governor, shall not accept for filing the statement of	1400
candidacy of a person who desires to be an independent candidate	1401
for the office of lieutenant governor unless it also shows the	1402
joint candidacy of a person who desires to be an independent	1403
candidate for the office of governor, and shall not accept for	1404
filing the statement of candidacy of a person who desires to be an	1405
independent candidate to the office of governor or lieutenant	1406
governor who, for the same election, has already been shown as an	1407
independent candidate for governor or lieutenant governor onfiled	1408
a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a	1409
write-in candidate, or a statement of candidacy previously filed	1410
and accepted during the filing period preceding the same primary	1411
election, or has become a candidate by the filling of a vacancy	1412
under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code for any other state	1413
office or any county office.	1414

Nominating petitions of candidates for offices to be voted on	1415
by electors within a district or political subdivision comprised	1416
of more than one county but less than all counties of the state	1417
shall be filed with the boards of elections of that county or part	1418
of a county within the district or political subdivision which had	1419
a population greater than that of any other county or part of a	1420
county within the district or political subdivision according to	1421
the last federal decennial census.	1422

Nominating petitions for offices to be voted on by electors	1423
within a county or district smaller than a county shall be filed	1424
with the board of elections for such county.	1425

No petition other than the petition of a candidate whose	1426
candidacy is to be considered by electors throughout the entire	1427
state shall be accepted for filing if it appears on its face to	1428
contain more than three times the minimum required number of	1429
signatures. A board of elections shall not accept for filing a	1430
nominating petition of a person seeking to become a candidate if	1431
that person, for the same election, has already filed a	1432
declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in	1433
candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a candidate by	1434
the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code	1435
for any state or county office, if the nominating petition is for	1436
a state or county office, or for any municipal or township office,	1437
for member of a city, local, or exempted village board of	1438
education, or for member of a governing board of an educational	1439
service center, if the nominating petition is for a municipal or	1440
township office, or for member of a city, local, or exempted	1441
village board of education, or for member of a governing board of	1442
an educational service center. When a petition of a candidate has	1443
been accepted for filing by a board of elections, the petition	1444
shall not be deemed invalid if, upon verification of signatures	1445
contained in the petition, the board of elections finds the number	1446
of signatures accepted exceeds three times the minimum number of	1447
signatures required. A board of elections may discontinue	1448
verifying signatures when the number of verified signatures on a	1449
petition equals the minimum required number of qualified	1450
signatures.	1451

Any nonjudicial candidate who files a nominating petition may	1452
request, at the time of filing, that the candidate be designated	1453
on the ballot as an independent.	1454

The purpose of establishing a filing deadline for independent	1455
candidates prior to the primary election immediately preceding the	1456
general election at which the candidacy is to be voted on by the	1457
voters is to recognize that the state has a substantial and	1458
compelling interest in protecting its electoral process by	1459
encouraging political stability, ensuring that the winner of the	1460
election will represent a majority of the community, providing the	1461
electorate with an understandable ballot, and enhancing voter	1462
education, thus fostering informed and educated expressions of the	1463
popular will in a general election. The filing deadline for	1464
independent candidates required in this section prevents	1465
splintered parties and unrestrained factionalism, avoids political	1466
fragmentation, and maintains the integrity of the ballot. The	1467
deadline, one day prior to the primary election, is the least	1468
drastic or restrictive means of protecting these state interests.	1469
The general assembly finds that the filing deadline for	1470
independent candidates in primary elections required in this	1471
section is reasonably related to the state's purpose of ensuring	1472
fair and honest elections while leaving unimpaired the political,	1473
voting, and associational rights secured by the first and	1474
fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution.	1475

Sec. 3513.259.  Nominations of candidates for the office of	1476
member of the state board of education shall be made only by	1477
nominating petition. The nominating petition of a candidate for	1478
the office of member of the state board of education shall be	1479
signed by not less than one hundred qualified electors.	1480

No such nominating petition shall be accepted for filing if	1481
it appears on its face to contain signatures aggregating in number	1482
more than three times the minimum number of signatures required by	1483
this section. A board of elections shall not accept for filing a	1484
nominating petition of a person if that person, for the same	1485
election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, a	1486
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating	1487
petition, or has become a candidate through party nomination at a	1488
primary election or by the filling of a vacancy under section	1489
3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code, to be a candidate for any	1490
other state office or any county office. When a petition of a	1491
candidate has been accepted for filing by a board of elections,	1492
the petition shall not be deemed invalid if, upon verification of	1493
signatures contained in the petition, the board of elections finds	1494
the number of signatures accepted exceeds three times the minimum	1495
number of signatures required. A board of elections may	1496
discontinue verifying signatures when the number of verified	1497
signatures equals the minimum required number of signatures. Such	1498
petition shall be filed with the board of elections of the most	1499
populous county in such district not later than four p.m. of the	1500
seventy-fifth day before the day of the general election at which	1501
state board of education members are elected.	1502

Each nominating petition shall be signed by qualified	1503
electors residing in the district in which the candidate	1504
designated therein would be a candidate for election to the office	1505
of member of the state board of education. Each candidate shall	1506
be a qualified elector residing in the district in which hethe	1507
candidate seeks election to such office.	1508

As the word "district" is used in this section, it refers to	1509
a district created under section 3301.01 of the Revised Code.	1510

Sec. 3513.261.  A nominating petition may consist of one or	1511
more separate petition papers, each of which shall be	1512
substantially in the form prescribed in this section. If the	1513
petition consists of more than one separate petition paper, the	1514
statement of candidacy of the candidate or joint candidates named	1515
need be signed by the candidate or joint candidates on only one of	1516
such separate petition papers, but the statement of candidacy so	1517
signed shall be copied on each other separate petition paper	1518
before the signatures of electors are placed on it. Each	1519
nominating petition containing signatures of electors of more than	1520
one county shall consist of separate petition papers each of which	1521
shall contain signatures of electors of only one county; provided	1522
that petitions containing signatures of electors of more than one	1523
county shall not thereby be declared invalid. In case petitions	1524
containing signatures of electors of more than one county are	1525
filed, the board of elections shall determine the county from	1526
which the majority of the signatures came, and only signatures	1527
from this county shall be counted. Signatures from any other	1528
county shall be invalid.	1529

All signatures on nominating petitions shall be written in	1530
ink or indelible pencil.	1531

At the time of filing a nominating petition, the candidate	1532
designated in the nominating petition, and joint candidates for	1533
governor and lieutenant governor, shall pay to the election	1534
officials with whom it is filed the fees specified for the office	1535
under divisions (A) and (B) of section 3513.10 of the Revised	1536
Code. The fees shall be disposed of by those election officials	1537
in the manner that is provided in section 3513.10 of the Revised	1538
Code for the disposition of other fees, and in no case shall a fee	1539
required under that section be returned to a candidate.	1540

Candidates or joint candidates whose names are written on the	1541
ballot, and who are elected, shall pay the same fees under section	1542
3513.10 of the Revised Code that candidates who file nominating	1543
petitions pay. Payment of these fees shall be a condition	1544
precedent to the granting of their certificates of election.	1545

Each nominating petition shall contain a statement of	1546
candidacy that shall be signed by the candidate or joint	1547
candidates named in it. Such statement of candidacy shall	1548
contain a declaration made under penalty of election falsification	1549
that the candidate desires to be a candidate for the office named	1550
in it, and that the candidate is an elector qualified to vote for	1551
the office the candidate seeks.	1552

The form of the nominating petition and statement of	1553
candidacy shall be substantially as follows:	1554

"STATEMENT OF CANDIDACY

1555

I, ................................... (Name of candidate),	1556
the undersigned, hereby declare under penalty of election	1557
falsification that my voting residence is in ................	1558
.......... Precinct of the ......................... (Township) or	1559
(Ward and City, or Village) in the county of ............... Ohio;	1560
that my post-office address is ............................	1561
(Street and Number, if any, or Rural Route and Number) of the	1562
............................... (City, Village, or post office) of	1563
...................., Ohio; and that I am a qualified elector in	1564
the precinct in which my voting residence is located. I hereby	1565
declare that I desire to be a candidate for election to the office	1566
of .............. in the ........................ (State,	1567
District, County, City, Village, Township, or School District) for	1568
the ...................................... (Full term or unexpired	1569
term ending ................) at the General Election to be held	1570
on the ........... day of ..............., ....	1571

I further declare that I am an elector qualified to vote for	1572
the office I seek. Dated this ....... day of .............., ....	1573

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY	1576
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.	1577

I, ................................., hereby constitute the	1578
persons named below a committee to represent me:	1579

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

1581

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

1582

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

1583

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

1584

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

1585

NOMINATING PETITION

1586

We, the undersigned, qualified electors of the state of Ohio,	1587
whose voting residence is in the County, City, Village, Ward,	1588
Township or Precinct set opposite our names, hereby nominate	1589
.................... as a candidate for election to the office of	1590
........................... in the ............................	1591
(State, District, County, City, Village, Township, or School	1592
District) for the ................. (Full term or unexpired term	1593
ending ...................) to be voted for at the general	1594
election next hereafter to be held, and certify that this person	1595
is, in our opinion, well qualified to perform the duties of the	1596
office or position to which the person desires to be elected.	1597

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

1608

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

1609

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

1610

..........................., declares under penalty of election	1611
falsification that such person is a qualified elector of the state	1612
of Ohio and resides at the address appearing below such person's	1613
signature hereto; that such person is the circulator of the	1614
foregoing petition paper containing ................ signatures;	1615
that such person witnessed the affixing of every signature; that	1616
all signers were to the best of such person's knowledge and belief	1617
qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best of such	1618
person's knowledge and belief the signature of the person whose	1619
signature it purports to be.	1620

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY	1625
OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."	1626

The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of nominating	1627
petition for a group of candidates for the office of member of a	1628
board of education, township office, and offices of municipal	1629
corporations of under two thousand population.	1630

The secretary of state shall prescribe a form of statement of	1631
candidacy and nominating petition, which shall be substantially	1632
similar to the form of statement of candidacy and nominating	1633
petition set forth in this section, that will be suitable for	1634
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant	1635
governor.	1636

If such petition nominates a candidate whose election is to	1637
be determined by the electors of a county or a district or	1638
subdivision within the county, it shall be filed with the board of	1639
such county. If the petition nominates a candidate whose election	1640
is to be determined by the voters of a subdivision located in more	1641
than one county, it shall be filed with the board of the county in	1642
which the major portion of the population of such subdivision is	1643
located.	1644

If the petition nominates a candidate whose election is to be	1645
determined by the electors of a district comprised of more than	1646
one county but less than all of the counties of the state, it	1647
shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous	1648
county in such district. If the petition nominates a candidate	1649
whose election is to be determined by the electors of the state at	1650
large, it shall be filed with the secretary of state.	1651

The secretary of state or a board of elections shall not	1652
accept for filing a nominating petition of a person seeking to	1653
become a candidate if that person, for the same election, has	1654
already filed a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent	1655
to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating petition, or has	1656
become a candidate through party nomination at a primary election	1657
or by the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of	1658
the Revised Code for any state or county office, if the nominating	1659
petition is for a state or county office, or for any municipal or	1660
township office, for member of a city, local, or exempted village	1661
board of education, or for member of a governing board of an	1662
educational service center, if the nominating petition is for a	1663
municipal or township office, or for member of a city, local, or	1664
exempted village board of education, or for member of a governing	1665
board of an educational service center.	1666

Sec. 3513.30.  (A)(1) Where only one valid declaration of	1667
candidacy is filed for nomination as a candidate of a political	1668
party for an office and such candidate dies prior to the tenth day	1669
before the primary election, both of the following may occur:	1670

(a) The political party whose candidate died may fill the	1671
vacancy so created as provided in division (A)(2) of this section.	1672

(b) Any major political party other than the one whose	1673
candidate died may select a candidate as provided in division	1674
(A)(2) of this section under either of the following	1675
circumstances:	1676

(i) No person has filed a valid declaration of candidacy for	1677
nomination as that party's candidate at the primary election.	1678

(ii) Only one person has filed a valid declaration of	1679
candidacy for nomination as that party's candidate at the primary	1680
election, that person has withdrawn or, died, or been disqualified	1681
under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, and the vacancy so	1682
created has not been filled.	1683

(2) A vacancy may be filled under division (A)(1)(a) and a	1684
selection may be made under division (A)(1)(b) of this section by	1685
the appropriate committee of the political party in the same	1686
manner as provided in divisions (A) throughto (E) of section	1687
3513.31 of the Revised Code for the filling of similar vacancies	1688
created by withdrawals or disqualifications under section 3513.052	1689
of the Revised Code after the primary election, except that the	1690
certification required under that section may not be filed with	1691
the secretary of state, or with a board of the most populous	1692
county of a district, or with the board of a county in which the	1693
major portion of the population of a subdivision is located, later	1694
than four p.m. of the tenth day before the day of such primary	1695
election, or with any other board later than four p.m. of the	1696
fifth day before the day of such primary election.	1697

(3) If only one valid declaration of candidacy is filed for	1698
nomination as a candidate of a political party for an office and	1699
that candidate dies on or after the tenth day before the day of	1700
the primary election, that candidate is considered to have	1701
received the nomination of that candidate's political party at	1702
that primary election, and, for purposes of filling the vacancy so	1703
created, that candidate's death shall be treated as if that	1704
candidate died on the day after the day of the primary election.	1705

(B) Any person filing a declaration of candidacy may	1706
withdraw as such candidate at any time prior to the primary	1707
election, or, if the primary election is a presidential primary	1708
election, at any time prior to the fiftieth day before the	1709
presidential primary election. The withdrawal shall be effected	1710
and the statement of withdrawal shall be filed in accordance with	1711
the procedures prescribed in division (D) of this section for the	1712
withdrawal of persons nominated in a primary election or by	1713
nominating petition.	1714

(C) A person who is the first choice for president of the	1715
United States by a candidate for delegate or alternate to a	1716
national convention of a political party may withdraw consent for	1717
the selection of the person as such first choice no later than	1718
four p.m. of the thirtieth day before the day of the presidential	1719
primary election. Withdrawal of consent shall be for the entire	1720
slate of candidates for delegates and alternates who named such	1721
person as their presidential first choice and shall constitute	1722
withdrawal from the primary election by such delegates and	1723
alternates. The withdrawal shall be made in writing and delivered	1724
to the secretary of state. The boards of elections shall remove	1725
both the name of the withdrawn first choice and the names of such	1726
withdrawn candidates from the ballots to the extent practicable in	1727
the time remaining before the election and according to the	1728
directions of the secretary of state. If such names are not	1729
removed from all ballots before the day of the election, the votes	1730
for the withdrawn first choice or candidates are void and shall	1731
not be counted.	1732

(D) Any person nominated in a primary election or by	1733
nominating petition as a candidate for election at the next	1734
general election may withdraw as such candidate at any time prior	1735
to the general election. Such withdrawal may be effected by the	1736
filing of a written statement by such candidate announcing the	1737
candidate's withdrawal and requesting that the candidate's name	1738
not be printed on the ballots. If such candidate's declaration of	1739
candidacy or nominating petition was filed with the secretary of	1740
state, the candidate's statement of withdrawal shall be addressed	1741
to and filed with the secretary of state. If such candidate's	1742
declaration of candidacy or nominating petition was filed with a	1743
board of elections, the candidate's statement of withdrawal shall	1744
be addressed to, and filed with such board.	1745

(E) When a person withdraws under division (B) or (D) of	1746
this section, the board of elections shall remove the name of the	1747
withdrawn candidate from the ballots to the extent practicable in	1748
the time remaining before the election and according to the	1749
directions of the secretary of state. If the name is not removed	1750
from all ballots before the day of the election, the votes for the	1751
withdrawn candidate are void and shall not be counted.	1752

Sec. 3513.31.  (A) If a person nominated in a primary	1753
election as a candidate for election at the next general election,	1754
whose candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of the entire	1755
state, withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as that	1756
candidate under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the vacancy	1757
in the party nomination so created may be filled by the state	1758
central committee of the major political party that made the	1759
nomination at the primary election, if the committee's chairperson	1760
and secretary certify the name of the person selected to fill the	1761
vacancy by the time specified in this division, at a meeting	1762
called for that purpose. The meeting shall be called by the	1763
chairperson of that committee, who shall give each member of the	1764
committee at least two days' notice of the time, place, and	1765
purpose of the meeting. If a majority of the members of the	1766
committee are present at the meeting, a majority of those present	1767
may select a person to fill the vacancy. The chairperson and	1768
secretary of the meeting shall certify in writing and under oath	1769
to the secretary of state, not later than the seventy-sixth day	1770
before the day of the general election, the name of the person	1771
selected to fill the vacancy. The certification must be	1772
accompanied by the written acceptance of the nomination by the	1773
person whose name is certified. A vacancy that may be filled by	1774
an intermediate or minor political party shall be filled in	1775
accordance with the party's rules by authorized officials of the	1776
party. Certification must be made as in the manner provided for a	1777
major political party.	1778

(B) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1779
candidate for election at the next general election, whose	1780
candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of a district	1781
comprised of more than one county but less than all of the	1782
counties of the state, withdraws as that candidate or is	1783
disqualified as that candidate under section 3513.052 of the	1784
Revised Code, the vacancy in the party nomination so created may	1785
be filled by a district committee of the major political party	1786
that made the nomination at the primary election, if the	1787
committee's chairperson and secretary certify the name of the	1788
person selected to fill the vacancy by the time specified in this	1789
division, at a meeting called for that purpose. The district	1790
committee shall consist of the chairperson and secretary of the	1791
county central committee of such political party in each county in	1792
the district. The district committee shall be called by the	1793
chairperson of the county central committee of such political	1794
party of the most populous county in the district, who shall give	1795
each member of the district committee at least two days' notice of	1796
the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. If a majority of the	1797
members of the district committee are present at the district	1798
committee meeting, a majority of those present may select a person	1799
to fill the vacancy. The chairperson and secretary of the meeting	1800
shall certify in writing and under oath to the board of elections	1801
of the most populous county in the district, not later than four	1802
p.m. of the seventy-sixth day before the day of the general	1803
election, the name of the person selected to fill the vacancy. The	1804
certification must be accompanied by the written acceptance of the	1805
nomination by the person whose name is certified. A vacancy that	1806
may be filled by an intermediate or minor political party shall be	1807
filled in accordance with the party's rules by authorized	1808
officials of the party. Certification must be made as in the	1809
manner provided for a major political party.	1810

(C) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1811
candidate for election at the next general election, whose	1812
candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of a county,	1813
withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as that candidate	1814
under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the vacancy in the	1815
party nomination so created may be filled by the county central	1816
committee of the major political party that made the nomination at	1817
the primary election, or by the county executive committee if so	1818
authorized, if the committee's chairperson and secretary certify	1819
the name of the person selected to fill the vacancy by the time	1820
specified in this division, at a meeting called for that purpose.	1821
The meeting shall be called by the chairperson of that committee,	1822
who shall give each member of the committee at least two days'	1823
notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. If a	1824
majority of the members of the committee are present at the	1825
meeting, a majority of those present may select a person to fill	1826
the vacancy. The chairperson and secretary of the meeting shall	1827
certify in writing and under oath to the board of that county, not	1828
later than four p.m. of the seventy-sixth day before the day of	1829
the general election, the name of the person selected to fill the	1830
vacancy. The certification must be accompanied by the written	1831
acceptance of the nomination by the person whose name is	1832
certified. A vacancy that may be filled by an intermediate or	1833
minor political party shall be filled in accordance with the	1834
party's rules by authorized officials of the party. Certification	1835
must be made as in the manner provided for a major political	1836
party.	1837

(D) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1838
candidate for election at the next general election, whose	1839
candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of a district within	1840
a county, withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as that	1841
candidate under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the vacancy	1842
in the party nomination so created may be filled by a district	1843
committee consisting of those members of the county central	1844
committee or, if so authorized, those members of the county	1845
executive committee in that county of the major political party	1846
that made the nomination at the primary election who represent the	1847
precincts or the wards and townships within the district, if the	1848
committee's chairperson and secretary certify the name of the	1849
person selected to fill the vacancy by the time specified in this	1850
division, at a meeting called for that purpose. The district	1851
committee meeting shall be called by the chairperson of the county	1852
central committee or executive committee, as appropriate, who	1853
shall give each member of the district committee at least two	1854
days' notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. If a	1855
majority of the members of the district committee are present at	1856
the district committee meeting, a majority of those present may	1857
select a person to fill the vacancy. The chairperson and	1858
secretary of the district committee meeting shall certify in	1859
writing and under oath to the board of the county, not later than	1860
four p.m. of the seventy-sixth day before the day of the general	1861
election, the name of the person selected to fill the vacancy. The	1862
certification must be accompanied by the written acceptance of the	1863
nomination by the person whose name is certified. A vacancy that	1864
may be filled by an intermediate or minor political party shall be	1865
filled in accordance with the party's rules by authorized	1866
officials of the party. Certification must be made as in the	1867
manner provided for a major political party.	1868

(E) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1869
candidate for election at the next general election, whose	1870
candidacy is to be submitted to the electors of a subdivision	1871
within a county, withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as	1872
that candidate under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the	1873
vacancy in the party nomination so created may be filled by a	1874
subdivision committee consisting of those members of the county	1875
central committee or, if so authorized, those members of the	1876
county executive committee in that county of the major political	1877
party that made the nomination at that primary election who	1878
represent the precincts or the wards and townships within that	1879
subdivision, if the committee's chairperson and secretary certify	1880
the name of the person selected to fill the vacancy by the time	1881
specified in this division, at a meeting called for that purpose.	1882

The subdivision committee meeting shall be called by the	1883
chairperson of the county central committee or executive	1884
committee, as appropriate, who shall give each member of the	1885
subdivision committee at least two days' notice of the time,	1886
place, and purpose of the meeting. If a majority of the members	1887
of the subdivision committee are present at the subdivision	1888
committee meeting, a majority of those present may select a person	1889
to fill the vacancy. The chairperson and secretary of the	1890
subdivision committee meeting shall certify in writing and under	1891
oath to the board of the county, not later than four p.m. of the	1892
seventy-sixth day before the day of the general election, the name	1893
of the person selected to fill the vacancy. The certification	1894
must be accompanied by the written acceptance of the nomination by	1895
the person whose name is certified. A vacancy that may be filled	1896
by an intermediate or minor political party shall be filled in	1897
accordance with the party's rules by authorized officials of the	1898
party. Certification must be made in the manner provided for a	1899
major political party.	1900

(F) If a person nominated by petition as an independent or	1901
nonpartisan candidate for election at the next general election	1902
withdraws as that candidate or is disqualified as that candidate	1903
under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, the vacancy so created	1904
may be filled by a majority of the committee of five, as	1905
designated on the candidate's nominating petition, if a member of	1906
that committee certifies in writing and under oath to the election	1907
officials with whom the candidate filed the candidate's nominating	1908
petition, not later than the seventy-sixth day before the day of	1909
the general election, the name of the person selected to fill the	1910
vacancy. The certification shall be accompanied by the written	1911
acceptance of the nomination by the person whose name is certified	1912
and shall be made in the manner provided for a major political	1913
party.	1914

(G) If a person nominated in a primary election as a party	1915
candidate for election at the next general election dies, the	1916
vacancy so created may be filled by the same committee in the same	1917
manner as provided in this section for the filling of similar	1918
vacancies created by withdrawals or disqualifications under	1919
section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, except that the	1920
certification, when filling a vacancy created by death, may not be	1921
filed with the secretary of state, or with a board of the most	1922
populous county of a district, or with the board of a county in	1923
which the major portion of the population of a subdivision is	1924
located, later than four p.m. of the tenth day before the day of	1925
such general election, or with any other board later than four	1926
p.m. of the fifth day before the day of such general election.	1927

(H) If a person nominated by petition as an independent or	1928
nonpartisan candidate for election at the next general election	1929
dies prior to the tenth day before the day of that general	1930
election, the vacancy so created may be filled by a majority of	1931
the committee of five designated in the nominating petition to	1932
represent the candidate named in it. To fill the vacancy a member	1933
of the committee shall, not later than four p.m. of the fifth day	1934
before the day of the general election, file with the election	1935
officials with whom the petition nominating the person was filed,	1936
a certificate signed and sworn to under oath by a majority of the	1937
members, designating the person they select to fill the vacancy.	1938
The certification must be accompanied by the written acceptance of	1939
the nomination by the person whose name is so certified.	1940

(I) If a person holding an elective office dies or resigns	1941
subsequent to the one-hundredth day before the day of a primary	1942
election and prior to the seventy-sixth day before the day of the	1943
next general election, and if, under the laws of this state, a	1944
person may be elected at that general election to fill the	1945
unexpired term of the person who has died or resigned, the	1946
appropriate committee of each political party, acting as in the	1947
case of a vacancy in a party nomination, as provided in divisions	1948
(A) to (D) of this section, may select a person as the party	1949
candidate for election for such unexpired term at that general	1950
election, and certify the person's name to the appropriate	1951
election official not later than four p.m. on the seventy-sixth	1952
day before the day of that general election, or on the tenth day	1953
following the day on which the vacancy occurs, whichever is later.	1954
When the vacancy occurs on or subsequent to the seventy-sixth day	1955
and six or more days prior to the fortieth day before the general	1956
election, the appropriate committee may select a person as the	1957
party candidate and certify the person's name, as provided in the	1958
preceding sentence, not later than four p.m. on the tenth day	1959
following the day on which the vacancy occurs. When the vacancy	1960
occurs fewer than six days before the fortieth day before the	1961
general election, the deadline for filing shall be four p.m. on	1962
the thirty-sixth day before the general election. Thereupon the	1963
name shall be printed as the party candidate under proper titles	1964
and in the proper place on the proper ballots for use at the	1965
election. If a person has been nominated in a primary election,	1966
the authorized committee of that political party shall not select	1967
and certify a person as the party candidate.	1968

(J) Each person desiring to become an independent candidate	1969
to fill the unexpired term shall file a statement of candidacy and	1970
nominating petition, as provided in section 3513.261 of the	1971
Revised Code, with the appropriate election official not later	1972
than four p.m. on the tenth day following the day on which the	1973
vacancy occurs, provided that when the vacancy occurs fewer than	1974
six days before the fortieth day before the general election, the	1975
deadline for filing shall be four p.m. on the thirty-sixth day	1976
before the general election. The nominating petition shall	1977
contain at least seven hundred fifty signatures and no more than	1978
one thousand five hundred signatures of qualified electors of the	1979
district, political subdivision, or portion of a political	1980
subdivision in which the office is to be voted upon, or the amount	1981
provided for in section 3513.257 of the Revised Code, whichever is	1982
less.	1983

(K) When a person nominated as a candidate by a political	1984
party in a primary election or by nominating petition for an	1985
elective office for which candidates are nominated at a party	1986
primary election withdraws or, dies, or is disqualified under	1987
section 3513.052 of the Revised Code prior to the general	1988
election, the appropriate committee of any other major political	1989
party or committee of five that has not nominated a candidate for	1990
that office, or whose nominee as a candidate for that office has	1991
withdrawn or, died, or been disqualified without the vacancy so	1992
created having been filled, may, acting as in the case of a	1993
vacancy in a party nomination or nomination by petition as	1994
provided in divisions (A) to (F) of this section, whichever is	1995
appropriate, select a person as a candidate of that party or of	1996
that committee of five for election to the office.	1997

Sec. 3517.02.  All members of controlling committees of a	1998
major or intermediate political party shall be elected by direct	1999
vote of the members of the party, except as otherwise provided in	2000
section 3517.05 of the Revised Code. Their names shall be placed	2001
upon the official ballot, and, notwithstanding division (B) of	2002
section 3513.23 of the Revised Code, the persons receiving the	2003
highest number of votes for committeemencommitteepersons shall be	2004
the members of suchthose controlling committees. Each member of	2005
sucha controlling committee shall be a resident and qualified	2006
elector of the district, ward, or precinct which he that the	2007
member is elected to represent. All members of controlling	2008
committees of a minor political party shall be determined in	2009
accordance with party rules.	2010

Each political party shall file with the office of the	2011
secretary of state a copy of its constitution and bylaws, if any,	2012
within thirty days of adoption or amendment. Each such party	2013
shall also file with the office of the secretary of state a list	2014
of members of its controlling committees, and other party	2015
officials within thirty days of their election or appointment.	2016

Sec. 3517.03.  The controlling committees of each major	2017
political party or organization shall be a state central committee	2018
consisting of two members, one a man and one a woman, representing	2019
either each congressional district in the state or each senatorial	2020
district in the state, as the outgoing committee determines; a	2021
county central committee consisting of one member from each	2022
election precinct in the county, or of one member from each ward	2023
in each city and from each township in the county, as the outgoing	2024
committee determines; and such district, city, township, or other	2025
committees as the rules of the party provide.	2026

All the members of such committees shall be members of the	2027
party and shall be elected for terms of either two or four years,	2028
as determined by party rules, by direct vote at the primary held	2029
in an even-numbered year. CandidatesExcept as otherwise provided	2030
in section 3517.02 of the Revised Code, candidates for election as	2031
state central committee members shall be elected at primaries in	2032
the same manner as provided in sections 3513.01 to 3513.32 of the	2033
Revised Code, for the nomination of candidates for office in a	2034
county. Candidates for election as members of the county central	2035
committee shall be elected at primaries in the same manner as	2036
provided in suchthose sections for the nomination of candidates	2037
for county offices, except as otherwise provided in section	2038
sections 3513.051 and 3517.02 of the of the Revised Code.	2039

Each major party controlling committee shall elect an	2040
executive committee whichthat shall have suchthe powers as are	2041
granted to it by the party controlling committee, and as are	2042
provided to it by law. When a judicial, senatorial, or	2043
congressional district is comprised of more than one county, the	2044
chairperson and secretary of the county central committee from	2045
each county in suchthat district shall constitute the judicial,	2046
senatorial, or congressional committee of suchthe district. When	2047
a judicial, senatorial, or congressional district is included	2048
within a county, the county central committee shall constitute the	2049
judicial, senatorial, or congressional committee of suchthe	2050
district.	2051

The controlling committee of each intermediate political	2052
party or organization shall be a state central committee	2053
consisting of two members, one a man and one a woman, from each	2054
congressional district in the state. All members of suchthe	2055
committee shall be members of the party and shall be elected by	2056
direct vote at the primary held in the even-numbered years.	2057
CandidatesExcept as otherwise provided in section 3517.02 of the	2058
Revised Code, candidates for election shall be elected at the	2059
primary in the same manner as provided in sections 3513.01 to	2060
3513.32 of the Revised Code. An intermediate political party may	2061
have such other party organization as its rules provide. Each	2062
intermediate party shall file the names and addresses of its	2063
officers with the secretary of state.	2064

A minor political party may elect controlling committees at a	2065
primary election in the even-numbered year by filing a plan for	2066
party organization with the secretary of state on or before the	2067
ninetieth day before the day of the primary election. SuchThe	2068
plan shall specify which offices are to be elected and provide the	2069
procedure for qualification of candidates for suchthose offices.	2070
Candidates to be elected pursuant to suchthe plan shall be	2071
required to be designated and qualified on or before the ninetieth	2072
day before the day of the election. Such parties may, in lieu of	2073
electing a controlling committee or other officials, choose such	2074
committee or other officials in accordance with party rules. Each	2075
such party shall file the names and addresses of members of its	2076
controlling committee and party officers with the secretary of	2077
state.	2078

Sec. 3519.03. (A) The committee named in a initiative	2079
petition may prepare the argument or explanation, or both, in	2080
favor of the measure proposed, and the committee named in a	2081
referendum petition may prepare the argument or explanation, or	2082
both, against any law,or section, or item of law. The persons	2083
who prepare the argument or explanation, or both, in opposition to	2084
the initiated proposal, or the argument or explanation, or both,	2085
in favor of the measure to be referred shall be named by the	2086
general assembly, if it is in session, and if not in session, then	2087
or by the governor, if the general assembly is not in session.	2088
Such argument or explanation, or both, shall not exceed three	2089
hundred words, and shall be filed with the secretary of state at	2090
least seventy-five days prior to the date of the election at which	2091
the measure is to be voted upon.	2092

(B)(1) If the committee named in an initiative petition, the	2093
committee named in a referendum petition, or other persons	2094
designated under division (A) of this section fail to prepare and	2095
file their arguments or explanations by the seventy-fifth day	2096
before the date of the election, the secretary of state shall	2097
notify the Ohio ballot board that those arguments or explanations	2098
have not been so prepared and filed. The board then shall prepare	2099
the missing arguments or explanations or designate a group of	2100
persons to prepare those arguments or explanations. All arguments	2101
or explanations prepared under this division shall be filed with	2102
the secretary of state no later than seventy days before the date	2103
of the election. No argument or explanation shall exceed three	2104
hundred words.	2105

(2) If the Ohio ballot board fails to provide for the	2106
preparation of missing arguments or explanations under division	2107
(B)(1) of this section after being notified by the secretary of	2108
state that one or more arguments or explanations have not been	2109
timely prepared and filed, the positions of the four appointed	2110
members of the board shall be considered vacant, and new members	2111
shall be appointed in the manner provided for original	2112
appointments.	2113

Sec. 3599.09. Whoever knowingly violates division (A) of	2114
section 3513.052 is guilty of seeking nomination or election to	2115
more than one prohibited office at the same election and shall be	2116
fined not more than five hundred dollars.	2117

Section 2. That existing sections 107.08, 3501.01, 3501.38,	2118
3501.39, 3505.03, 3505.061, 3505.062, 3505.063, 3513.04, 3513.041,	2119
3513.05, 3513.23, 3513.251, 3513.253, 3513.254, 3513.255,	2120
3513.257, 3513.259, 3513.261, 3513.30, 3513.31, 3517.02, 3517.03,	2121
and 3519.03 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.	2122

Section 3.  Sections 3513.255 and 3513.259 of the Revised	2123
Code are presented in this act as composites of the sections as	2124
amended by both Am. Sub. H.B. 99 and Am. Sub. H.B. 117 of the	2125
121st General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the	2126
principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised	2127
Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of	2128
simultaneous operation, finds that the composites are the	2129
resulting versions of the sections in effect prior to the	2130
effective date of the sections as presented in this act.	2131

Section 4. Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this act shall take effect	2132
January 1, 2003.	2133