As Introduced

127th General Assembly
Regular Session
2007-2008
H. B. No. 350


Representative Wolpert 

Cosponsors: Representatives Batchelder, Huffman, Evans, Peterson, Fende, Flowers, Williams, S., Webster, Bubp, Combs, Brown 

A BILL
To amend section 3501.22 of the Revised Code to 1
permit a student at an Ohio institution of higher 2
education to serve as a precinct election official 3
in the county where they attend school, and to 4
permit up to two high school seniors to serve as 5
precinct officers at a polling place with six or 6
more precinct officers.7


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

       Section 1. That section 3501.22 of the Revised Code be 8
amended to read as follows:9

       Sec. 3501.22.  (A) On or before the fifteenth day of 10
September in each year, the board of elections by a majority vote 11
shall, after careful examination and investigation as to their12
qualifications, appoint for each election precinct four residents 13
of the county in which the precinct is located, as judges. Except 14
as otherwise provided in division (C)(D) of this section, all 15
judges of election shall be qualified electors. The judges shall 16
constitute the election officers of the precinct. Not more than 17
one-half of the total number of judges shall be members of the 18
same political party. The term of such precinct officers shall be 19
for one year. The board may, at any time, designate any number of 20
election officers, not more than one-half of whom shall be members 21
of the same political party, to perform their duties at any 22
precinct in any election. The board may appoint additional23
officials, equally divided between the two major political24
parties, when necessary to expedite voting.25

       Vacancies for unexpired terms shall be filled by the board. 26
When new precincts have been created, the board shall appoint27
judges for those precincts for the unexpired term. Any judge may28
be summarily removed from office at any time by the board for29
neglect of duty, malfeasance, or misconduct in office or for any30
other good and sufficient reason.31

       Precinct election officials shall perform all of the duties 32
provided by law for receiving the ballots and supplies, opening 33
and closing the polls, and overseeing the casting of ballots 34
during the time the polls are open, and any other duties required 35
by section 3501.26 of the Revised Code.36

       A board of elections may designate two precinct election 37
officials as counting officials to count and tally the votes cast 38
and certify the results of the election at each precinct, and 39
perform other duties as provided by law. To expedite the counting 40
of votes at each precinct, the board may appoint additional 41
officials, not more than one-half of whom shall be members of the 42
same political party.43

       The board shall designate one of the precinct election 44
officials who is a member of the dominant political party to serve45
as a presiding judge, whose duty it is to deliver the returns of 46
the election and all supplies to the office of the board. For 47
these services, the presiding judge shall receive additional 48
compensation in an amount, consistent with section 3501.28 of the 49
Revised Code, determined by the board of elections.50

       The board shall issue to each precinct election official a 51
certificate of appointment, which the official shall present to 52
the presiding judge at the time the polls are opened.53

       (B) A person who is currently enrolled as a student at an 54
institution of higher education located within Ohio and who is 55
registered to vote in Ohio may serve as a precinct election 56
official in either of the following locations:57

       (1) A precinct in the county in which the person is 58
registered to vote.59

       (2) A precinct in the county in which the institution of 60
higher education the person currently attends is located, if the 61
person can provide proof to the board of elections that the person 62
is currently enrolled at the institution of higher education.63

       As used in this division, "institution of higher education" 64
means a state institution of higher education, a private college, 65
university, or other postsecondary institution located in this 66
state that possesses a certificate of authorization issued by the 67
Ohio board of regents pursuant to Chapter 1713. of the Revised 68
Code or a certificate of registration issued by the state board of 69
career colleges and schools under Chapter 3332. of the Revised 70
Code.71

       (C) If the board of elections determines that not enough72
qualified electors in a precinct are available to serve as 73
precinct officers, it may appoint persons to serve as precinct 74
officers at a primary, special, or general election who are at 75
least seventeen years of age and are registered to vote in 76
accordance with section 3503.07 of the Revised Code. 77

       (C)(D)(1) A board of elections, in conjunction with the board 78
of education of a city, local, or exempted village school 79
district, the governing authority of a community school 80
established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, or the chief 81
administrator of a nonpublic school may establish a program 82
permitting certain high school students to apply and, if appointed 83
by the board of elections, to serve as precinct officers at a 84
primary, special, or general election.85

       In addition to the requirements established by division 86
(C)(D)(2) of this section, a board of education, governing 87
authority, or chief administrator that establishes a program under 88
this division in conjunction with a board of elections may 89
establish additional criteria that students shall meet to be 90
eligible to participate in that program.91

       (2)(a) To be eligible to participate in a program established 92
under division (C)(D)(1) of this section, a student shall be a 93
United States citizen, a resident of the county, at least 94
seventeen years of age, and enrolled in the senior year of high 95
school.96

       (b) Any student applying to participate in a program 97
established under division (C)(D)(1) of this section, as part of 98
the student's application process, shall declare the student's 99
political party affiliation with the board of elections.100

       (3) No student appointed as a precinct officer pursuant to a 101
program established under division (C)(D)(1) of this section shall 102
be designated as a presiding judge.103

       (4) Any student participating in a program established under 104
division (C)(D)(1) of this section shall be excused for that 105
student's absence from school on the day of an election at which 106
the student is serving as a precinct officer.107

       (D)(E) In any precinct with six or more precinct officers, 108
up to two students participating in a program established under 109
division (D)(1) of this section who are under eighteen years of 110
age may serve as precinct officers. Not more than one precinct 111
officer in any given precinct with fewer than six precinct 112
officers shall be under eighteen years of age.113

       Section 2. That existing section 3501.22 of the Revised Code 114
is hereby repealed.115