130th Ohio General Assembly
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S. B. No. 110  As Introduced
As Introduced

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
S. B. No. 110


Senator Turner 

Cosponsor: Senator Tavares 



A BILL
To amend sections 111.29, 145.053, 329.051, 742.042, 2961.01, 2967.17, 3307.072, 3309.072, 3313.77, 3501.01, 3501.011, 3501.012, 3501.04, 3501.05, 3501.11, 3501.13, 3501.18, 3501.30, 3501.31, 3501.33, 3501.90, 3503.02, 3503.07, 3503.09, 3503.10, 3503.11, 3503.111, 3503.12, 3503.13, 3503.14, 3503.15, 3503.16, 3503.17, 3503.18, 3503.19, 3503.191, 3503.21, 3503.24, 3503.25, 3503.26, 3503.28, 3503.30, 3503.33, 3505.20, 3509.03, 3509.04, 3511.02, 3511.021, 3511.04, 3517.01, 3517.08, 3517.1013, 3517.18, 3599.02, 3599.11, 3599.161, 3599.18, 3599.26, 3599.31, 4501.023, 4503.03, 4507.06, 4507.51, 5101.54, 5115.05, and 5505.044; to enact new section 3599.111 and section 3503.192; to repeal sections 3503.29 and 3599.111 of the Revised Code; and to amend the version of section 4507.06 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2017, to continue the provisions of this act on and after that effective date to permit sixteen and seventeen year olds to preregister to vote and to revise the law concerning compensated voter registration workers and petition circulators.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 111.29, 145.053, 329.051, 742.042, 2961.01, 2967.17, 3307.072, 3309.072, 3313.77, 3501.01, 3501.011, 3501.012, 3501.04, 3501.05, 3501.11, 3501.13, 3501.18, 3501.30, 3501.31, 3501.33, 3501.90, 3503.02, 3503.07, 3503.09, 3503.10, 3503.11, 3503.111, 3503.12, 3503.13, 3503.14, 3503.15, 3503.16, 3503.17, 3503.18, 3503.19, 3503.191, 3503.21, 3503.24, 3503.25, 3503.26, 3503.28, 3503.30, 3503.33, 3505.20, 3509.03, 3509.04, 3511.02, 3511.021, 3511.04, 3517.01, 3517.08, 3517.1013, 3517.18, 3599.02, 3599.11, 3599.161, 3599.18, 3599.26, 3599.31, 4501.023, 4503.03, 4507.06, 4507.51, 5101.54, 5115.05, and 5505.044 be amended and new section 3599.111 and section 3503.192 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 111.29.  There is hereby created in the state treasury the citizen education fund. The fund shall receive gifts, grants, fees, and donations from private individuals and entities for voter education purposes. The secretary of state shall use the moneys credited to the fund for preparing, printing, and distributing voter registration and preregistration and educational materials and for conducting related workshops and conferences for public education.
Sec. 145.053.  (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate to receive contributions and in-kind contributions and make expenditures on behalf of the candidate.
(2) "Candidate" means an individual who has been nominated pursuant to division (C) or (D) of section 145.05 of the Revised Code for election to the public employees retirement board or who is seeking to be elected to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, transfer of funds or transfer of anything of value including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the public employees retirement board under section 145.05 of the Revised Code, including a special election provided for by section 145.051 of the Revised Code, or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code. "Contribution" does not include:
(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;
(b) Ordinary home hospitality;
(c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer campaign worker.
(4) "Election day" means the following, as appropriate to the situation:
(a) The first Monday in October of a year for which section 145.05 of the Revised Code specifies that an election for a member of the public employees retirement board be held;
(b) If, pursuant to section 145.052 of the Revised Code, no election is held, the first Monday in October of a year that the election would have been held if not for section 145.052 of the Revised Code;
(c) If the election is a special election provided for by section 145.051 of the Revised Code, a day that the board shall specify that is consistent with requirements for a special election established by section 145.051 of the Revised Code.
(5) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the public employees retirement board under section 145.05 of the Revised Code, including a special election provided for by section 145.051 of the Revised Code, or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code.
(6) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by an individual, partnership, or other entity advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. An independent expenditure shall not be construed as being a contribution. As used in division (A)(6) of this section:
(a) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.
(b) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
(c) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:
(i) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;
(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;
(iii) Made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or preregistration or voter education efforts.
(d) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
(7) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election to the public employees retirement board under section 145.05 of the Revised Code, including a special election provided for by section 145.051 of the Revised Code, or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code, or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.
(8) "Personal expenses" includes ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives contributions or in-kind contributions totaling one thousand dollars or more or has expenditures totaling one thousand dollars or more in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the public employees retirement board shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether the election is a regular election or, pursuant to section 145.051 of the Revised Code, a special election. The statements shall also be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 145.052 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(C) Each individual, partnership, or other entity that makes an independent expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the public employees retirement board shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the independent expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether the election is a regular election or, pursuant to section 145.051 of the Revised Code, a special election. The statements also shall be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 145.052 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect independent expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect independent expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(D) Each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives a contribution or in-kind contribution or makes an expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to fill a vacancy in the public employees retirement board pursuant to section 145.06 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state a complete, accurate, and itemized statement setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The statement shall be filed within thirty-eight days after the day the candidate takes office. The statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the seventh day after the day the candidate takes office.
Sec. 329.051.  The county department of job and family services shall make voter registration and preregistration applications as prescribed by the secretary of state under section 3503.10 of the Revised Code available to persons who are applying for, receiving assistance from, or participating in any of the following:
(A) The disability financial assistance program established under Chapter 5115. of the Revised Code;
(B) The medical assistance program established under Chapter 5111. of the Revised Code;
(C) The Ohio works first program established under Chapter 5107. of the Revised Code;
(D) The prevention, retention, and contingency program established under Chapter 5108. of the Revised Code.
Sec. 742.042. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate to receive contributions and in-kind contributions and make expenditures on behalf of the candidate.
(2) "Candidate" means an individual who has been nominated pursuant to section 742.04 of the Revised Code for election to the board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund or who is seeking to be elected to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 742.05 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, transfer of funds or transfer of anything of value including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund under section 742.04 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 742.05 of the Revised Code. "Contribution" does not include:
(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;
(b) Ordinary home hospitality;
(c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer campaign worker.
(4) "Election day" means the following, as appropriate to the situation:
(a) The third Tuesday in May of a year for which section 742.04 of the Revised Code specifies that an election for a member of the board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund be held;
(b) If, pursuant to section 742.041 of the Revised Code, no election is held, the third Tuesday in May of a year that the election would have been held if not for section 742.041 of the Revised Code.
(5) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund under section 742.04 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 742.05 of the Revised Code.
(6) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by an individual, partnership, or other entity advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. An independent expenditure shall not be construed as being a contribution. As used in division (A)(6) of this section:
(a) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.
(b) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
(c) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:
(i) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;
(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;
(iii) Made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or preregistration or voter education efforts.
(d) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
(7) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election to the board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund under section 742.04 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 742.05 of the Revised Code or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.
(8) "Personal expenses" includes ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives contributions or in-kind contributions totaling one thousand dollars or more or has expenditures totaling one thousand dollars or more in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the board of trustees of the Ohio police and fire pension fund shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 742.041 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(C) Each individual, partnership, or other entity who makes an independent expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the board of trustees of the police and fire pension fund shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the independent expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 742.041 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect independent expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect independent expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(D) Each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives a contribution or in-kind contribution or makes an expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to fill a vacancy in the board of trustees of the police and fire pension fund pursuant to section 742.05 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state a complete, accurate, and itemized statement setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The statement shall be filed within thirty-eight days after the day the candidate takes office. The statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the seventh day after the day the candidate takes office.
Sec. 2961.01.  (A)(1) A person who pleads guilty to a felony under the laws of this or any other state or the United States and whose plea is accepted by the court or a person against whom a verdict or finding of guilt for committing a felony under any law of that type is returned, unless the plea, verdict, or finding is reversed or annulled, is incompetent to be an elector or juror or to hold an office of honor, trust, or profit.
(2) When any person who under division (A)(1) of this section is incompetent to be an elector or juror or to hold an office of honor, trust, or profit is granted parole, judicial release, or a conditional pardon or is released under a non-jail community control sanction or a post-release control sanction, the person is competent to be an elector during the period of community control, parole, post-release control, or release or until the conditions of the pardon have been performed or have transpired and is competent to be an elector thereafter following final discharge. The full pardon of a person who under division (A)(1) of this section is incompetent to be an elector or juror or to hold an office of honor, trust, or profit restores the rights and privileges so forfeited under division (A)(1) of this section, but a pardon shall not release the person from the costs of a conviction in this state, unless so specified.
(B) A person who pleads guilty to a felony under laws of this state or any other state or the United States and whose plea is accepted by the court or a person against whom a verdict or finding of guilt for committing a felony under any law of that type is returned is incompetent to circulate or serve as a witness for the signing of any declaration of candidacy and petition, voter registration or preregistration application, or nominating, initiative, referendum, or recall petition.
(C) As used in this section:
(1) "Community control sanction" has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Non-jail community control sanction" means a community control sanction that is neither a term in a community-based correctional facility nor a term in a jail.
(3) "Post-release control" and "post-release control sanction" have the same meanings as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2967.17.  (A) The adult parole authority, in its discretion, may grant an administrative release to any of the following:
(1) A parole violator or release violator serving another felony sentence in a correctional institution within or without this state for the purpose of consolidation of the records or if justice would best be served;
(2) A parole violator at large or release violator at large whose case has been inactive for at least ten years following the date of declaration of the parole violation or the violation of a post-release control sanction;
(3) A parolee taken into custody by the immigration and naturalization service of the United States department of justice and deported from the United States.
(B)(1)(a) As used in divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, "position of honor, trust, or profit" has the same meaning as in section 2929.192 of the Revised Code.
(b) For purposes of divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, a violation of section 2923.32 of the Revised Code or any other violation or offense that includes as an element a course of conduct or the occurrence of multiple acts is "committed on or after the effective date of this amendment May 13, 2008," if the course of conduct continues, one or more of the multiple acts occurs, or the subject person's accountability for the course of conduct or for one or more of the multiple acts continues, on or after the effective date of this amendment May 13, 2008.
(2) The adult parole authority shall not grant an administrative release except upon the concurrence of a majority of the parole board and approval of the chief of the adult parole authority. An administrative release does not restore for the person to whom it is granted the rights and privileges forfeited by conviction as provided in section 2961.01 of the Revised Code. Any person granted an administrative release under this section may subsequently apply for a commutation of sentence for the purpose of regaining the rights and privileges forfeited by conviction, except that the privilege of circulating or serving as a witness for the signing of any declaration of candidacy and petition, voter registration or preregistration application, or nominating, initiative, referendum, or recall petition forfeited under section 2961.01 of the Revised Code may not be restored under this section and except that the privilege of holding a position of honor, trust, or profit may not be restored under this section to a person in the circumstances described in division (B)(3) of this section.
(3) The privilege of holding a position of honor, trust, or profit may not be restored under this section to a person who was convicted of or pleaded guilty to committing on or after the effective date of this amendment May 13, 2008, any violation or offense listed in divisions (C)(2)(c)(i) to (vi) of section 2967.16 of the Revised Code that is a felony.
Sec. 3307.072. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate to receive contributions and in-kind contributions and make expenditures on behalf of the candidate.
(2) "Candidate" means an individual who has been nominated pursuant to section 3307.07 of the Revised Code for election to the state teachers retirement board or who is seeking to be elected to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to division (D) of section 3307.06 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, transfer of funds or transfer of anything of value including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the state teachers retirement board under section 3307.07 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to division (D) of section 3307.06 of the Revised Code. "Contribution" does not include:
(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;
(b) Ordinary home hospitality;
(c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer campaign worker.
(4) "Election day" means the following, as appropriate to the situation:
(a) The first Monday in May of a year for which section 3307.06 of the Revised Code specifies that an election for a member of the state teachers retirement board be held;
(b) If, pursuant to section 3307.071 of the Revised Code, no election is held, the first Monday in May of a year that the election would have been held if not for section 3307.071 of the Revised Code.
(5) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the state teachers retirement board under section 3307.07 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to division (D) of section 3307.06 of the Revised Code.
(6) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by an individual, partnership, or other entity advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. An independent expenditure shall not be construed as being a contribution. As used in division (A)(6) of this section:
(a) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.
(b) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
(c) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:
(i) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;
(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;
(iii) Made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or preregistration or voter education efforts.
(d) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
(7) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election to the state teachers retirement board under section 3307.07 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to division (D) of section 3307.06 of the Revised Code or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.
(8) "Personal expenses" includes ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives contributions or in-kind contributions totaling one thousand dollars or more or has expenditures totaling one thousand dollars or more in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the state teachers retirement board shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 3307.071 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(C) Each individual, partnership, or other entity who makes an independent expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the state teachers retirement board shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the independent expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 3307.071 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect independent expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect independent expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(D) Each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives a contribution or in-kind contribution or makes an expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to fill a vacancy in the state teachers retirement board pursuant to division (D) of section 3307.06 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state a complete, accurate, and itemized statement setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The statement shall be filed within thirty-eight days after the day the candidate takes office. The statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the seventh day after the day the candidate takes office.
Sec. 3309.072. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate to receive contributions and in-kind contributions and make expenditures on behalf of the candidate.
(2) "Candidate" means an individual who has been nominated pursuant to section 3309.07 of the Revised Code for election to the school employees retirement board or who is seeking to be elected to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to division (D) of section 3309.06 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, transfer of funds or transfer of anything of value including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the school employees retirement board under section 3309.07 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to division (C) of section 3309.06 of the Revised Code. "Contribution" does not include:
(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;
(b) Ordinary home hospitality;
(c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer campaign worker.
(4) "Election day" means the following, as appropriate to the situation:
(a) The first Monday in March of a year for which section 3309.06 of the Revised Code specifies that an election for a member of the school employees retirement board be held;
(b) If, pursuant to section 3309.071 of the Revised Code, no election is held, the first Monday in March of a year that the election would have been held if not for section 3309.071 of the Revised Code.
(5) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the school employees retirement board under section 3309.07 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to division (D) of section 3309.06 of the Revised Code.
(6) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by an individual, partnership, or other entity advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. An independent expenditure shall not be construed as being a contribution. As used in division (A)(6) of this section:
(a) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.
(b) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
(c) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:
(i) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;
(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;
(iii) Made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or preregistration or voter education efforts.
(d) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
(7) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election to the school employees retirement board under section 3309.07 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to division (C) of section 3309.06 of the Revised Code or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.
(8) "Personal expenses" includes ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives contributions or in-kind contributions totaling one thousand dollars or more or has expenditures totaling one thousand dollars or more in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the school employees retirement board under section 3309.07 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 3309.071 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure in excess of twenty-five dollars shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(C) Each individual, partnership, or other entity who makes an independent expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the school employees retirement board under section 3309.07 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the independent expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether, pursuant to section 3309.071 of the Revised Code, no election is held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect independent expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect independent expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(D) Each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives contributions or in-kind contributions totaling one thousand dollars or more or has expenditures totaling one thousand dollars or more in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to fill a vacancy in the school employees retirement board pursuant to division (C) of section 3309.06 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state a complete, accurate, and itemized statement setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure in excess of twenty-five dollars shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The statement shall be filed within thirty-eight days after the day the candidate takes office. The statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the seventh day after the day the candidate takes office.
(E) Each individual, partnership, or other entity that makes an independent expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to fill a vacancy in the school employees retirement board under division (C) of section 3309.06 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state a complete, accurate, and itemized statement setting forth in detail the independent expenditures. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code.
The statement shall be filed not later than thirty-eight days after the day the candidate takes office. The statement shall reflect independent expenditures made to the close of business on the seventh day after the day the candidate takes office.
Sec. 3313.77.  The board of education of any city, exempted village, or local school district shall, upon request and the payment of a reasonable fee, subject to such regulation as is adopted by such board, permit the use of any school house and rooms therein and the grounds and other property under its control, when not in actual use for school purposes, for any of the following purposes:
(A) Giving instructions in any branch of education, learning, or the arts;
(B) Holding educational, religious, civic, social, or recreational meetings and entertainments, and for such other purposes as promote the welfare of the community; provided such meetings and entertainments shall be nonexclusive and open to the general public;
(C) Public library purposes, as a station for a public library, or as reading rooms;
(D) Polling places, for holding elections and for the registration and preregistration of voters, or for holding grange or similar meetings.
Within sixty days after the effective date of this section November 28, 1975, the board of education of each school district shall adopt a policy for the use of school facilities by the public, including a list of all fees to be paid for the use of such facilities and the costs used to determine such fees. Once adopted, the policy shall remain in effect until formally amended by the board. A copy of the policy shall be made available to any resident of the district upon request.
Sec. 3501.01.  As used in the sections of the Revised Code relating to elections and political communications:
(A) "General election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in each November.
(B) "Regular municipal election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each odd-numbered year.
(C) "Regular state election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each even-numbered year.
(D) "Special election" means any election other than those elections defined in other divisions of this section. A special election may be held only on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in February, May, August, or November, or on the day authorized by a particular municipal or county charter for the holding of a primary election, except that in any year in which a presidential primary election is held, no special election shall be held in February or May, except as authorized by a municipal or county charter, but may be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March.
(E)(1) "Primary" or "primary election" means an election held for the purpose of nominating persons as candidates of political parties for election to offices, and for the purpose of electing persons as members of the controlling committees of political parties and as delegates and alternates to the conventions of political parties. Primary elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each year except in years in which a presidential primary election is held.
(2) "Presidential primary election" means a primary election as defined by division (E)(1) of this section at which an election is held for the purpose of choosing delegates and alternates to the national conventions of the major political parties pursuant to section 3513.12 of the Revised Code. Unless otherwise specified, presidential primary elections are included in references to primary elections. In years in which a presidential primary election is held, all primary elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March except as otherwise authorized by a municipal or county charter.
(F) "Political party" means any group of voters meeting the requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code for the formation and existence of a political party.
(1) "Major political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received no less than twenty per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election.
(2) "Intermediate political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than twenty per cent but not less than ten per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election.
(3) "Minor political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than ten per cent but not less than five per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election or which has filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any election in which it received less than five per cent of such vote, a petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least one per cent of the total vote cast for such office in the last preceding regular state election, except that a newly formed political party shall be known as a minor political party until the time of the first election for governor or president which occurs not less than twelve months subsequent to the formation of such party, after which election the status of such party shall be determined by the vote for the office of governor or president.
(G) "Dominant party in a precinct" or "dominant political party in a precinct" means that political party whose candidate for election to the office of governor at the most recent regular state election at which a governor was elected received more votes than any other person received for election to that office in such precinct at such election.
(H) "Candidate" means any qualified person certified in accordance with the provisions of the Revised Code for placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special election to be held in this state, or any qualified person who claims to be a write-in candidate, or who knowingly assents to being represented as a write-in candidate by another at either a primary, general, or special election to be held in this state.
(I) "Independent candidate" means any candidate who claims not to be affiliated with a political party, and whose name has been certified on the office-type ballot at a general or special election through the filing of a statement of candidacy and nominating petition, as prescribed in section 3513.257 of the Revised Code.
(J) "Nonpartisan candidate" means any candidate whose name is required, pursuant to section 3505.04 of the Revised Code, to be listed on the nonpartisan ballot, including all candidates for judicial office, for member of any board of education, for municipal or township offices in which primary elections are not held for nominating candidates by political parties, and for offices of municipal corporations having charters that provide for separate ballots for elections for these offices.
(K) "Party candidate" means any candidate who claims to be a member of a political party, whose name has been certified on the office-type ballot at a general or special election through the filing of a declaration of candidacy and petition of candidate, and who has won the primary election of the candidate's party for the public office the candidate seeks or is selected by party committee in accordance with section 3513.31 of the Revised Code.
(L) "Officer of a political party" includes, but is not limited to, any member, elected or appointed, of a controlling committee, whether representing the territory of the state, a district therein, a county, township, a city, a ward, a precinct, or other territory, of a major, intermediate, or minor political party.
(M) "Question or issue" means any question or issue certified in accordance with the Revised Code for placement on an official ballot at a general or special election to be held in this state.
(N) "Elector" or "qualified elector" means a person having the qualifications provided by law to be entitled to vote.
(O) "Voter" means an elector who votes at an election.
(P) "Voting residence" means that place of residence of an elector which shall determine the precinct in which the elector may vote.
(Q) "Precinct" means a district within a county established by the board of elections of such county within which all qualified electors having a voting residence therein may vote at the same polling place.
(R) "Polling place" means that place provided for each precinct at which the electors having a voting residence in such precinct may vote.
(S) "Board" or "board of elections" means the board of elections appointed in a county pursuant to section 3501.06 of the Revised Code.
(T) "Political subdivision" means a county, township, city, village, or school district.
(U) "Election officer" or "election official" means any of the following:
(1) Secretary of state;
(2) Employees of the secretary of state serving the division of elections in the capacity of attorney, administrative officer, administrative assistant, elections administrator, office manager, or clerical supervisor;
(3) Director of a board of elections;
(4) Deputy director of a board of elections;
(5) Member of a board of elections;
(6) Employees of a board of elections;
(7) Precinct polling place judges;
(8) Employees appointed by the boards of elections on a temporary or part-time basis.
(V) "Acknowledgment notice" means a notice sent by a board of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, informing a voter registration or preregistration applicant or an applicant who wishes to change the applicant's residence or name of the status of the application; the information necessary to complete or update the application, if any; and if the registration application is complete, the precinct in which the applicant is to vote.
(W) "Confirmation notice" means a notice sent by a board of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, to a registered elector to confirm the registered elector's current address.
(X) "Designated agency" means an office or agency in the state that provides public assistance or that provides state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities and that is required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to implement a program designed and administered by the secretary of state for registering voters, or any other public or government office or agency that implements a program designed and administered by the secretary of state for registering voters, including the department of job and family services, the program administered under section 3701.132 of the Revised Code by the department of health, the department of mental health, the department of developmental disabilities, the rehabilitation services commission, and any other agency the secretary of state designates. "Designated agency" does not include public high schools and vocational schools, public libraries, or the office of a county treasurer.
(Y) "National Voter Registration Act of 1993" means the "National Voter Registration Act of 1993," 107 Stat. 77, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973gg.
(Z) "Voting Rights Act of 1965" means the "Voting Rights Act of 1965," 79 Stat. 437, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973, as amended.
(AA) "Photo identification" means a document that meets each of the following requirements:
(1) It shows the name of the individual to whom it was issued, which shall conform to the name in the poll list or signature pollbook.
(2) It shows the current address of the individual to whom it was issued, which shall conform to the address in the poll list or signature pollbook, except for a driver's license or a state identification card issued under section 4507.50 of the Revised Code, which may show either the current or former address of the individual to whom it was issued, regardless of whether that address conforms to the address in the poll list or signature pollbook.
(3) It shows a photograph of the individual to whom it was issued.
(4) It includes an expiration date that has not passed.
(5) It was issued by the government of the United States or this state.
Sec. 3501.011.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (B) and (C) of this section, and except as otherwise provided in any section of Title XXXV of the Revised Code to the contrary, as used in the sections of the Revised Code relating to elections and political communications, whenever a person is required to sign or affix a signature to a declaration of candidacy, nominating petition, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, initiative petition, referendum petition, recall petition, or any other kind of petition, or to sign or affix a signature on any other document that is filed with or transmitted to a board of elections or the office of the secretary of state, "sign" or "signature" means that person's written, cursive-style legal mark written in that person's own hand.
(B) For persons who do not use a cursive-style legal mark during the course of their regular business and legal affairs, "sign" or "signature" means that person's other legal mark that the person uses during the course of that person's regular business and legal affairs that is written in the person's own hand.
(C) Any voter registration or preregistration record requiring a person's signature shall be signed using the person's legal mark used in the person's regular business and legal affairs. For any purpose described in division (A) of this section, the legal mark of a registered elector shall be considered to be the mark of that elector as it appears on the elector's voter registration record.
Sec. 3501.012.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, the secretary of state or a board of elections shall not refuse to accept and process an otherwise valid voter registration or preregistration application, absent voter's ballot application, uniformed services and overseas absent voter's ballot application, returned absent voter's ballot, returned uniformed services and overseas absent voter's ballot, or federal write-in absentee ballot from an individual who is eligible to vote as a uniformed services voter or an overseas voter in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1973ff-6 due to any requirements regarding notarization, paper type, paper weight and size, envelope type, or envelope weight and size.
Sec. 3501.04.  The secretary of state is the chief election officer of the state, with such powers and duties relating to the registration and preregistration of voters and the conduct of elections as are prescribed in Title XXXV of the Revised Code. He The secretary of state shall perform these duties, in addition to other duties imposed upon him the secretary of state by law, without additional compensation.
Sec. 3501.05.  The secretary of state shall do all of the following:
(A) Appoint all members of boards of elections;
(B) Issue instructions by directives and advisories in accordance with section 3501.053 of the Revised Code to members of the boards as to the proper methods of conducting elections.
(C) Prepare rules and instructions for the conduct of elections;
(D) Publish and furnish to the boards from time to time a sufficient number of indexed copies of all election laws then in force;
(E) Edit and issue all pamphlets concerning proposed laws or amendments required by law to be submitted to the voters;
(F) Prescribe the form of registration cards, blanks, and records;
(G) Determine and prescribe the forms of ballots and the forms of all blanks, cards of instructions, pollbooks, tally sheets, certificates of election, and forms and blanks required by law for use by candidates, committees, and boards;
(H) Prepare the ballot title or statement to be placed on the ballot for any proposed law or amendment to the constitution to be submitted to the voters of the state;
(I) Except as otherwise provided in section 3519.08 of the Revised Code, certify to the several boards the forms of ballots and names of candidates for state offices, and the form and wording of state referendum questions and issues, as they shall appear on the ballot;
(J) Except as otherwise provided in division (I)(2)(b) of section 3501.38 of the Revised Code, give final approval to ballot language for any local question or issue approved and transmitted by boards of elections under section 3501.11 of the Revised Code;
(K) Receive all initiative and referendum petitions on state questions and issues and determine and certify to the sufficiency of those petitions;
(L) Require such reports from the several boards as are provided by law, or as the secretary of state considers necessary;
(M) Compel the observance by election officers in the several counties of the requirements of the election laws;
(N)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (N)(2) of this section, investigate the administration of election laws, frauds, and irregularities in elections in any county, and report violations of election laws to the attorney general or prosecuting attorney, or both, for prosecution;
(2) On and after August 24, 1995, report a failure to comply with or a violation of a provision in sections 3517.08 to 3517.13, 3517.17, 3517.18, 3517.20 to 3517.22, 3599.03, or 3599.031 of the Revised Code, whenever the secretary of state has or should have knowledge of a failure to comply with or a violation of a provision in one of those sections, by filing a complaint with the Ohio elections commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code;
(O) Make an annual report to the governor containing the results of elections, the cost of elections in the various counties, a tabulation of the votes in the several political subdivisions, and other information and recommendations relative to elections the secretary of state considers desirable;
(P) Prescribe and distribute to boards of elections a list of instructions indicating all legal steps necessary to petition successfully for local option elections under sections 4301.32 to 4301.41, 4303.29, 4305.14, and 4305.15 of the Revised Code;
(Q) Adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code for the removal by boards of elections of ineligible voters from the statewide voter registration database and, if applicable, from the poll list or signature pollbook used in each precinct, which rules shall provide for all of the following:
(1) A process for the removal of voters who have changed residence, which shall be uniform, nondiscriminatory, and in compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, including a program that uses the national change of address service provided by the United States postal system through its licensees;
(2) A process for the removal of ineligible voters under section 3503.21 of the Revised Code;
(3) A uniform system for marking or removing the name of a voter who is ineligible to vote from the statewide voter registration database and, if applicable, from the poll list or signature pollbook used in each precinct and noting the reason for that mark or removal.
(R) Prescribe a general program for registering and preregistering voters or updating voter registration and preregistration information, such as name and residence changes, by boards of elections, designated agencies, offices of deputy registrars of motor vehicles, public high schools and vocational schools, public libraries, and offices of county treasurers consistent with the requirements of section 3503.09 of the Revised Code;
(S) Prescribe a program of distribution of voter registration and preregistration forms through boards of elections, designated agencies, offices of the registrar and deputy registrars of motor vehicles, public high schools and vocational schools, public libraries, and offices of county treasurers;
(T) To the extent feasible, provide copies, at no cost and upon request, of the voter registration and preregistration form in post offices in this state;
(U) Adopt rules pursuant to section 111.15 of the Revised Code for the purpose of implementing the program for registering and preregistering voters through boards of elections, designated agencies, and the offices of the registrar and deputy registrars of motor vehicles consistent with this chapter and for the purpose of implementing the law regarding voter preregistration;
(V) Establish the full-time position of Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator within the office of the secretary of state to do all of the following:
(1) Assist the secretary of state with ensuring that there is equal access to polling places for persons with disabilities;
(2) Assist the secretary of state with ensuring that each voter may cast the voter's ballot in a manner that provides the same opportunity for access and participation, including privacy and independence, as for other voters;
(3) Advise the secretary of state in the development of standards for the certification of voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment.
(W) Establish and maintain a computerized statewide database of all legally registered and preregistered voters under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code that complies with the requirements of the "Help America Vote Act of 2002," Pub. L. No. 107-252, 116 Stat. 1666, and provide training in the operation of that system;
(X) Ensure that all directives, advisories, other instructions, or decisions issued or made during or as a result of any conference or teleconference call with a board of elections to discuss the proper methods and procedures for conducting elections, to answer questions regarding elections, or to discuss the interpretation of directives, advisories, or other instructions issued by the secretary of state are posted on a web site of the office of the secretary of state as soon as is practicable after the completion of the conference or teleconference call, but not later than the close of business on the same day as the conference or teleconference call takes place.
(Y) Publish a report on a web site of the office of the secretary of state not later than one month after the completion of the canvass of the election returns for each primary and general election, identifying, by county, the number of absent voter's ballots cast and the number of those ballots that were counted, and the number of provisional ballots cast and the number of those ballots that were counted, for that election. The secretary of state shall maintain the information on the web site in an archive format for each subsequent election.
(Z) Conduct voter education outlining voter identification, absent voters ballot, provisional ballot, and other voting requirements;
(AA) Establish a procedure by which a registered elector may make available to a board of elections a more recent signature to be used in the poll list or signature pollbook produced by the board of elections of the county in which the elector resides;
(BB) Disseminate information, which may include all or part of the official explanations and arguments, by means of direct mail or other written publication, broadcast, or other means or combination of means, as directed by the Ohio ballot board under division (F) of section 3505.062 of the Revised Code, in order to inform the voters as fully as possible concerning each proposed constitutional amendment, proposed law, or referendum;
(CC) Be the single state office responsible for the implementation of the "Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act," Pub. L. No. 99-410, 100 Stat. 924, 42 U.S.C. 1973ff, et seq., as amended, in this state. The secretary of state may delegate to the boards of elections responsibilities for the implementation of that act, including responsibilities arising from amendments to that act made by the "Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act," Subtitle H of the "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010," Pub. L. No. 111-84, 123 Stat. 3190.
(DD) Perform other duties required by law.
Whenever a primary election is held under section 3513.32 of the Revised Code or a special election is held under section 3521.03 of the Revised Code to fill a vacancy in the office of representative to congress, the secretary of state shall establish a deadline, notwithstanding any other deadline required under the Revised Code, by which any or all of the following shall occur: the filing of a declaration of candidacy and petitions or a statement of candidacy and nominating petition together with the applicable filing fee; the filing of protests against the candidacy of any person filing a declaration of candidacy or nominating petition; the filing of a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate; the filing of campaign finance reports; the preparation of, and the making of corrections or challenges to, precinct voter registration lists; the receipt of applications for absent voter's ballots or armed service uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots; the supplying of election materials to precincts by boards of elections; the holding of hearings by boards of elections to consider challenges to the right of a person to appear on a voter registration list; and the scheduling of programs to instruct or reinstruct election officers.
In the performance of the secretary of state's duties as the chief election officer, the secretary of state may administer oaths, issue subpoenas, summon witnesses, compel the production of books, papers, records, and other evidence, and fix the time and place for hearing any matters relating to the administration and enforcement of the election laws.
In any controversy involving or arising out of the adoption of registration or preregistration or the appropriation of funds for registration or preregistration, the secretary of state may, through the attorney general, bring an action in the name of the state in the court of common pleas of the county where the cause of action arose or in an adjoining county, to adjudicate the question.
In any action involving the laws in Title XXXV of the Revised Code wherein the interpretation of those laws is in issue in such a manner that the result of the action will affect the lawful duties of the secretary of state or of any board of elections, the secretary of state may, on the secretary of state's motion, be made a party.
The secretary of state may apply to any court that is hearing a case in which the secretary of state is a party, for a change of venue as a substantive right, and the change of venue shall be allowed, and the case removed to the court of common pleas of an adjoining county named in the application or, if there are cases pending in more than one jurisdiction that involve the same or similar issues, the court of common pleas of Franklin county.
Public high schools and vocational schools, public libraries, and the office of a county treasurer shall implement voter registration and preregistration programs as directed by the secretary of state pursuant to this section.
Sec. 3501.11.  Each board of elections shall exercise by a majority vote all powers granted to the board by Title XXXV of the Revised Code, shall perform all the duties imposed by law, and shall do all of the following:
(A) Establish, define, provide, rearrange, and combine election precincts;
(B) Fix and provide the places for registration and preregistration and for holding primaries and elections;
(C) Provide for the purchase, preservation, and maintenance of booths, ballot boxes, books, maps, flags, blanks, cards of instructions, and other forms, papers, and equipment used in registration, preregistration, nominations, and elections;
(D) Appoint and remove its director, deputy director, and employees and all registrars, judges, and other officers of elections, fill vacancies, and designate the ward or district and precinct in which each shall serve;
(E) Make and issue rules and instructions, not inconsistent with law or the rules, directives, or advisories issued by the secretary of state, as it considers necessary for the guidance of election officers and voters;
(F) Advertise and contract for the printing of all ballots and other supplies used in registrations, preregistrations, and elections;
(G) Provide for the issuance of all notices, advertisements, and publications concerning elections, except as otherwise provided in division (G) of section 3501.17 and divisions (F) and (G) of section 3505.062 of the Revised Code;
(H) Provide for the delivery of ballots, pollbooks, and other required papers and material to the polling places;
(I) Cause the polling places to be suitably provided with voting machines, marking devices, automatic tabulating equipment, stalls, and other required supplies. In fulfilling this duty, each board of a county that uses voting machines, marking devices, or automatic tabulating equipment shall conduct a full vote of the board during a public session of the board on the allocation and distribution of voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment for each precinct in the county.
(J) Investigate irregularities, nonperformance of duties, or violations of Title XXXV of the Revised Code by election officers and other persons; administer oaths, issue subpoenas, summon witnesses, and compel the production of books, papers, records, and other evidence in connection with any such investigation; and report the facts to the prosecuting attorney or the secretary of state;
(K) Review, examine, and certify the sufficiency and validity of petitions and nomination papers, and, after certification, return to the secretary of state all petitions and nomination papers that the secretary of state forwarded to the board;
(L) Receive the returns of elections, canvass the returns, make abstracts of them, and transmit those abstracts to the proper authorities;
(M) Issue certificates of election on forms to be prescribed by the secretary of state;
(N) Make an annual report to the secretary of state, on the form prescribed by the secretary of state, containing a statement of the number of voters registered and preregistered, elections held, votes cast, appropriations received, expenditures made, and other data required by the secretary of state;
(O) Prepare and submit to the proper appropriating officer a budget estimating the cost of elections for the ensuing fiscal year;
(P) Perform other duties as prescribed by law or the rules, directives, or advisories of the secretary of state;
(Q) Investigate and determine the residence qualifications of electors;
(R) Administer oaths in matters pertaining to the administration of the election laws;
(S) Prepare and submit to the secretary of state, whenever the secretary of state requires, a report containing the names and residence addresses of all incumbent county, municipal, township, and board of education officials serving in their respective counties;
(T) Establish and maintain a voter registration database of all qualified electors in the county who offer to register;
(U) Maintain voter registration and preregistration records, make reports concerning voter registration and preregistration as required by the secretary of state, and remove ineligible electors from voter registration and preregistration lists in accordance with law and directives of the secretary of state;
(V) Give approval to ballot language for any local question or issue and transmit the language to the secretary of state for the secretary of state's final approval;
(W) Prepare and cause the following notice to be displayed in a prominent location in every polling place:
"NOTICE
Ohio law prohibits any person from voting or attempting to vote more than once at the same election.
Violators are guilty of a felony of the fourth degree and shall be imprisoned and additionally may be fined in accordance with law."
(X) In all cases of a tie vote or a disagreement in the board, if no decision can be arrived at, the director or chairperson shall submit the matter in controversy, not later than fourteen days after the tie vote or the disagreement, to the secretary of state, who shall summarily decide the question, and the secretary of state's decision shall be final.
(Y) Assist each designated agency, deputy registrar of motor vehicles, public high school and vocational school, public library, and office of a county treasurer in the implementation of a program for registering and preregistering voters at all voter registration and preregistration locations as prescribed by the secretary of state. Under this program, each board of elections shall direct to the appropriate board of elections any voter registration or preregistration applications for persons residing outside the county where the board is located within five days after receiving the applications.
(Z) On any day on which an elector may vote in person at the office of the board or at another site designated by the board, consider the board or other designated site a polling place for that day. All requirements or prohibitions of law that apply to a polling place shall apply to the office of the board or other designated site on that day.
(AA) Perform any duties with respect to voter registration and preregistration and voting by uniformed services and overseas voters that are delegated to the board by law or by the rules, directives, or advisories of the secretary of state.
Sec. 3501.13.  (A) The director of the board of elections shall keep a full and true record of the proceedings of the board and of all moneys received and expended; file and preserve in the board's office all orders and records pertaining to the administration of registrations and preregistrations, primaries, and elections; receive and have the custody of all books, papers, and property belonging to the board; and perform other duties in connection with the office of director and the proper conduct of elections as the board determines.
(B) Before entering upon the duties of the office, the director shall subscribe to an oath that the director will support the Constitution of the United States and the Ohio Constitution, perform all the duties of the office to the best of the director's ability, enforce the election laws, and preserve all records, documents, and other property pertaining to the conduct of elections placed in the director's custody.
(C) The director may administer oaths to persons required by law to file certificates or other papers with the board, to judges of elections, to witnesses who are called to testify before the board, and to voters filling out blanks at the board's offices. Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law, the records of the board and papers and books filed in its office are public records and open to inspection under such reasonable regulations as shall be established by the board. The following notice shall be posted in a prominent place at each board office:
"Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law, records filed in this office of the board of elections are open to public inspection during normal office hours, pursuant to the following reasonable regulations: (the board shall here list its regulations). Whoever prohibits any person from inspecting the public records of this board is subject to the penalties of section 3599.161 of the Revised Code."
(D) Upon receipt of a written declaration of intent to retire as provided for in section 145.38 of the Revised Code, the director shall provide a copy to each member of the board of elections.
Sec. 3501.18.  (A) The board of elections may divide a political subdivision within its jurisdiction into precincts, establish, define, divide, rearrange, and combine the several election precincts within its jurisdiction, and change the location of the polling place for each precinct when it is necessary to maintain the requirements as to the number of voters in a precinct and to provide for the convenience of the voters and the proper conduct of elections. No change in the number of precincts or in precinct boundaries shall be made during the twenty-five days immediately preceding a primary or general election or between the first day of January and the day on which the members of county central committees are elected in the years in which those committees are elected. Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, each precinct shall contain a number of electors, not to exceed one thousand four hundred, that the board of elections determines to be a reasonable number after taking into consideration the type and amount of available equipment, prior voter turnout, the size and location of each selected polling place, available parking, availability of an adequate number of poll workers, and handicap accessibility and other accessibility to the polling place.
If the board changes the boundaries of a precinct after the filing of a local option election petition pursuant to sections 4301.32 to 4301.41, 4303.29, or 4305.14 of the Revised Code that calls for a local option election to be held in that precinct, the local option election shall be held in the area that constituted the precinct at the time the local option petition was filed, regardless of the change in the boundaries.
If the board changes the boundaries of a precinct in order to meet the requirements of division (B)(1) of this section in a manner that causes a member of a county central committee to no longer qualify as a representative of an election precinct in the county, of a ward of a city in the county, or of a township in the county, the member shall continue to represent the precinct, ward, or township for the remainder of the member's term, regardless of the change in boundaries.
In an emergency, the board may provide more than one polling place in a precinct. In order to provide for the convenience of the voters, the board may locate polling places for voting or, registration, or preregistration outside the boundaries of precincts, provided that the nearest public school or public building shall be used if the board determines it to be available and suitable for use as a polling place. Except in an emergency, no change in the number or location of the polling places in a precinct shall be made during the twenty-five days immediately preceding a primary or general election.
Electors who have failed to respond within thirty days to any confirmation notice shall not be counted in determining the size of any precinct under this section.
(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, a board of elections shall determine all precinct boundaries using geographical units used by the United States department of commerce, bureau of the census, in reporting the decennial census of Ohio.
(2) The board of elections may apply to the secretary of state for a waiver from the requirement of division (B)(1) of this section when it is not feasible to comply with that requirement because of unusual physical boundaries or residential development practices that would cause unusual hardship for voters. The board shall identify the affected precincts and census units, explain the reason for the waiver request, and include a map illustrating where the census units will be split because of the requested waiver. If the secretary of state approves the waiver and so notifies the board of elections in writing, the board may change a precinct boundary as necessary under this section, notwithstanding the requirement in division (B)(1) of this section.
(C) The board of elections may apply to the secretary of state for a waiver from the requirement of division (A) of this section regarding the number of electors in a precinct when the use of geographical units used by the United States department of commerce, bureau of the census, will cause a precinct to contain more than one thousand four hundred electors. The board shall identify the affected precincts and census units, explain the reason for the waiver request, and include a map illustrating where census units will be split because of the requested waiver. If the secretary of state approves the waiver and so notifies the board of elections in writing, the board may change a precinct boundary as necessary to meet the requirements of division (B)(1) of this section.
Sec. 3501.30. (A) The board of elections shall provide for each polling place the necessary ballot boxes, official ballots, cards of instructions, registration and preregistration forms, pollbooks or poll lists, tally sheets, forms on which to make summary statements, writing implements, paper, and all other supplies necessary for casting and counting the ballots and recording the results of the voting at the polling place. The pollbooks or poll lists shall have certificates appropriately printed on them for the signatures of all the precinct officials, by which they shall certify that, to the best of their knowledge and belief, the pollbooks or poll lists correctly show the names of all electors who voted in the polling place at the election indicated in the pollbooks or poll lists.
All of the following shall be included among the supplies provided to each polling place:
(1) A large map of each appropriate precinct, which shall be displayed prominently to assist persons who desire to register, preregister, or vote on election day. Each map shall show all streets within the precinct and contain identifying symbols of the precinct in bold print.
(2) Any materials, postings, or instructions required to comply with state or federal laws;
(3) A flag of the United States approximately two and one-half feet in length along the top, which shall be displayed outside the entrance to the polling place during the time it is open for voting;
(4) Two or more small flags of the United States approximately fifteen inches in length along the top, which shall be placed at a distance of one hundred feet from the polling place on the thoroughfares or walkways leading to the polling place, to mark the distance within which persons other than election officials, observers, police officers, and electors waiting to mark, marking, or casting their ballots shall not loiter, congregate, or engage in any kind of election campaigning. Where small flags cannot reasonably be placed one hundred feet from the polling place, the presiding election judge shall place the flags as near to one hundred feet from the entrance to the polling place as is physically possible. Police officers and all election officials shall see that this prohibition against loitering and congregating is enforced.
When the period of time during which the polling place is open for voting expires, all of the flags described in this division shall be taken into the polling place and shall be returned to the board together with all other election supplies required to be delivered to the board.
(B) The board of elections shall follow the instructions and advisories of the secretary of state in the production and use of polling place supplies.
Sec. 3501.31.  The board of elections shall mail to each precinct election official notice of the date, hours, and place of holding each election in the official's respective precinct at which it desires the official to serve. Each of such officials shall notify the board immediately upon receipt of such notice of any inability to serve.
The election official designated as presiding judge under section 3501.22 of the Revised Code shall call at the office of the board at such time before the day of the election, not earlier than the tenth day before the day of the election, as the board designates to obtain the ballots, pollbooks, registration and preregistration forms and lists, and other material to be used in the official's polling place on election day.
The board may also provide for the delivery of such materials to polling places in a municipal corporation by members of the police department of such municipal corporation; or the board may provide for the delivery of such materials to the presiding judge not earlier than the tenth day before the election, in any manner it finds to be advisable.
On election day the precinct election officials shall punctually attend the polling place one-half hour before the time fixed for opening the polls. Each of the precinct election officials shall thereupon make and subscribe to a statement which shall be as follows:
"State of Ohio
County of ...............
I do solemnly swear under the penalty of perjury that I will support the constitution of the United States of America and the constitution of the state of Ohio and its laws; that I have not been convicted of a felony or any violation of the election laws; that I will discharge to the best of my ability the duties of judge of election in and for precinct .................... in the .................... (township) or (ward and city or village) .................... in the county of ...................., in the election to be held on the .......... day of ..............., ....., as required by law and the rules and instructions of the board of elections of said county; and that I will endeavor to prevent fraud in such election, and will report immediately to said board any violations of the election laws which come to my attention, and will not disclose any information as to how any elector voted which is gained by me in the discharge of my official duties.
............................................................
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............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
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(Signatures of precinct election officials)"
If any of the other precinct officials is absent at that time, the presiding judge, with the concurrence of a majority of the precinct election officials present, shall appoint a qualified elector who is a member of the same political party as the political party of which such absent precinct election official is a member to fill the vacancy until the board appoints a person to fill such vacancy and the person so appointed reports for duty at the polling place. The presiding judge shall promptly notify the board of such vacancy by telephone or otherwise. The presiding judge also shall assign the precinct election officials to their respective duties and shall have general charge of the polling place.
Sec. 3501.33.  All judges of election shall enforce peace and good order in and about the place of registration, preregistration, or election. They shall especially keep the place of access of the electors to the polling place open and unobstructed and prevent and stop any improper practices or attempts tending to obstruct, intimidate, or interfere with any elector individual in registering, preregistering, or voting. They shall protect observers against molestation and violence in the performance of their duties, and may eject from the polling place any observer for violation of any provision of Title XXXV of the Revised Code. They shall prevent riots, violence, tumult, or disorder. In the discharge of these duties, they may call upon the sheriff, police, or other peace officers to aid them in enforcing the law. They may order the arrest of any person violating Title XXXV of the Revised Code, but such an arrest shall not prevent the person from registering, preregistering, or voting if the person is entitled to do so. The sheriff, all constables, police officers, and other officers of the peace shall immediately obey and aid in the enforcement of any lawful order made by the precinct election officials in the enforcement of Title XXXV of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3501.90. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Harassment in violation of the election law" means either of the following:
(a) Any of the following types of conduct in or about a polling place or a place of registration, preregistration, or election: obstructing access of an elector to a polling place; another improper practice or attempt tending to obstruct, intimidate, or interfere with an elector individual in registering, preregistering, or voting at a place of registration, preregistration, or election; molesting or otherwise engaging in violence against observers in the performance of their duties at a place of registration, preregistration, or election; or participating in a riot, violence, tumult, or disorder in and about a place of registration, preregistration, or election;
(b) A violation of division (A)(1), (2), (3), or (5) or division (B) of section 3501.35 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Person" has the same meaning as in division (C) of section 1.59 of the Revised Code and also includes any organization that is not otherwise covered by that division.
(3) "Trier of fact" means the jury or, in a nonjury action, the court.
(B) An elector individual who has experienced harassment in violation of the election law has a cause of action against each person that committed the harassment in violation of the election law. In any civil action based on this cause of action, the elector individual may seek a declaratory judgment, an injunction, or other appropriate equitable relief. The civil action may be commenced by an elector individual who has experienced harassment in violation of the election law either alone or as a party to a class action under Civil Rule 23.
(C)(1) In addition to the equitable relief authorized by division (B) of this section, an elector individual who has experienced harassment in violation of the election law may be entitled to relief under division (C)(2) or (3) of this section.
(2) If the harassment in violation of the election law involved intentional or reckless threatening or causing of bodily harm to the elector individual while the elector individual was attempting to register or preregister to vote, to obtain an absent voter's ballot, or to vote, the elector individual may seek, in a civil action based on the cause of action created by division (B) of this section, monetary damages as prescribed in this division. The civil action may be commenced by the elector individual who has experienced harassment in violation of the election law either alone or as a party to a class action under Civil Rule 23. Upon proof by a preponderance of the evidence in the civil action that the harassment in violation of the election law involved intentional or reckless threatening or causing of bodily harm to the elector individual, the trier of fact shall award the elector individual the greater of three times of the amount of the elector's individual's actual damages or one thousand dollars. The court also shall award a prevailing elector individual reasonable attorney's fees and court costs.
(3) Whether a civil action on the cause of action created by division (B) of this section is commenced by an elector individual who has experienced harassment in violation of the election law alone or as a party to a class action under Civil Rule 23, if the defendant in the action is an organization that has previously been determined in a court of this state to have engaged in harassment in violation of the election law, the elector individual may seek an order of the court granting any of the following forms of relief upon proof by a preponderance of the evidence:
(a) Divestiture of the organization's interest in any enterprise or in any real property;
(b) Reasonable restrictions upon the future activities or investments of the organization, including, but not limited to, prohibiting the organization from engaging in any harassment in violation of the election law;
(c) The dissolution or reorganization of the organization;
(d) The suspension or revocation of any license, permit, or prior approval granted to the organization by any state agency;
(e) The revocation of the organization's authorization to do business in this state if the organization is a foreign corporation or other form of foreign entity.
(D) It shall not be a defense in a civil action based on the cause of action created by division (B) of this section, whether commenced by an elector individual who has experienced harassment in violation of the election law alone or as a party to a class action under Civil Rule 23, that no criminal prosecution was commenced or conviction obtained in connection with the conduct alleged to be the basis of the civil action.
(E) In a civil action based on the cause of action created by division (B) of this section, whether commenced by an elector individual who has experienced harassment in violation of the election law alone or as a party to a class action under Civil Rule 23, the elector individual may name as defendants each individual who engaged in conduct constituting harassment in violation of the election law as well as any person that employs, sponsors, or uses as an agent any such individual or that has organized a common scheme to cause harassment in violation of the election law.
Sec. 3503.02.  All registrars and judges of elections, in determining the residence of a person offering to register, preregister, or vote, shall be governed by the following rules:
(A) That place shall be considered the residence of a person in which the person's habitation is fixed and to which, whenever the person is absent, the person has the intention of returning.
(B) A person shall not be considered to have lost the person's residence who leaves the person's home and goes into another state or county of this state, for temporary purposes only, with the intention of returning.
(C) A person shall not be considered to have gained a residence in any county of this state into which the person comes for temporary purposes only, without the intention of making such county the permanent place of abode.
(D) The place where the family of a married person resides shall be considered to be the person's place of residence; except that when the spouses have separated and live apart, the place where such a spouse resides the length of time required to entitle a person to vote shall be considered to be the spouse's place of residence.
(E) If a person removes to another state with the intention of making such state the person's residence, the person shall be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state.
(F) Except as otherwise provided in division (G) of this section, if a person removes from this state and continuously resides outside this state for a period of four years or more, the person shall be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state, notwithstanding the fact that the person may entertain an intention to return at some future period.
(G)(1) If a person removes from this state to engage in the services of the United States government, the person shall not be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state, and likewise should the person enter the employment of the state, the place where such person resided at the time of the person's removal shall be considered to be the person's place of residence.
(2) If a person removes from this state to a location outside of the United States and the person does not become a resident of another state, the person shall not be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state. The place where the person resided at the time of the person's removal shall be considered to be the person's place of residence.
(3) If a person is eligible to vote in this state under division (D)(2)(B)(3) of section 3511.011 3511.01 of the Revised Code, the place where the person's parent or legal guardian resided in this state prior to that parent or legal guardian's removal to a location outside of the United States shall be considered to be the person's place of residence.
(4) If an address that is considered to be a person's place of residence under division (G) of this section ceases to be a recognized residential address, the board of elections shall assign an address to the applicable person for voting purposes.
(H) If a person goes into another state and while there exercises the right of a citizen by voting, the person shall be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state.
(I) If a person does not have a fixed place of habitation, but has a shelter or other location at which the person has been a consistent or regular inhabitant and to which the person has the intention of returning, that shelter or other location shall be deemed the person's residence for the purpose of registering to vote.
Sec. 3503.07.  (A) Each person who will be of the age of eighteen years or more at the next ensuing November election, who is a citizen of the United States, and who, if he the person continues to reside in the precinct until the next election, will at that time have fulfilled all the requirements as to length of residence to qualify him the person as an elector shall, unless otherwise disqualified, be entitled to be registered as an elector in such precinct. When once registered, an elector shall not be required to register again unless his the person's registration is canceled.
(B) Each person who is at least sixteen years of age but will not be of the age of eighteen years or more at the next ensuing November election, who is a citizen of the United States, and who, if the person continues to reside in the precinct until the next election in which the person will have reached the age of eligibility to vote, will at that time have fulfilled all the requirements as to length of residence to qualify the person as an elector shall, unless otherwise disqualified, be entitled to be preregistered as an elector in the precinct in which the person resides.
Upon reaching the age of eligibility, the person shall be automatically registered as an elector in accordance with section 3503.192 of the Revised Code. A preregistered person is not eligible to vote until the person becomes a registered elector.
Sec. 3503.09.  (A)(1) The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the electronic transmission by boards of elections, designated agencies, offices of deputy registrars of motor vehicles, public high schools and vocational schools, public libraries, and offices of county treasurers, where applicable, of name and residence changes for voter registration and preregistration records in the statewide voter registration database.
(2) The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the purpose of improving the speed of processing new voter registrations and preregistrations that permit information from a voter registration or preregistration application received by a designated agency or an office of deputy registrar of motor vehicles to be made available electronically, in addition to requiring the original voter registration or preregistration application to be transmitted to the applicable board of elections under division (E)(2) of section 3503.10 or section 3503.11 of the Revised Code.
(B) Rules adopted under division (A) of this section shall do all of the following:
(1) Prohibit any direct electronic connection between a designated agency, office of deputy registrar of motor vehicles, public high school or vocational school, public library, or office of a county treasurer and the statewide voter registration database;
(2) Require any updated voter registration or preregistration information to be verified by the secretary of state or a board of elections before the information is added to the statewide voter registration database for the purpose of modifying an existing voter registration or preregistration;
(3) Require each designated agency or office of deputy registrar of motor vehicles that transmits voter registration or preregistration information electronically to transmit an identifier for data relating to each new voter registration or preregistration that shall be used by the secretary of state or a board of elections to match the electronic data to the original voter registration or preregistration application.
Sec. 3503.10.  (A) Each designated agency shall designate one person within that agency to serve as coordinator for the voter registration and preregistration program within the agency and its departments, divisions, and programs. The designated person shall be trained under a program designed by the secretary of state and shall be responsible for administering all aspects of the voter registration and preregistration program for that agency as prescribed by the secretary of state. The designated person shall receive no additional compensation for performing such duties.
(B) Every designated agency, public high school and vocational school, public library, and office of a county treasurer shall provide in each of its offices or locations voter registration and preregistration applications and assistance in the registration and preregistration of persons qualified to register or to preregister to vote, in accordance with this chapter.
(C) Every designated agency shall distribute to its applicants, prior to or in conjunction with distributing a voter registration application, a form prescribed by the secretary of state that includes all of the following:
(1) The question, "Do you want to register or preregister to vote or update your current voter registration or preregistration?"--followed by boxes for the applicant to indicate whether the applicant would like to register or preregister or decline to register or preregister to vote, and the statement, highlighted in bold print, "If you do not check either box, you will be considered to have decided not to register or preregister to vote at this time.";
(2) If the agency provides public assistance, the statement, "Applying to register or preregister or declining to register or preregister to vote will not affect the amount of assistance that you will be provided by this agency.";
(3) The statement, "If you would like help in filling out the voter registration or preregistration application form, we will help you. The decision whether to seek or accept help is yours. You may fill out the application form in private.";
(4) The statement, "If you believe that someone has interfered with your right to register or preregister or to decline to register or preregister to vote, your right to privacy in deciding whether to register or preregister or in applying to register or preregister to vote, or your right to choose your own political party or other political preference, you may file a complaint with the prosecuting attorney of your county or with the secretary of state," with the address and telephone number for each such official's office.
(D) Each designated agency shall distribute a voter registration or preregistration form prescribed by the secretary of state to each applicant with each application for service or assistance, and with each written application or form for recertification, renewal, or change of address.
(E) Each designated agency shall do all of the following:
(1) Have employees trained to administer the voter registration and preregistration program in order to provide to each applicant who wishes to register or preregister to vote and who accepts assistance, the same degree of assistance with regard to completion of the voter registration or preregistration application as is provided by the agency with regard to the completion of its own form;
(2) Accept completed voter registration or preregistration applications, voter registration or preregistration change of residence forms, and voter registration or preregistration change of name forms, regardless of whether the application or form was distributed by the designated agency, for transmittal to the office of the board of elections in the county in which the agency is located. Each designated agency and the appropriate board of elections shall establish a method by which the voter registration or preregistration applications and other voter registration or preregistration forms are transmitted to that board of elections within five days after being accepted by the agency.
(3) If the designated agency is one that is primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities under a state-funded program, and that agency provides services to a person with disabilities at a person's home, provide the services described in divisions (E)(1) and (2) of this section at the person's home;
(4) Keep as confidential, except as required by the secretary of state for record-keeping purposes, the identity of an agency through which a person registered or preregistered to vote or updated the person's voter registration or preregistration records, and information relating to a declination to register or preregister to vote made in connection with a voter registration or preregistration application issued by a designated agency.
(F) The secretary of state shall prepare and transmit written instructions on the implementation of the voter registration and preregistration program within each designated agency, public high school and vocational school, public library, and office of a county treasurer. The instructions shall include directions as follows:
(1) That each person designated to assist with voter registration and preregistration maintain strict neutrality with respect to a person's political philosophies, a person's right to register or preregister or decline to register or preregister, and any other matter that may influence a person's decision to register or preregister or not to register or preregister to vote;
(2) That each person designated to assist with voter registration or preregistration not seek to influence a person's decision to register or preregister or not to register or preregister to vote, not display or demonstrate any political preference or party allegiance, and not make any statement to a person or take any action the purpose or effect of which is to lead a person to believe that a decision to register or preregister or not to register or preregister has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits offered, on the grade in a particular class in school, or on credit for a particular class in school;
(3) Regarding when and how to assist a person in completing the voter registration or preregistration application, what to do with the completed voter registration or preregistration application or voter registration or preregistration update form, and when the application must be transmitted to the appropriate board of elections;
(4) Regarding what records must be kept by the agency and where and when those records should be transmitted to satisfy reporting requirements imposed on the secretary of state under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993;
(5) Regarding whom to contact to obtain answers to questions about voter registration and preregistration forms and procedures.
(G) If the voter registration or preregistration activity is part of an in-class voter registration or preregistration program in a public high school or vocational school, whether prescribed by the secretary of state or independent of the secretary of state, the board of education shall do all of the following:
(1) Establish a schedule of school days and hours during these days when the person designated to assist with voter registration and preregistration shall provide voter registration and preregistration assistance;
(2) Designate a person to assist with voter registration and preregistration from the public high school's or vocational school's staff;
(3) Make voter registration and preregistration applications and materials available, as outlined in the voter registration and preregistration program established by the secretary of state pursuant to section 3501.05 of the Revised Code;
(4) Distribute the statement, "applying to register or preregister or declining to register or preregister to vote will not affect or be a condition of your receiving a particular grade in or credit for a school course or class, participating in a curricular or extracurricular activity, receiving a benefit or privilege, or participating in a program or activity otherwise available to pupils enrolled in this school district's schools.";
(5) Establish a method by which the voter registration or preregistration application and other voter registration and preregistration forms are transmitted to the board of elections within five days after being accepted by the public high school or vocational school.
(H) Any person employed by the designated agency, public high school or vocational school, public library, or office of a county treasurer may be designated to assist with voter registration and preregistration pursuant to this section. The designated agency, public high school or vocational school, public library, or office of a county treasurer shall provide the designated person, and make available such space as may be necessary, without charge to the county or state.
(I) The secretary of state shall prepare and cause to be displayed in a prominent location in each designated agency a notice that identifies the person designated to assist with voter registration and preregistration, the nature of that person's duties, and where and when that person is available for assisting in the registration and preregistration of voters.
A designated agency may furnish additional supplies and services to disseminate information to increase public awareness of the existence of a person designated to assist with voter registration and preregistration in every designated agency.
(J) This section does not limit any authority a board of education, superintendent, or principal has to allow, sponsor, or promote voluntary election registration and preregistration programs within a high school or vocational school, including programs in which pupils serve as persons designated to assist with voter registration and preregistration, provided that no pupil is required to participate.
(K) Each public library and office of the county treasurer shall establish a method by which voter registration and preregistration forms are transmitted to the board of elections within five days after being accepted by the public library or office of the county treasurer.
(L) The department of job and family services and its departments, divisions, and programs shall limit administration of the aspects of the voter registration and preregistration program for the department to the requirements prescribed by the secretary of state and the requirements of this section and the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
Sec. 3503.11.  When any person applies for a driver's license, commercial driver's license, a state of Ohio identification card issued under section 4507.50 of the Revised Code, or motorcycle operator's license or endorsement, or the renewal or duplicate of any license or endorsement under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of the Revised Code, the registrar of motor vehicles or deputy registrar shall offer the applicant the opportunity to register or preregister to vote or to update the applicant's voter registration or preregistration. The registrar of motor vehicles or deputy registrar also shall make available to all other customers voter registration or preregistration applications and change of residence and change of name, forms, but is not required to offer assistance to these customers in completing a voter registration or preregistration application or other form.
The registrar or deputy registrar shall send any completed registration or preregistration application or any completed change of residence or change of name form to the board of elections of the county in which the office of the registrar or deputy registrar is located, within five days after accepting the application or other form.
The registrar shall collect from each deputy registrar through the reports filed under division (J) of section 4503.03 of the Revised Code and transmit to the secretary of state information on the number of voter registration or preregistration applications and change of residence or change of name forms completed or declined, and any additional information required by the secretary of state to comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. No information relating to an applicant's decision to decline to register or preregister or to update the applicant's voter registration or preregistration at the office of the registrar or deputy registrar may be used for any purpose other than voter registration and preregistration record-keeping required by the secretary of state, and all such information shall be kept confidential.
The secretary of state shall prescribe voter registration or preregistration applications and change of residence and change of name forms for use by the bureau of motor vehicles. The bureau of motor vehicles shall supply all of its deputy registrars with a sufficient number of voter registration or preregistration applications and change of residence and change of name forms.
Sec. 3503.111.  The board of elections of any county shall register or preregister or change the registration or preregistration of any person determined not to be a resident in that county under section 3503.02 of the Revised Code, who is a resident and a qualified elector of, or is eligible to preregister in, another county in this state, on behalf of the county of residence.
The director of any board of elections registering or preregistering a person under this section shall send the completed registration or preregistration form of that person to the director of the board of elections of the county of residence, who shall enter the form in the proper registration or preregistration files and shall promptly send an acknowledgment notice as prescribed by the secretary of state to the registrant or preregistrant at the new address listed on the registration or preregistration form.
Sec. 3503.12.  All registrations and preregistrations shall be carefully checked, and in case any person is found to have registered or preregistered more than once, the additional registration or preregistration forms shall be canceled by the board of elections.
Six weeks prior to the day of a special, primary, or general election, the board shall publish notices in one or more newspapers of general circulation advertising the places, dates, times, methods of registration, and voter qualifications for registration.
The board shall establish a schedule or program to assure to the extent reasonably possible that, on or before November 1, 1980, all registration and preregistration places shall be are free of barriers that would impede the ingress and egress of handicapped persons. Entrances shall be level or shall be provided with a nonskid ramp of not over eight per cent gradient, and doors shall be a minimum of thirty-two inches wide. Registration and preregistration places located at polling places shall, however, comply with the requirements of section 3501.29 of the Revised Code for the elimination of barriers.
As used in this section, "handicapped" means having lost the use of one or both legs, one or both arms, or any combination thereof, or being blind or so severely disabled as to be unable to move about without the aid of crutches or a wheelchair.
Sec. 3503.13. (A) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law, registration and preregistration forms submitted by applicants and the statewide voter registration database established under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code shall be open to public inspection at all times when the office of the board of elections is open for business, under such regulations as the board adopts, provided that no person shall be permitted to inspect voter registration or preregistration forms except in the presence of an employee of the board.
(B) A board of elections may use a legible digitized signature list of voter signatures, copied from the signatures on the registration and preregistration forms in a form and manner prescribed by the secretary of state, provided that the board includes the required voter registration information in the statewide voter registration database established under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code, and provided that the precinct election officials have computer printouts at the polls prepared in the manner required under section 3503.23 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3503.14.  (A) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form and content of the registration or preregistration, change of residence, and change of name forms used in this state. The
The forms shall meet the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and shall include spaces for all of the following:
(1) The voter's applicant's name;
(2) The voter's applicant's address;
(3) The current date;
(4) The voter's applicant's date of birth;
(5) The voter applicant to provide one or more of the following:
(a) The voter's applicant's driver's license number, if any;
(b) The last four digits of the voter's applicant's social security number, if any;
(c) A copy of a current and valid photo identification, a copy of a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a notice of an election mailed by a board of elections under section 3501.19 of the Revised Code or a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections under section 3503.19 of the Revised Code, that shows the voter's applicant's name and address.
(6) The voter's applicant's signature.
The registration form shall include a space on which the person registering an applicant shall sign the person's name and provide the person's address and a space on which the person registering an applicant shall name the employer who is employing that person to register the applicant.
(B) The form shall include the following questions and statement:
(1) "Will you be at least 18 years of age on or before the day of the next general election?" and boxes for the applicant to check to indicate yes or no.
(2) "Are you at least 16 years of age and do you wish to be automatically registered to vote when you will be 18 years of age on or before the day of the next general election?" and boxes for the applicant to check to indicate yes or no.
(3) "If you checked 'no' in response to both of these questions, do not submit this form."
(C) Except for forms prescribed by the secretary of state under section 3503.11 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall permit boards of elections to produce forms that have subdivided spaces for each individual alphanumeric character of the information provided by the voter applicant so as to accommodate the electronic reading and conversion of the voter's applicant's information to data and the subsequent electronic transfer of that data to the statewide voter registration database established under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code.
(B) None of the following persons who are registering an applicant in the course of that official's or employee's normal duties shall sign the person's name, provide the person's address, or name the employer who is employing the person to register an applicant on a form prepared under this section:
(1) An election official;
(2) A county treasurer;
(3) A deputy registrar of motor vehicles;
(4) An employee of a designated agency;
(5) An employee of a public high school;
(6) An employee of a public vocational school;
(7) An employee of a public library;
(8) An employee of the office of a county treasurer;
(9) An employee of the bureau of motor vehicles;
(10) An employee of a deputy registrar of motor vehicles;
(11) An employee of an election official.
(C)(D) Except as provided in section 3501.382 of the Revised Code, any applicant who is unable to sign the applicant's own name shall make an "X," if possible, which shall be certified by the signing of the name of the applicant by the person filling out the form, who shall add the person's own signature. If an applicant is unable to make an "X," the applicant shall indicate in some manner that the applicant desires to register or preregister to vote or to change the applicant's name or residence. The person registering or preregistering the applicant shall sign the form and attest that the applicant indicated that the applicant desired to register or preregister to vote or to change the applicant's name or residence.
(D) No registration, change of residence, or change of name form shall be rejected solely on the basis that a person registering an applicant failed to sign the person's name or failed to name the employer who is employing that person to register the applicant as required under division (A) of this section.
(E) As used in this section, "registering an applicant" includes any effort, for compensation, to provide voter registration forms or to assist persons in completing or returning those forms.
Sec. 3503.15.  (A) The secretary of state shall establish and maintain a statewide voter registration database that shall be continuously available to each board of elections and to other agencies as authorized by law.
(B) The statewide voter registration database established under this section shall be the official list of registered voters and preregistered persons for all elections conducted in this state.
(C) The statewide voter registration database established under this section shall, at a minimum, include all of the following:
(1) An electronic network that connects all board of elections offices with the office of the secretary of state and with the offices of all other boards of elections;
(2) A computer program that harmonizes the records contained in the database with records maintained by each board of elections;
(3) An interactive computer program that allows access to the records contained in the database by each board of elections and by any persons authorized by the secretary of state to add, delete, modify, or print database records, and to conduct updates of the database;
(4) A search program capable of verifying registered voters and preregistered persons and their registration or preregistration information by name, driver's license number, birth date, social security number, or current address;
(5) A clear marking on each preregistration record indicating that the preregistered person is not yet a qualified elector;
(6) Safeguards and components to ensure that the integrity, security, and confidentiality of the voter registration and preregistration information is maintained.
(D) The secretary of state shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code doing all of the following:
(1) Specifying the manner in which existing voter registration and preregistration records maintained by boards of elections shall be converted to electronic files for inclusion in the statewide voter registration database;
(2) Establishing a uniform method for entering voter registration and preregistration records into the statewide voter registration database on an expedited basis, but not less than once per day, if new registration or preregistration information is received;
(3) Establishing a uniform method for purging canceled voter registration and preregistration records from the statewide voter registration database in accordance with section 3503.21 of the Revised Code;
(4) Specifying the persons authorized to add, delete, modify, or print records contained in the statewide voter registration database and to make updates of that database;
(5) Establishing a process for annually auditing the information contained in the statewide voter registration database.
(E) A board of elections promptly shall purge a voter's or preregistered person's name and voter registration or preregistration information from the statewide voter registration database in accordance with the rules adopted by the secretary of state under division (D)(3) of this section after the cancellation of a voter's registration or a person's preregistration under section 3503.21 of the Revised Code.
(F) The secretary of state shall provide training in the operation of the statewide voter registration database to each board of elections and to any persons authorized by the secretary of state to add, delete, modify, or print database records, and to conduct updates of the database.
(G)(1) The statewide voter registration database established under this section shall be made available on a web site of the office of the secretary of state as follows:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (G)(1)(b) of this section, only the following information from the statewide voter registration database regarding a registered voter or preregistered person shall be made available on the web site:
(i) The voter's or person's name;
(ii) The voter's or person's address;
(iii) The voter's or person's precinct number;
(iv) The voter's voting history.
(b) During the thirty days before the day of a primary or general election, the web site interface of the statewide voter registration database shall permit a voter to search for the polling location at which that voter may cast a ballot.
(2) The secretary of state shall establish, by rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, a process for boards of elections to notify the secretary of state of changes in the locations of precinct polling places for the purpose of updating the information made available on the secretary of state's web site under division (G)(1)(b) of this section. Those rules shall require a board of elections, during the thirty days before the day of a primary or general election, to notify the secretary of state within one business day of any change to the location of a precinct polling place within the county.
(3) During the thirty days before the day of a primary or general election, not later than one business day after receiving a notification from a county pursuant to division (G)(2) of this section that the location of a precinct polling place has changed, the secretary of state shall update that information on the secretary of state's web site for the purpose of division (G)(1)(b) of this section.
Sec. 3503.16.  (A) Whenever a registered elector or a person who is preregistered to vote changes the place of residence of that registered elector from one precinct to another within a county or from one county to another, or has a change of name, that registered elector or preregistered person shall report the change by delivering a change of residence or change of name form, whichever is appropriate, as prescribed by the secretary of state under section 3503.14 of the Revised Code to the state or local office of a designated agency, a public high school or vocational school, a public library, the office of the county treasurer, the office of the secretary of state, any office of the registrar or deputy registrar of motor vehicles, or any office of a board of elections in person or by a third person. Any voter registration or preregistration, change of address, or change of name application, returned by mail, may be sent only to the secretary of state or the board of elections.
A registered elector or a person who is preregistered to vote also may update the person's registration of that registered elector or preregistration by filing a change of residence or change of name form on the day of a special, primary, or general election at the polling place in the precinct in which that registered elector or preregistered person resides or at the board of elections or at another site designated by the board.
(B)(1)(a) Any registered elector who moves within a precinct on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not filed a notice of change of residence with the board of elections may vote in that election by going to that registered elector's assigned polling place, completing and signing a notice of change of residence, showing identification in the form of a current and valid photo identification, a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a notice of an election mailed by a board of elections under section 3501.19 of the Revised Code or a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections under section 3503.19 of the Revised Code, that shows the name and current address of the elector, and casting a ballot. If the elector provides either a driver's license or a state identification card issued under section 4507.50 of the Revised Code that does not contain the elector's current residence address, the elector shall provide the last four digits of the elector's driver's license number or state identification card number, and the precinct election official shall mark the poll list or signature pollbook to indicate that the elector has provided a driver's license or state identification card number with a former address and record the last four digits of the elector's driver's license number or state identification card number.
(b) Any registered elector who changes the name of that registered elector and remains within a precinct on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not filed a notice of change of name with the board of elections may vote in that election by going to that registered elector's assigned polling place, completing and signing a notice of a change of name, and casting a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code.
(2) Any registered elector who moves from one precinct to another within a county or moves from one precinct to another and changes the name of that registered elector on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not filed a notice of change of residence or change of name, whichever is appropriate, with the board of elections may vote in that election if that registered elector complies with division (G) of this section or does all of the following:
(a) Appears at anytime during regular business hours on or after the twenty-eighth day prior to the election in which that registered elector wishes to vote or, if the election is held on the day of a presidential primary election, the twenty-fifth day prior to the election, through noon of the Saturday prior to the election at the office of the board of elections, appears at any time during regular business hours on the Monday prior to the election at the office of the board of elections, or appears on the day of the election at either of the following locations:
(i) The polling place in the precinct in which that registered elector resides;
(ii) The office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections.
(b) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, a notice of change of residence or change of name, whichever is appropriate, and files it with election officials at the polling place, at the office of the board of elections, or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, whichever is appropriate;
(c) Votes a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code at the polling place, at the office of the board of elections, or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, whichever is appropriate, using the address to which that registered elector has moved or the name of that registered elector as changed, whichever is appropriate;
(d) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, a statement attesting that that registered elector moved or had a change of name, whichever is appropriate, on or prior to the day of the election, has voted a provisional ballot at the polling place in the precinct in which that registered elector resides, at the office of the board of elections, or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, whichever is appropriate, and will not vote or attempt to vote at any other location for that particular election. The statement required under division (B)(2)(d) of this section shall be included on the notice of change of residence or change of name, whichever is appropriate, required under division (B)(2)(b) of this section.
(C) Any registered elector who moves from one county to another county within the state on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not registered to vote in the county to which that registered elector moved may vote in that election if that registered elector complies with division (G) of this section or does all of the following:
(1) Appears at any time during regular business hours on or after the twenty-eighth day prior to the election in which that registered elector wishes to vote or, if the election is held on the day of a presidential primary election, the twenty-fifth day prior to the election, through noon of the Saturday prior to the election at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, appears during regular business hours on the Monday prior to the election at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, or appears on the day of the election at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections;
(2) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, a notice of change of residence and files it with election officials at the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections;
(3) Votes a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, using the address to which that registered elector has moved;
(4) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, a statement attesting that that registered elector has moved from one county to another county within the state on or prior to the day of the election, has voted at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, and will not vote or attempt to vote at any other location for that particular election. The statement required under division (C)(4) of this section shall be included on the notice of change of residence required under division (C)(2) of this section.
(D) A person who votes by absent voter's ballots pursuant to division (G) of this section shall not make written application for the ballots pursuant to Chapter 3509. of the Revised Code. Ballots cast pursuant to division (G) of this section shall be set aside in a special envelope and counted during the official canvass of votes in the manner provided for in sections 3505.32 and 3509.06 of the Revised Code insofar as that manner is applicable. The board shall examine the pollbooks to verify that no ballot was cast at the polls or by absent voter's ballots under Chapter 3509. or 3511. of the Revised Code by an elector who has voted by absent voter's ballots pursuant to division (G) of this section. Any ballot determined to be insufficient for any of the reasons stated above or stated in section 3509.07 of the Revised Code shall not be counted.
Subject to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code, a board of elections may lease or otherwise acquire a site different from the office of the board at which registered electors may vote pursuant to division (B) or (C) of this section.
(E) Upon receiving a change of residence or change of name form, the board of elections shall immediately send the registrant an acknowledgment notice. If the change of residence or change of name form is valid, the board shall update the voter's registration as appropriate. If that form is incomplete, the board shall inform the registrant in the acknowledgment notice specified in this division of the information necessary to complete or update that registrant's registration.
(F) Change of residence and change of name forms shall be available at each polling place, and when these forms are completed, noting changes of residence or name, as appropriate, they shall be filed with election officials at the polling place. Election officials shall return completed forms, together with the pollbooks and tally sheets, to the board of elections.
The board of elections shall provide change of residence and change of name forms to the probate court and court of common pleas. The court shall provide the forms to any person eighteen years of age or older who has a change of name by order of the court or who applies for a marriage license. The court shall forward all completed forms to the board of elections within five days after receiving them.
(G) A registered elector who otherwise would qualify to vote under division (B) or (C) of this section but is unable to appear at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location, on account of personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity, may vote on the day of the election if that registered elector does all of the following:
(1) Makes a written application that includes all of the information required under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code to the appropriate board for an absent voter's ballot on or after the twenty-seventh day prior to the election in which the registered elector wishes to vote through noon of the Saturday prior to that election and requests that the absent voter's ballot be sent to the address to which the registered elector has moved if the registered elector has moved, or to the address of that registered elector who has not moved but has had a change of name;
(2) Declares that the registered elector has moved or had a change of name, whichever is appropriate, and otherwise is qualified to vote under the circumstances described in division (B) or (C) of this section, whichever is appropriate, but that the registered elector is unable to appear at the board of elections because of personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity;
(3) Completes and returns along with the completed absent voter's ballot a notice of change of residence indicating the address to which the registered elector has moved, or a notice of change of name, whichever is appropriate;
(4) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, a statement attesting that the registered elector has moved or had a change of name on or prior to the day before the election, has voted by absent voter's ballot because of personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity that prevented the registered elector from appearing at the board of elections, and will not vote or attempt to vote at any other location or by absent voter's ballot mailed to any other location or address for that particular election.
Sec. 3503.17.  When a new precinct has been created, or the boundaries thereof have been changed, the election authorities shall correct and transfer the registration and preregistration forms of registered electors and preregistered persons whose voting precincts have thus been changed and shall notify such registrants and preregistrants by mail. The No registration of an elector or preregistration shall not be invalidated by such alteration or transfer nor shall the right of any registered elector to vote be prejudiced by any error in making out the certified list of registered voters.
Sec. 3503.18.  At least once each month, each probate judge in this state shall file with the board of elections the names and residence addresses of all persons over eighteen years of age who have been adjudicated incompetent for the purpose of voting, as provided in section 5122.301 of the Revised Code. At least once each month the clerk of the court of common pleas shall file with the board the names and residence addresses of all persons who have been convicted during the previous month of crimes that would disfranchise such persons under existing laws of the state. Reports of conviction of crimes under the laws of the United States that would disfranchise an elector and that are provided to the secretary of state by any United States attorney shall be forwarded by the secretary of state to the appropriate board of elections.
Upon receiving a report required by this section, the board of elections shall promptly cancel the registration or preregistration of each elector person named in the report. If the report contains a residence address of an elector in a county other than the county in which the board of elections is located, the director shall promptly send a copy of the report to the appropriate board of elections, which shall cancel the registration or preregistration.
Sec. 3503.19.  (A) Persons qualified to register or preregister or to change their registration or preregistration because of a change of address or change of name may register or preregister or change their registration or preregistration in person at any state or local office of a designated agency, at the office of the registrar or any deputy registrar of motor vehicles, at a public high school or vocational school, at a public library, at the office of a county treasurer, or at a branch office established by the board of elections, or in person, through another person, or by mail at the office of the secretary of state or at the office of a board of elections. A registered elector may also change the elector's registration on election day at any polling place where the elector is eligible to vote, in the manner provided under section 3503.16 of the Revised Code.
Any state or local office of a designated agency, the office of the registrar or any deputy registrar of motor vehicles, a public high school or vocational school, a public library, or the office of a county treasurer shall transmit any voter registration or preregistration application or change of registration or preregistration form that it receives to the board of elections of the county in which the state or local office is located, within five days after receiving the voter registration or preregistration application or change of registration or preregistration form.
An otherwise valid voter registration application that is returned to the appropriate office other than by mail must be received by a state or local office of a designated agency, the office of the registrar or any deputy registrar of motor vehicles, a public high school or vocational school, a public library, the office of a county treasurer, the office of the secretary of state, or the office of a board of elections no later than the thirtieth day preceding a primary, special, or general election for the person to qualify as an elector eligible to vote at that election. An otherwise valid registration application received after that day entitles the elector to vote at all subsequent elections.
Any state or local office of a designated agency, the office of the registrar or any deputy registrar of motor vehicles, a public high school or vocational school, a public library, or the office of a county treasurer shall date stamp a registration or preregistration application or change of name or change of address form it receives using a date stamp that does not disclose the identity of the state or local office that receives the registration or preregistration.
Voter registration applications, if otherwise valid, that are returned by mail to the office of the secretary of state or to the office of a board of elections must be postmarked no later than the thirtieth day preceding a primary, special, or general election in order for the person to qualify as an elector eligible to vote at that election. If an otherwise valid voter registration application that is returned by mail does not bear a postmark or a legible postmark, the registration shall be valid for that election if received by the office of the secretary of state or the office of a board of elections no later than twenty-five days preceding any special, primary, or general election.
(B)(1) Any person may apply in person, by telephone, by mail, or through another person for voter registration or preregistration forms to the office of the secretary of state or the office of a board of elections. An individual who is eligible to vote as a uniformed services voter or an overseas voter in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1973ff-6 or who is eligible to preregister to vote and who, but for the person's age, would be eligible to vote as a uniformed services or overseas absent voter also may apply for voter registration or preregistration forms by electronic means to the office of the secretary of state or to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located pursuant to section 3503.191 of the Revised Code.
(2)(a) An applicant may return the applicant's completed registration or preregistration form in person or by mail to any state or local office of a designated agency, to a public high school or vocational school, to a public library, to the office of a county treasurer, to the office of the secretary of state, or to the office of a board of elections. An applicant who is eligible to vote as a uniformed services voter or an overseas voter in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1973ff-6 or who is eligible to preregister to vote and who, but for the person's age, would be eligible to vote as a uniformed services or overseas absent voter also may return the applicant's completed voter registration or preregistration form electronically to the office of the secretary of state or to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located pursuant to section 3503.191 of the Revised Code.
(b) Subject to division (B)(2)(c) of this section, an applicant may return the applicant's completed registration or preregistration form through another person to any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state.
(c) A person who receives compensation for registering a voter shall return any registration form entrusted to that person by an applicant to any board of elections or to the office of the secretary of state.
(d) If a board of elections or the office of the secretary of state receives a registration form under division (B)(2)(b) or (c) of this section before the thirtieth day before an election, the board or the office of the secretary of state, as applicable, shall forward the registration to the board of elections of the county in which the applicant is seeking to register to vote within ten days after receiving the application. If a board of elections or the office of the secretary of state receives a registration form under division (B)(2)(b) or (c) of this section on or after the thirtieth day before an election, the board or the office of the secretary of state, as applicable, shall forward the registration to the board of elections of the county in which the applicant is seeking to register to vote within thirty days after that election.
(C)(1) A board of elections that receives a voter registration application and is satisfied as to the truth of the statements made in the registration form shall register the applicant not later than twenty business days after receiving the application, unless that application is received during the thirty days immediately preceding the day of an election. The board shall promptly notify the applicant in writing of each of the following:
(a) The applicant's registration;
(b) The precinct in which the applicant is to vote;
(c) In bold type as follows:
"Voters must bring identification to the polls in order to verify identity. Identification may include a current and valid photo identification, a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than this notification or a notification of an election mailed by a board of elections, that shows the voter's name and current address. Voters who do not provide one of these documents will still be able to vote by casting a provisional ballot. Voters who do not have any of the above forms of identification, including a social security number, will still be able to vote by signing an affirmation swearing to the voter's identity under penalty of election falsification and by casting a provisional ballot."
The notification shall be by nonforwardable mail. If the mail is returned to the board, it shall investigate and cause the notification to be delivered to the correct address.
(2) If, after investigating as required under division (C)(1) of this section, the board is unable to verify the voter's correct address, it shall cause the voter's name in the official registration list and in the poll list or signature pollbook to be marked to indicate that the voter's notification was returned to the board.
At the first election at which a voter whose name has been so marked appears to vote, the voter shall be required to provide identification to the election officials and to vote by provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. If the provisional ballot is counted pursuant to division (B)(3) of section 3505.183 of the Revised Code, the board shall correct that voter's registration, if needed, and shall remove the indication that the voter's notification was returned from that voter's name on the official registration list and on the poll list or signature pollbook. If the provisional ballot is not counted pursuant to division (B)(4)(a)(i), (v), or (vi) of section 3505.183 of the Revised Code, the voter's registration shall be canceled. The board shall notify the voter by United States mail of the cancellation.
(3) If a notice of the disposition of an otherwise valid registration application is sent by nonforwardable mail and is returned undelivered, the person shall be registered as provided in division (C)(2) of this section and sent a confirmation notice by forwardable mail. If the person fails to respond to the confirmation notice, update the person's registration, or vote by provisional ballot as provided in division (C)(2) of this section in any election during the period of two federal elections subsequent to the mailing of the confirmation notice, the person's registration shall be canceled.
Sec. 3503.191.  (A) The secretary of state shall establish procedures that allow any person who is eligible to vote as a uniformed services voter or an overseas voter in accordance with Chapter 3511. of the Revised Code or who is eligible to preregister to vote and who, but for the person's age, would be eligible to vote as a uniformed services or overseas absent voter to request voter registration or preregistration forms electronically from the office of the secretary of state or the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located.
(B) The procedures shall allow such a person to express a preference for the manner in which the person will receive the requested voter registration or preregistration forms, whether by mail, electronically, or in person. The registration and preregistration forms shall be transmitted by the preferred method. If the requestor does not express a preferred method, the registration and preregistration forms shall be delivered via standard mail.
(C) The secretary of state shall, by rule, establish and maintain reasonable procedures necessary to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of personal information that is confidential under state or federal law that is collected, stored, or otherwise used in the electronic voter registration and preregistration form request process established under this section. To the extent practicable, the procedures shall protect the security and integrity of the electronic voter registration and preregistration form request process and protect the privacy of the identity and personal data of the person when such forms are requested, processed, and sent.
(D) In establishing procedures under this section, the secretary of state shall designate at least one means of electronic communication for use by such persons to request voter registration and preregistration forms, for use by the state to send voter registration and preregistration forms to those who have requested electronic delivery, and for providing public election and voting information. Such designated means of electronic communication shall be identified on all information and instructional materials that accompany balloting materials.
Sec. 3503.192.  Each board of elections shall keep a record of each completed application to preregister to vote or to change a name or address in a person's preregistration record that it receives.
Not less than forty-five days before the date of the first election in which a preregistered person will be eligible to vote, the board of elections shall register the person and shall send the person a notification of registration in accordance with division (C) of section 3503.19 of the Revised Code. The person's preregistration form shall be considered to be the person's registration form.
Sec. 3503.21.  (A) The registration of a registered elector or the preregistration of a preregistered person shall be canceled upon the occurrence of any of the following:
(1) The filing by a registered elector or a preregistered person of a written request with a board of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and signed by the elector or the preregistered person, that the registration or preregistration be canceled. The filing of such a request does not prohibit an otherwise qualified elector from reregistering to vote, or a person who is otherwise qualified to preregister to vote from preregistering to vote, at any time.
(2) The conviction of the registered elector or a preregistered person of a felony under the laws of this state, any other state, or the United States as provided in section 2961.01 of the Revised Code;
(3) The adjudication of incompetency of the registered elector for the purpose of voting as provided in section 5122.301 of the Revised Code;
(5)(4) The change of residence of the registered elector to a location outside the county of registration in accordance with division (B) of this section;
(6)(5) The failure of the registered elector, after having been mailed a confirmation notice, to do either of the following:
(a) Respond to such a notice and vote at least once during a period of four consecutive years, which period shall include two general federal elections;
(b) Update the elector's registration and vote at least once during a period of four consecutive years, which period shall include two general federal elections.
(B)(1) The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to identify and cancel the registration in a prior county of residence of any registrant who changes the registrant's voting residence to a location outside the registrant's current county of registration. Any procedures prescribed in this division shall be uniform and nondiscriminatory, and shall comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The secretary of state may prescribe procedures under this division that include the use of the national change of address service provided by the United States postal system through its licensees. Any program so prescribed shall be completed not later than ninety days prior to the date of any primary or general election for federal office.
(2) The registration of any elector identified as having changed the elector's voting residence to a location outside the elector's current county of registration shall not be canceled unless the registrant is sent a confirmation notice on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and the registrant fails to respond to the confirmation notice or otherwise update the registration and fails to vote in any election during the period of two federal elections subsequent to the mailing of the confirmation notice.
(C) The registration of a registered elector or the preregistration of a preregistered person shall not be canceled except as provided in this section, division (Q) of section 3501.05 of the Revised Code, division (C)(2) of section 3503.19 of the Revised Code, or division (C) of section 3503.24 of the Revised Code.
(D) Boards of elections shall send their voter registration information to the secretary of state as required under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code. In the first quarter of each odd-numbered year, the secretary of state shall send the information to the national change of address service described in division (B) of this section and request that service to provide the secretary of state with a list of any voters sent by the secretary of state who have moved within the last thirty-six months. The secretary of state shall transmit to each appropriate board of elections whatever lists the secretary of state receives from that service. The board shall send a notice to each person on the list transmitted by the secretary of state requesting confirmation of the person's change of address, together with a postage prepaid, preaddressed return envelope containing a form on which the voter may verify or correct the change of address information.
(E) The registration of a registered elector described in division (A)(6) or (B)(2) of this section shall be canceled not later than one hundred twenty days after the date of the second general federal election in which the elector fails to vote or not later than one hundred twenty days after the expiration of the four-year period in which the elector fails to vote or respond to a confirmation notice, whichever is later.
Sec. 3503.24. (A) Application for the correction of any precinct registration list or preregistration record or a challenge of the right to vote of any registered elector or the right to preregister of any preregistered person may be made by any qualified elector of the county at the office of the board of elections not later than twenty days prior to the election. The applications or challenges, with the reasons for the application or challenge, shall be filed with the board on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall be signed under penalty of election falsification.
(B) On receiving an application or challenge filed under this section, the board of elections promptly shall review the board's records. If the board is able to determine that an application or challenge should be granted or denied solely on the basis of the records maintained by the board, the board immediately shall vote to grant or deny that application or challenge.
If the board is not able to determine whether an application or challenge should be granted or denied solely on the basis of the records maintained by the board, the director shall promptly set a time and date for a hearing before the board. Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, the hearing shall be held, and the application or challenge shall be decided, no later than ten days after the board receives the application or challenge. The director shall send written notice to any elector whose right to vote is challenged, to any preregistered person whose right to preregister is challenged, and to any person whose name is alleged to have been omitted from a registration list or a preregistration record. The notice shall inform the person of the time and date of the hearing, and of the person's right to appear and testify, call witnesses, and be represented by counsel. The notice shall be sent by first class mail no later than three days before the day of any scheduled hearing. The director shall also provide the person who filed the application or challenge with such written notice of the date and time of the hearing.
At the request of either party or any member of the board, the board shall issue subpoenas to witnesses to appear and testify before the board at a hearing held under this section. All witnesses shall testify under oath. The board shall reach a decision on all applications and challenges immediately after hearing.
(C) If the board decides that any such person is not entitled to have the person's name on the registration list or the preregistration record, the person's name shall be removed from the list or the record and the person's registration or preregistration forms canceled. If the board decides that the name of any such person should appear on the registration list or the preregistration record, it shall be added to the list or the record, and the person's registration or preregistration forms placed in the proper registration or preregistration files. All such corrections and additions to the registration list shall be made on a copy of the precinct lists, which shall constitute the poll lists, to be furnished to the respective precincts with other election supplies on the day preceding the election, to be used by the election officials in receiving the signatures of voters and in checking against the registration forms.
(D)(1) If an application or challenge for which a hearing is required to be conducted under division (B) of this section is filed after the thirtieth day before the day of an election, the board of elections, in its discretion, may postpone that hearing and any notifications of that hearing until after the day of the election. Any hearing postponed under this division shall be conducted not later than ten days after the day of the election.
(2) The board of elections shall cause the name of any registered elector whose registration is challenged and whose challenge hearing is postponed under division (D)(1) of this section to be marked in the official registration list and in the poll list or signature pollbook for that elector's precinct to indicate that the elector's registration is subject to challenge.
(3) Any elector who is the subject of an application or challenge hearing that is postponed under division (D)(1) of this section shall be permitted to vote a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The validity of a provisional ballot cast pursuant to this section shall be determined in accordance with section 3505.183 of the Revised Code, except that no such provisional ballot shall be counted unless the hearing conducted under division (B) of this section after the day of the election results in the elector's inclusion in the official registration list.
Sec. 3503.25.  The board of elections may conduct investigations, summon witnesses, and take testimony under oath regarding the registration or preregistration of any voter or as to the accuracy of the registration and preregistration lists in any precinct.
Sec. 3503.26.  (A) All registration and preregistration forms and lists, when not in official use by the registrars or judges of elections, shall be in the possession of the board of elections. Names and addresses of electors and preregistered persons may be copied from the registration and preregistration lists only in the office of the board when it is open for business; but no such copying shall be permitted during the period of time commencing twenty-one days before an election and ending on the eleventh day after an election if such copying will, in the opinion of the board, interfere with the necessary work of the board. The board shall keep in convenient form and available for public inspection a correct set of the registration and preregistration lists of all precincts in the county.
(B) Notwithstanding division (A) of this section the board of elections shall maintain and make available for public inspection and copying at a reasonable cost all records concerning the implementation of programs and activities conducted for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy and currency of voter registration and preregistration lists, including the names and addresses of all registered electors sent confirmation notices and whether or not the elector responded to the confirmation notice. The board shall maintain all records described in this division for a period of two years.
Sec. 3503.28.  (A) The secretary of state shall develop an information brochure regarding voter registration and preregistration. The brochure shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following information:
(1) The applicable deadlines for registering to vote or for returning an applicant's completed registration form;
(2) The applicable deadline for returning an applicant's completed registration or preregistration form if the person returning the form is being compensated for registering or preregistering voters;
(3) The locations to which a person may return an applicant's completed registration or preregistration form;
(4) The location to which a person who is compensated for registering or preregistering voters may return an applicant's completed registration or preregistration form;
(5) The registration and affirmation requirements applicable to persons who are compensated for registering voters under section 3503.29 of the Revised Code;
(6) A notice, which shall be written in bold type, stating as follows:
"Voters must bring identification to the polls in order to verify identity. Identification may include a current and valid photo identification, a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a notice of an election or a voter registration notification sent by a board of elections, that shows the voter's name and current address. Voters who do not provide one of these documents will still be able to vote by casting a provisional ballot. Voters who do not have any of the above forms of identification, including a social security number, will still be able to vote by signing an affirmation swearing to the voter's identity under penalty of election falsification and by casting a provisional ballot."
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, a board of elections, designated agency, public high school, public vocational school, public library, office of a county treasurer, or deputy registrar of motor vehicles shall distribute a copy of the brochure developed under division (A) of this section to any person who requests more than two voter registration or preregistration forms at one time.
(C)(1) The secretary of state shall provide the information required to be included in the brochure developed under division (A) of this section to any person who prints a voter registration or preregistration form that is made available on a web site of the office of the secretary of state.
(2) If a board of elections operates and maintains a web site, the board shall provide the information required to be included in the brochure developed under division (A) of this section to any person who prints a voter registration or preregistration form that is made available on that web site.
(D) A board of elections shall not be required to distribute a copy of a brochure under division (B) of this section to any of the following officials or employees who are requesting more than two voter registration or preregistration forms at one time in the course of the official's or employee's normal duties:
(1) An election official;
(2) A county treasurer;
(3) A deputy registrar of motor vehicles;
(4) An employee of a designated agency;
(5) An employee of a public high school;
(6) An employee of a public vocational school;
(7) An employee of a public library;
(8) An employee of the office of a county treasurer;
(9) An employee of the bureau of motor vehicles;
(10) An employee of a deputy registrar of motor vehicles;
(11) An employee of an election official.
(E) As used in this section, "registering or preregistering voters" includes any effort, for compensation, to provide voter registration or preregistration forms or to assist persons in completing or returning those forms.
Sec. 3503.30.  When by mistake a qualified elector or a person qualified to preregister has caused himself the person to be registered or preregistered in a precinct which was not his the elector's or the qualified person's place of residence, the board of elections, on full and satisfactory proof that such error was committed by mistake, may, on his the elector's or the qualified person's personal application and proof of his the elector's or the qualified person's true residence, correct his the elector's or the qualified person's registration or preregistration form. The board may correct all errors occurring in the registration of electors or preregistration when it finds that the errors subject to correction were not of fraudulent intent.
Sec. 3503.33.  If an elector applying for registration or an applicant to preregister is already registered or preregistered in another state or in another county within this state, the elector or applicant shall declare this fact to the registration officer and shall sign an authorization to cancel the previous registration or preregistration on a form prescribed by the secretary of state.
The director of the board of elections shall mail all such authorizations to the board of elections or comparable agency of the proper state and county. Upon the receipt of this authorization from the forwarding county, the director of a board of elections in Ohio, upon a comparison of the elector's or the applicant's signature with the elector's or the applicant's signature as it appears on the registration or preregistration files, shall remove the elector's registration or the applicant's preregistration from the files, and place it with the cancellation authorization in a separate file which shall be kept for a period of two calendar years. The board shall notify the elector or applicant at the present address as shown on the cancellation authorization that his the elector's registration or the applicant's preregistration has been canceled.
Sec. 3505.20.  Any person offering to vote may be challenged at the polling place by any judge of elections. If the board of elections has ruled on the question presented by a challenge prior to election day, its finding and decision shall be final, and the presiding judge shall be notified in writing. If the board has not ruled, the question shall be determined as set forth in this section. If any person is so challenged as unqualified to vote, the presiding judge shall tender the person the following oath: "You do swear or affirm under penalty of election falsification that you will fully and truly answer all of the following questions put to you concerning your qualifications as an elector at this election."
(A) If the person is challenged as unqualified on the ground that the person is not a citizen, the judges shall put the following questions:
(1) Are you a citizen of the United States?
(2) Are you a native or naturalized citizen?
(3) Where were you born?
(4) What official documentation do you possess to prove your citizenship? Please provide that documentation.
If the person offering to vote claims to be a naturalized citizen of the United States, the person shall, before the vote is received, produce for inspection of the judges a certificate of naturalization and declare under oath that the person is the identical person named in the certificate. If the person states under oath that, by reason of the naturalization of the person's parents or one of them, the person has become a citizen of the United States, and when or where the person's parents were naturalized, the certificate of naturalization need not be produced. If the person is unable to provide a certificate of naturalization on the day of the election, the judges shall provide to the person, and the person may vote, a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The provisional ballot shall not be counted unless it is properly completed and the board of elections determines that the voter is properly registered and eligible to vote in the election.
(B) If the person is challenged as unqualified on the ground that the person has not resided in this state for thirty days immediately preceding the election, the judges shall put the following questions:
(1) Have you resided in this state for thirty days immediately preceding this election? If so, where have you resided?
(2) Did you properly register to vote?
(3) Can you provide some form of identification containing your current mailing address in this precinct? Please provide that identification.
(4) Have you voted or attempted to vote at any other location in this or in any other state at this election?
(5) Have you applied for an absent voter's ballot in any state for this election?
If the judges are unable to verify the person's eligibility to cast a ballot in the election, the judges shall provide to the person, and the person may vote, a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The provisional ballot shall not be counted unless it is properly completed and the board of elections determines that the voter is properly registered and eligible to vote in the election.
(C) If the person is challenged as unqualified on the ground that the person is not a resident of the precinct where the person offers to vote, the judges shall put the following questions:
(1) Do you reside in this precinct?
(2) When did you move into this precinct?
(3) When you came into this precinct, did you come for a temporary purpose merely or for the purpose of making it your home?
(4) What is your current mailing address?
(5) Do you have some official identification containing your current address in this precinct? Please provide that identification.
(6) Have you voted or attempted to vote at any other location in this or in any other state at this election?
(7) Have you applied for any absent voter's ballot in any state for this election?
The judges shall direct an individual who is not in the appropriate polling place to the appropriate polling place. If the individual refuses to go to the appropriate polling place, or if the judges are unable to verify the person's eligibility to cast a ballot in the election, the judges shall provide to the person, and the person may vote, a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The provisional ballot shall not be counted unless it is properly completed and the board of elections determines that the voter is properly registered and eligible to vote in the election.
(D) If the person is challenged as unqualified on the ground that the person is not of legal voting age, the judges shall put the following questions:
(1) Are you eighteen years of age or more?
(2) What is your date of birth?
(3) Do you have some official identification verifying your age? Please provide that identification.
If the judges are unable to verify the person's age and eligibility to cast a ballot in the election, the judges shall provide to the person, and the person may vote, a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The provisional ballot shall not be counted unless it is properly completed and the board of elections determines that the voter is properly registered and eligible to vote in the election.
The presiding judge shall put such other questions to the person challenged as are necessary to determine the person's qualifications as an elector at the election. If a person challenged refuses to answer fully any question put to the person, is unable to answer the questions as they were answered on the registration form by the person under whose name the person offers to vote, or refuses to sign the person's name or make the person's mark, or if for any other reason a majority of the judges believes the person is not entitled to vote, the judges shall provide to the person, and the person may vote, a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The provisional ballot shall not be counted unless it is properly completed and the board of elections determines that the voter is properly registered and eligible to vote in the election.
A qualified citizen who has certified the citizen's intention to vote for president and vice-president as provided by Chapter 3504. of the Revised Code shall be eligible to receive only the ballot containing presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
However, prior to the nineteenth day before the day of an election and in accordance with section 3503.24 of the Revised Code, any person qualified to vote may challenge the right of any other person to be registered or preregistered as a voter, or the right to cast an absent voter's ballot, or to make application for such ballot. Such challenge shall be made in accordance with section 3503.24 of the Revised Code, and the board of elections of the county in which the voting residence of the challenged voter or preregistered person is situated shall make a final determination relative to the legality of such registration or application.
Sec. 3509.03.  Except as provided in division (B) of section 3509.08 of the Revised Code, any qualified elector or any preregistered person who will be a qualified elector for that election desiring to vote absent voter's ballots at an election shall make written application for those ballots to the director of elections of the county in which the elector's voting residence is located. The application need not be in any particular form but shall contain all of the following:
(A) The elector's name;
(B) The elector's signature;
(C) The address at which the elector is registered to vote;
(D) The elector's date of birth;
(E) One of the following:
(1) The elector's driver's license number;
(2) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;
(3) A copy of the elector's current and valid photo identification, a copy of a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a notice of an election mailed by a board of elections under section 3501.19 of the Revised Code or a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections under section 3503.19 of the Revised Code, that shows the name and address of the elector.
(F) A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots are requested;
(G) A statement that Boxes for the person requesting the ballots to check, indicating either that the person is a qualified elector or that the person is preregistered to vote and will be a qualified elector for that election;
(H) If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party affiliation;
(I) If the elector desires ballots to be mailed to the elector, the address to which those ballots shall be mailed.
Each application for absent voter's ballots shall be delivered to the director not earlier than the first day of January of the year of the elections for which the absent voter's ballots are requested or not earlier than ninety days before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted, whichever is earlier, and not later than twelve noon of the third day before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted, or not later than six p.m. on the the last Friday before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted if the application is delivered in person to the office of the board.
Sec. 3509.04. (A) If a director of a board of elections receives an application for absent voter's ballots that does not contain all of the required information, the director promptly shall notify the applicant of the additional information required to be provided by the applicant to complete that application.
(B) Upon receipt by the director of elections of an application for absent voter's ballots that contains all of the required information, as provided by section 3509.03 and division (G) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code, the director, if the director finds that the applicant is a qualified elector, shall deliver to the applicant in person or mail directly to the applicant by special delivery mail, air mail, or regular mail, postage prepaid, proper absent voter's ballots. The However, if the application indicates that the applicant is preregistered to vote and will be a qualified elector for the election, the director shall wait until the forty-fifth day before the day of the election to determine whether the applicant is a qualified elector.
The director shall deliver or mail with the ballots an unsealed identification envelope upon the face of which shall be printed a form substantially as follows:
"Identification Envelope Statement of Voter
I, ........................(Name of voter), declare under penalty of election falsification that the within ballot or ballots contained no voting marks of any kind when I received them, and I caused the ballot or ballots to be marked, enclosed in the identification envelope, and sealed in that envelope.
My voting residence in Ohio is
...................................................................
(Street and Number, if any, or Rural Route and Number)
of ................................ (City, Village, or Township) Ohio, which is in Ward ............... Precinct ................ in that city, village, or township.
The primary election ballots, if any, within this envelope are primary election ballots of the ............. Party.
Ballots contained within this envelope are to be voted at the .......... (general, special, or primary) election to be held on the .......................... day of ......................, ....
My date of birth is ............... (Month and Day), .......... (Year).
(Voter must provide one of the following:)
My driver's license number is ............... (Driver's license number).
The last four digits of my Social Security Number are ............... (Last four digits of Social Security Number).
...... In lieu of providing a driver's license number or the last four digits of my Social Security Number, I am enclosing a copy of one of the following in the return envelope in which this identification envelope will be mailed: a current and valid photo identification, a military identification, or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a notice of an election mailed by a board of elections under section 3501.19 of the Revised Code or a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections, that shows my name and address.
I hereby declare, under penalty of election falsification, that the statements above are true, as I verily believe.
(Signature of Voter)

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."
The director shall mail with the ballots and the unsealed identification envelope an unsealed return envelope upon the face of which shall be printed the official title and post-office address of the director. In the upper left corner on the face of the return envelope, several blank lines shall be printed upon which the voter may write the voter's name and return address. The return envelope shall be of such size that the identification envelope can be conveniently placed within it for returning the identification envelope to the director.
Sec. 3511.02.  Notwithstanding any section of the Revised Code to the contrary, whenever any person applies for registration as a voter on a form adopted in accordance with federal regulations relating to the "Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act," 100 Stat. 924, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973ff (1986), this application shall be sufficient for voter registration and as a request for an absent voter's ballot. Uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots may be obtained by any person meeting the requirements of section 3511.011 of the Revised Code, including a preregistered person who will be a qualified elector for that election and who meets the other requirements of that section, by applying electronically to the secretary of state or to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located in accordance with section 3511.021 of the Revised Code or by applying to the director of the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located, in one of the following ways:
(A) That person may make written application for those ballots. The person may personally deliver the application to the director or may mail it, send it by facsimile machine, send it by electronic mail, send it through internet delivery if such delivery is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, or otherwise send it to the director. The application need not be in any particular form but shall contain all of the following information:
(1) The elector's name;
(2) The elector's signature;
(3) The address at which the elector is registered to vote;
(4) The elector's date of birth;
(5) One of the following:
(a) The elector's driver's license number;
(b) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;
(c) A copy of the elector's current and valid photo identification, a copy of a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a notice of an election mailed by a board of elections under section 3501.19 of the Revised Code or a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections under section 3503.19 of the Revised Code, that shows the name and address of the elector.
(6) A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots are requested;
(7) A statement that Boxes for the person requesting the ballots to check, indicating either that the person is a qualified elector or that the person is preregistered to vote and will be a qualified elector for that election;
(8) A statement that the elector is an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1973ff-6;
(9) A statement of the elector's length of residence in the state immediately preceding the commencement of service, immediately preceding the date of leaving to be with or near the service member, or immediately preceding leaving the United States, or a statement that the elector's parent or legal guardian resided in this state long enough to establish residency for voting purposes immediately preceding leaving the United States, whichever is applicable;
(10) If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party affiliation;
(11) If the elector desires ballots to be mailed to the elector, the address to which those ballots shall be mailed;
(12) If the elector desires ballots to be sent to the elector by facsimile machine, the telephone number to which they shall be so sent;
(13) If the elector desires ballots to be sent to the elector by electronic mail or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery, the elector's electronic mail address or other internet contact information.
(B) A voter or any relative of a voter listed in division (C) of this section may use a single federal post card application to apply for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots for use at the primary and general elections in a given year and any special election to be held on the day in that year specified by division (E) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code for the holding of a primary election, designated by the general assembly for the purpose of submitting constitutional amendments proposed by the general assembly to the voters of the state. A single federal postcard application shall be processed by the board of elections pursuant to section 3511.04 of the Revised Code the same as if the voter had applied separately for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots for each election.
(C) Application to have uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots mailed or sent by facsimile machine to such a person may be made by the spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother or sister of the whole blood or half blood, son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of such a person. The application shall be in writing upon a blank form furnished only by the director or on a single federal post card as provided in division (B) of this section. The form of the application shall be prescribed by the secretary of state. The director shall furnish that blank form to any of the relatives specified in this division desiring to make the application, only upon the request of such a relative made in person at the office of the board or upon the written request of such a relative mailed to the office of the board. The application, subscribed and sworn to by the applicant, shall contain all of the following:
(1) The full name of the elector for whom ballots are requested;
(2) A statement that the elector is an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1973ff-6;
(3) The address at which the elector is registered to vote;
(4) A statement identifying the elector's length of residence in the state immediately preceding the commencement of service, immediately preceding the date of leaving to be with or near a service member, or immediately preceding leaving the United States, or a statement that the elector's parent or legal guardian resided in this state long enough to establish residency for voting purposes immediately preceding leaving the United States, as the case may be;
(5) The elector's date of birth;
(6) One of the following:
(a) The elector's driver's license number;
(b) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;
(c) A copy of the elector's current and valid photo identification, a copy of a military identification, or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document, other than a notice of an election mailed by a board of elections under section 3501.19 of the Revised Code or a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections under section 3503.19 of the Revised Code, that shows the name and address of the elector.
(7) A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots are requested;
(8) A statement that Boxes for the applicant to check, indicating either that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified elector or that the person requesting the ballots is preregistered to vote and will be a qualified elector for that election;
(9) If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party affiliation;
(10) A statement that the applicant bears a relationship to the elector as specified in division (C) of this section;
(11) The address to which ballots shall be mailed, the telephone number to which ballots shall be sent by facsimile machine, the electronic mail address to which ballots shall be sent by electronic mail, or, if internet delivery is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, the internet contact information to which ballots shall be sent through internet delivery;
(12) The signature and address of the person making the application.
Each application for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots shall be delivered to the director not earlier than the first day of January of the year of the elections for which the uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots are requested or not earlier than ninety days before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted, whichever is earlier, and not later than twelve noon of the third day preceding the day of the election, or not later than six p.m. on the last Friday before the day of the election at which those ballots are to be voted if the application is delivered in person to the office of the board.
(D) If the voter for whom the application is made is entitled to vote for presidential and vice-presidential electors only, the applicant shall submit to the director in addition to the requirements of divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section, a statement to the effect that the voter is qualified to vote for presidential and vice-presidential electors and for no other offices.
Sec. 3511.021.  (A)(1) The secretary of state shall establish procedures that allow any person who is eligible to vote as a uniformed services voter or an overseas voter in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1973ff-6, or who is preregistered to vote and who will be eligible to vote as such a voter in that election, to apply by electronic means to the office of the secretary of state or to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located for a uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot.
(2) The procedures shall allow such a person who requests a uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot application to express a preference for the manner in which the person will receive the requested application, whether by mail, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery. If the person completes and timely returns the application and the applicant is eligible to receive a ballot, the procedures shall allow the applicant to express a preference for the manner in which the person will receive the requested blank, unvoted ballots, whether by mail, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery. The requested items shall be transmitted by the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located by the preferred method. If the requestor does not express a preferred method, the requested items shall be delivered via standard mail.
(3) To the extent practicable, the procedures shall protect the security and integrity of the ballot request and delivery process, and protect the privacy of the identity and personal data of the person when such applications and ballots are requested, processed, and sent.
(4) No person shall return by electronic means to the secretary of state, a board of elections, or any other entity a completed or voted uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot. If a ballot is so returned, the ballot shall not be accepted, processed, or counted.
(B)(1) The secretary of state, in coordination with the boards of elections, shall establish a free access system by which an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter may determine the following:
(a) Whether that person's request for a uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot was received and processed;
(b) If the person's request was received and processed, when the uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot was sent;
(c) Whether any uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot returned by that person has been received by election officials;
(d) Whether the board of elections found any error on the identification envelope containing the person's returned uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot and, if so, how the person may correct any error within ten days after the day of an election; and
(e) Whether the person's uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot was counted.
(2) The appropriate state or local election official shall establish and maintain reasonable procedures necessary to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of personal information that is confidential under state or federal law that is collected, stored, or otherwise used by the free access system established under division (B) of this section. Access to information about the votes cast on an individual ballot shall be restricted to the person who cast the ballot. To the extent practicable, the procedures shall protect the security and integrity of the process and protect the privacy of the identity and personal data of the person.
Sec. 3511.04.  (A) If a director of a board of elections receives an application for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots that does not contain all of the required information, the director promptly shall notify the applicant of the additional information required to be provided by the applicant to complete that application.
(B) Not later than the forty-fifth day before the day of each general or primary election, and at the earliest possible time before the day of a special election held on a day other than the day on which a general or primary election is held, the director of the board of elections shall mail, send by facsimile machine, send by electronic mail, send through internet delivery if such delivery is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, or otherwise send uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots then ready for use as provided for in section 3511.03 of the Revised Code and for which the director has received valid applications prior to that time. However, if an application indicates that the applicant is preregistered to vote and will be a qualified elector for the election, the director shall wait until the forty-fifth day before the day of the election to determine whether the applicant is a qualified elector. Thereafter, and until twelve noon of the third day preceding the day of election, the director shall promptly, upon receipt of valid applications for them, mail, send by facsimile machine, send by electronic mail, send through internet delivery if such delivery is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, or otherwise send to the proper persons all uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots then ready for use.
If, after the seventieth day before the day of a general or primary election, any other question, issue, or candidacy is lawfully ordered submitted to the electors voting at the general or primary election, the board shall promptly provide a separate official issue, special election, or other election ballot for submitting the question, issue, or candidacy to those electors, and the director shall promptly mail, send by facsimile machine, send by electronic mail, send through internet delivery if such delivery is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, or otherwise send each such separate ballot to each person to whom the director has previously mailed or sent other uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots.
In mailing uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots, the director shall use the fastest mail service available, but the director shall not mail them by certified mail.
Sec. 3517.01.  (A)(1) A political party within the meaning of Title XXXV of the Revised Code is any group of voters that, at the most recent regular state election, polled for its candidate for governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at least five per cent of the entire vote cast for that office or that filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any election in which it received less than five per cent of that vote, a petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least one per cent of the total vote for governor or nominees for presidential electors at the most recent election, declaring their intention of organizing a political party, the name of which shall be stated in the declaration, and of participating in the succeeding primary election, held in even-numbered years, that occurs more than one hundred twenty days after the date of filing. No such group of electors shall assume a name or designation that is similar, in the opinion of the secretary of state, to that of an existing political party as to confuse or mislead the voters at an election. If any political party fails to cast five per cent of the total vote cast at an election for the office of governor or president, it shall cease to be a political party.
(2) A campaign committee shall be legally liable for any debts, contracts, or expenditures incurred or executed in its name.
(B) Notwithstanding the definitions found in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code, as used in this section and sections 3517.08 to 3517.14, 3517.99, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code:
(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code to receive contributions and make expenditures.
(2) "Campaign treasurer" means an individual appointed by a candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Candidate" has the same meaning as in division (H) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any person who, at any time before or after an election, receives contributions or makes expenditures or other use of contributions, has given consent for another to receive contributions or make expenditures or other use of contributions, or appoints a campaign treasurer, for the purpose of bringing about the person's nomination or election to public office. When two persons jointly seek the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, "candidate" means the pair of candidates jointly. "Candidate" does not include candidates for election to the offices of member of a county or state central committee, presidential elector, and delegate to a national convention or conference of a political party.
(4) "Continuing association" means an association, other than a campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, political contributing entity, or labor organization, that is intended to be a permanent organization that has a primary purpose other than supporting or opposing specific candidates, political parties, or ballot issues, and that functions on a regular basis throughout the year. "Continuing association" includes organizations that are determined to be not organized for profit under subsection 501 and that are described in subsection 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(5) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election. Any loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or of anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, political contributing entity, or person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, that is made, received, or used by a state or county political party, other than moneys a state or county political party receives from the Ohio political party fund pursuant to section 3517.17 of the Revised Code and the moneys a state or county political party may receive under sections 3517.101, 3517.1012, and 3517.1013 of the Revised Code, shall be considered to be a "contribution" for the purpose of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and shall be included on a statement of contributions filed under that section.
"Contribution" does not include any of the following:
(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;
(b) Ordinary home hospitality;
(c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer campaign worker;
(d) Any gift given to a state or county political party pursuant to section 3517.101 of the Revised Code. As used in division (B)(5)(d) of this section, "political party" means only a major political party;
(e) Any contribution as defined in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code that is made, received, or used to pay the direct costs of producing or airing an electioneering communication;
(f) Any gift given to a state or county political party for the party's restricted fund under division (A)(2) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code;
(g) Any gift given to a state political party for deposit in a Levin account pursuant to section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code. As used in this division, "Levin account" has the same meaning as in that section.
(h) Any donation given to a transition fund under section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code.
(6) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or of making a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the Revised Code. Any disbursement or use of a contribution by a state or county political party is an expenditure and shall be considered either to be made for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or to be made as a charitable donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the Revised Code and shall be reported on a statement of expenditures filed under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. During the thirty days preceding a primary or general election, any disbursement to pay the direct costs of producing or airing a broadcast, cable, or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate shall be considered to be made for the purpose of influencing the results of that election and shall be reported as an expenditure or as an independent expenditure under section 3517.10 or 3517.105 of the Revised Code, as applicable, except that the information required to be reported regarding contributors for those expenditures or independent expenditures shall be the same as the information required to be reported under divisions (D)(1) and (2) of section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.
As used in this division, "broadcast, cable, or satellite communication" and "refers to a clearly identified candidate" have the same meanings as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.
(7) "Personal expenses" includes, but is not limited to, ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.
(8) "Political action committee" means a combination of two or more persons, the primary or major purpose of which is to support or oppose any candidate, political party, or issue, or to influence the result of any election through express advocacy, and that is not a political party, a campaign committee, a political contributing entity, or a legislative campaign fund. "Political action committee" does not include either of the following:
(a) A continuing association that makes disbursements for the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications and that does not engage in express advocacy;
(b) A political club that is formed primarily for social purposes and that consists of one hundred members or less, has officers and periodic meetings, has less than two thousand five hundred dollars in its treasury at all times, and makes an aggregate total contribution of one thousand dollars or less per calendar year.
(9) "Public office" means any state, county, municipal, township, or district office, except an office of a political party, that is filled by an election and the offices of United States senator and representative.
(10) "Anything of value" has the same meaning as in section 1.03 of the Revised Code.
(11) "Beneficiary of a campaign fund" means a candidate, a public official or employee for whose benefit a campaign fund exists, and any other person who has ever been a candidate or public official or employee and for whose benefit a campaign fund exists.
(12) "Campaign fund" means money or other property, including contributions.
(13) "Public official or employee" has the same meaning as in section 102.01 of the Revised Code.
(14) "Caucus" means all of the members of the house of representatives or all of the members of the senate of the general assembly who are members of the same political party.
(15) "Legislative campaign fund" means a fund that is established as an auxiliary of a state political party and associated with one of the houses of the general assembly.
(16) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, political action committee, or political contributing entity and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate, committee, fund, party, or entity. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.
(17) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a person advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. As used in division (B)(17) of this section:
(a) "Person" means an individual, partnership, unincorporated business organization or association, political action committee, political contributing entity, separate segregated fund, association, or other organization or group of persons, but not a labor organization or a corporation unless the labor organization or corporation is a political contributing entity.
(b) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.
(c) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
(d) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:
(i) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;
(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;
(iii) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of section 3517.105 of the Revised Code, made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or preregistration or voter education efforts.
(e) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
(18) "Labor organization" means a labor union; an employee organization; a federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other employee organizations; an auxiliary of a labor union, employee organization, or federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other employee organizations; or any other bona fide organization in which employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
(19) "Separate segregated fund" means a separate segregated fund established pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act.
(20) "Federal Election Campaign Act" means the "Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971," 86 Stat. 11, 2 U.S.C.A. 431, et seq., as amended.
(21) "Restricted fund" means the fund a state or county political party must establish under division (A)(1) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.
(22) "Electioneering communication" has the same meaning as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.
(23) "Express advocacy" means a communication that contains express words advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of a candidate or that contains express words advocating the adoption or defeat of a question or issue, as determined by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(24) "Political committee" has the same meaning as in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.
(25) "Political contributing entity" means any entity, including a corporation or labor organization, that may lawfully make contributions and expenditures and that is not an individual or a political action committee, continuing association, campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, designated state campaign committee, or state candidate fund. For purposes of this division, "lawfully" means not prohibited by any section of the Revised Code, or authorized by a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
Sec. 3517.08.  (A) The personal expenses of a candidate paid for by the candidate, from the candidate's personal funds, shall not be considered as a contribution by or an expenditure by the candidate and shall not be reported under section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(B)(1) An expenditure by a political action committee or a political contributing entity shall not be considered a contribution by the political action committee or the political contributing entity or an expenditure by or on behalf of the candidate if the purpose of the expenditure is to inform only its members by means of mailed publications of its activities or endorsements.
(2) An expenditure by a political party shall not be considered a contribution by the political party or an expenditure by or on behalf of the candidate if the purpose of the expenditure is to inform predominantly the party's members by means of mailed publications or other direct communication of its activities or endorsements, or for voter contact such as sample ballots, absent voter's ballots application mailings, voter registration or preregistration, or get-out-the-vote activities.
(C) An expenditure by a continuing association, political contributing entity, or political party shall not be considered a contribution to any campaign committee or an expenditure by or on behalf of any campaign committee if the purpose of the expenditure is for the staff and maintenance of the continuing association's, political contributing entity's, or political party's headquarters, or for a political poll, survey, index, or other type of measurement not on behalf of a specific candidate.
(D) The expenses of maintaining a constituent office paid for, from the candidate's personal funds, by a candidate who is a member of the general assembly at the time of the election shall not be considered a contribution by or an expenditure by or on behalf of the candidate, and shall not be reported, if the constituent office is not used for any candidate's campaign activities.
(E) The net contribution of each social or fund-raising activity shall be calculated by totaling all contributions to the activity minus the expenditures made for the activity.
(F) An expenditure that purchases goods or services shall be attributed to an election when the disbursement of funds is made, rather than at the time the goods or services are used. The secretary of state, under the procedures of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall establish rules for the attribution of expenditures to a candidate when the candidate is a candidate for more than one office during a reporting period and for expenditures made in a year in which no election is held. The secretary of state shall further define by rule those expenditures that are or are not by or on behalf of a candidate.
(G) An expenditure for the purpose of a charitable donation may be made if it is made to an organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(8), 501(c)(10), or 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code or is approved by advisory opinion of the Ohio elections commission as a legitimate charitable organization. Each expenditure under this division shall be separately itemized on statements made pursuant to section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 3517.1013. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Gift" means a gift, subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money, or anything of value given to a state political party that is specifically designated and used to defray any cost incurred on or after the effective date of this section March 31, 2005, for voter registration or preregistration, voter identification, get-out-the-vote, or generic campaign activities, and that is not used for the purpose of directly influencing the election of any individual candidate in any particular election for any office.
(2) "Address" has the same meaning as in section 3517.10 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Political party" means a major political party as defined in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code.
(B)(1) Notwithstanding section 3599.03 of the Revised Code, any person, including a for-profit or nonprofit corporation, but not including a public utility, may make a gift to a Levin account as described in division (D) of this section, if the gift is specifically designated and used to defray any cost incurred on or after the effective date of this section March 31, 2005, for voter registration or preregistration, voter identification, get-out-the-vote, or generic campaign activities that would not otherwise be considered a contribution or expenditure.
(2)(a) All gifts made by a corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor organization under division (B)(1) of this section shall be limited to an aggregate amount of ten thousand dollars in a calendar year in which a candidate for federal office will appear on a ballot at an election to be held in this state.
(b) No corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor organization shall make a gift under division (B)(1) of this section in any year in which no candidate for federal office will appear on the ballot at an election to be held in this state.
(3) The limitation described in division (B)(2)(a) of this section is in addition to any limitation described in section 3517.1012 or any other section of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) Each state political party that receives a gift under this section shall file, by electronic means of transmission to the office of the secretary of state, a full, true, and itemized statement describing the gift received and the manner in which disbursements were made from the account. The statement shall be filed at the same time as and in conjunction with each filing of a deposit and disbursement statement by the state political party in accordance with division (B) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code.
(2) Each statement required under division (C)(1) of this section shall contain all of the following information:
(a) The full name and address of the state political party filing the statement and the full name and address of the party's treasurer;
(b) A description of each gift received, which shall include all of the following:
(i) The month, day, and year on which the gift was received;
(ii) The full name and address of each donor of the gift;
(iii) The nature of the gift, if other than money;
(iv) The value of the gift in dollars and cents. Each gift received shall be itemized separately, regardless of its amount or value.
(c) An itemization of the manner in which each disbursement was made, which shall include all of the following:
(i) The name and address of the recipient of the disbursement;
(ii) The date of the disbursement;
(iii) The amount of the disbursement;
(iv) The method by which the disbursement was made, such as by cash or check.
(d) The total value of gifts received and gifts disbursed during the reporting period.
(D) All monetary gifts given pursuant to this section shall be deposited in an account separate from other funds and shall be maintained in that separate account, which account shall be designated a "Levin account." Moneys in a Levin account shall be used only for voter registration or preregistration, voter identification, get-out-the-vote, or generic campaign activities that would not otherwise be considered a contribution or expenditure.
(E)(1) No state political party shall fail to file a statement required to be filed under this section.
(2) No state political party shall knowingly fail to report, or shall knowingly misrepresent, a gift required to be reported on a statement required to be filed under this section.
(F) No state political party shall expend or use a gift received under this section for a purpose other than to defray a cost incurred on or after the effective date of this section March 31, 2005, for voter registration or preregistration, voter identification, get-out-the-vote, or generic campaign activities that would not otherwise be considered a contribution or expenditure.
(G)(1) Before receiving a gift under this section, each state political party shall appoint a treasurer and file, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, a designation of that appointment. The designation shall include the full name and address of the political party for which the person has been appointed treasurer. The designation shall be filed with the secretary of state.
(2) The treasurer shall keep a strict account of all gifts required to be reported under this section.
(3) A state political party that has already filed the form required under division (G)(1) of this section prior to receiving a contribution or making an expenditure is considered to have met the requirements of that division.
(H) Upon request, the secretary of state shall issue a receipt for each statement filed under this section. The secretary of state shall maintain a record of the filing for at least six years. All statements filed under this section shall be open to public inspection in the office in which they are filed.
Sec. 3517.18.  (A) A political party receiving moneys from the Ohio political party fund may expend the moneys only for the following purposes:
(1) The defraying of operating and maintenance costs associated with political party headquarters, including rental or leasing costs, staff salaries, office equipment and supplies, postage, and the purchase, lease, or maintenance of computer hardware and software;
(2) The organization of voter registration and preregistration programs and get-out-the-vote campaigns and the costs associated with voter registration and preregistration and get-out-the-vote activities, including, but not limited to, rental costs for booth spaces at fairs, festivals, or similar events if voter registration and preregistration forms are available at those booths, printing costs for registration and preregistration forms, mailing costs for communications soliciting voter registration or preregistration, and payments for the services of persons conducting voter registration and preregistration and get-out-the-vote activities;
(3) The administration of party fund-raising drives;
(4) Paid advertisements in the electronic or printed media, sponsored jointly by two or more qualified political parties, to publicize the Ohio political party fund and to encourage taxpayers to support the income tax checkoff program;
(5) Direct mail campaigns or other communications with the registered voters of a party that are not related to any particular candidate or election;
(6) The preparation of reports required by law.
(B)(1) Moneys from the Ohio political party fund shall not be used for any of the following purposes:
(a) To further the election or defeat of any particular candidate or to influence directly the outcome of any candidate or issue election;
(b) To pay party debts incurred as the result of any election;
(c) To make a payment clearly in excess of the market value of the item or service that is received for the payment.
(2) Moneys from the Ohio political party fund that are used as rental costs for booth spaces at fairs, festivals, or similar events, at which candidates are present or informational materials about candidates are available, are not used in violation of division (B)(1)(a) of this section if voter registration and preregistration forms also are available at those booths and booth space is available for use by all candidates of the party renting the booth.
(C) If there is a question about the legitimacy of a party expenditure of public moneys, a designated agent of a political party receiving moneys from the Ohio political party fund may request the Ohio elections commission for an advisory opinion on the matter prior to making an expenditure of those public moneys. The commission shall afford the highest priority to a request made under this division.
Sec. 3599.02.  No person shall before, during, or after any primary, general, or special election or convention solicit, request, demand, receive, or contract for any money, gift, loan, property, influence, position, employment, or other thing of value for that person or for another person for doing any of the following:
(A) Registering or preregistering, or refraining from registering or preregistering, to vote;
(B) Agreeing to register or preregister, or to refrain from registering or preregistering, to vote;
(C) Agreeing to vote or to refrain from voting;
(D) Voting or refraining from voting at any primary, general, or special election or convention for a particular person, question, or issue;
(E) Registering, preregistering, or voting, or refraining from registering, preregistering, or voting, or voting or refraining from voting for a particular person, question, or issue.
Whoever violates this section is guilty of bribery, a felony of the fourth degree, and shall be disfranchised and excluded from holding any public office for five years immediately following such conviction.
Sec. 3599.11.  (A) No person shall knowingly register or make application or attempt to register in a precinct in which the person is not a qualified voter; or knowingly aid or abet any person to so register or preregister; or attempt to register or knowingly induce or attempt to induce any person to so register or preregister; or knowingly impersonate another or write or assume the name of another, real or fictitious, in registering or attempting to register; or by false statement or other unlawful means procure, aid, or attempt to procure the erasure or striking out on the register or duplicate list of the name of a qualified elector therein; or knowingly induce or attempt to induce a registrar or other election authority to refuse registration or preregistration in a precinct to an elector a qualified person thereof; or knowingly swear or affirm falsely upon a lawful examination by or before any registering officer; or make, print, or issue any false or counterfeit certificate of registration or preregistration or knowingly alter any certificate of registration or preregistration.
No person shall knowingly register under more than one name or knowingly induce any person to so register or preregister.
No person shall knowingly make any false statement on any form for registration or change of registration or upon any application or return envelope for an absent voter's ballot.
Whoever violates this division is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
(B)(1) No person who helps another person register or preregister outside an official voter registration and preregistration place shall knowingly destroy, or knowingly help another person to destroy, any completed registration or preregistration form.
Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree.
(2)(a) No person who helps another person register or preregister outside an official voter registration and preregistration place shall knowingly fail to return any registration or preregistration form entrusted to that person to any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state within ten days after that regsitration registration or preregistration form is completed, or on or before the thirtieth day before the election, whichever day is earlier, unless the registration or preregistration form is received by the person within twenty-four hours of the thirtieth day before the election, in which case the person shall return the registration or preregistration form to any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state within ten days of its receipt.
Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree, unless the person has not previously been convicted of a violation of division (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (C)(1), or (C)(2) of this section, the violation of this division does not cause any person to miss any voter registration deadline with regard to any election, and the number of voter registration or preregistration forms that the violator has failed to properly return does not exceed forty-nine, in which case the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(b) Subject to division (C)(2) of this section, no person who helps another person register or preregister outside an official registration and preregistration place shall knowingly return any registration or preregistration form entrusted to that person to any location other than any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state.
Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree, unless the person has not previously been convicted of a violation of division (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (C)(1), or (C)(2) of this section, the violation of this division does not cause any person to miss any voter registration deadline with regard to any election, and the number of voter registration or preregistration forms that the violator has failed to properly return does not exceed forty-nine, in which case the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(C)(1) No person who receives compensation for registering or preregistering a voter shall knowingly fail to return any registration or preregistration form entrusted to that person to any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state within ten days after that voter registration or preregistration form is completed, or on or before the thirtieth day before the election, whichever is earlier, unless the registration or preregistration form is received by the person within twenty-four hours of the thirtieth day before the election, in which case the person shall return the registration or preregistration form to any board of elections or the office of the secrtary secretary of state within ten days of its receipt.
Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree, unless the person has not previously been convicted of a violation of division (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (C)(1), or (C)(2) of this section, the violation of this division does not cause any person to miss any voter registration deadline with regard to any election, and the number of voter registration or preregistration forms that the violator has failed to properly return does not exceed forty-nine, in which case the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(2) No person who receives compensation for registering or preregistering a voter shall knowingly return any registration or preregistration form entrusted to that person to any location other than any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state.
Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree, unless the person has not previously been convicted of a violation of division (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (C)(1), or (C)(2) of this section, the violation of this division does not cause any person to miss any voter registration deadline with regard to any election, and the number of voter registration or preregistration forms that the violator has failed to properly return does not exceed forty-nine, in which case the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(D) As used in division (C) of this section, "registering or preregistering a voter" includes any effort, for compensation, to provide voter registration or preregistration forms or to assist persons in completing or returning those forms.
Sec. 3599.111. (A) No person shall knowingly:
(1) Preregister or make application or attempt to preregister to vote in a precinct in which the person is not qualified to preregister;
(2) Impersonate another or write or assume the name of another, real or fictitious, in preregistering or attempting to preregister;
(3) Swear or affirm falsely upon a lawful examination by or before any preregistering officer;
(4) Preregister under more than one name; or
(5) Make any false statement on any form for preregistration or change of preregistration.
(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a delinquent act that would be a felony of the fifth degree if it could be committed by an adult.
Sec. 3599.161.  (A) The director of elections, deputy director of elections, or an employee of the board of elections designated by the director or deputy director shall be available during normal office hours to provide any person with access to the public records filed in the office of the board of elections.
(B) No director of elections, deputy director of elections, or employee of the board of elections designated by the director or deputy director shall knowingly prevent or prohibit any person from inspecting, under reasonable regulations established and posted by the board of elections, the public records filed in the office of the board of elections. Records relating to the declination of a person to register or preregister to vote and to the identity of a voter registration or preregistration agency through which any particular person registered or preregistered to vote are not public records for purposes of this section.
(C) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of prohibiting inspection of election records, a minor misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction, be dismissed from his the offender's position as director of elections, deputy director of elections, or employee of the board of elections.
Sec. 3599.18.  (A) No election official, person assisting in the registration or preregistration of electors, or police officer shall knowingly do any of the following:
(1) Refuse, neglect, or unnecessarily delay, hinder, or prevent the registration of a qualified elector or the preregistration of a person who is qualified to preregister, who in a lawful manner applies for registration or preregistration;
(2) Enter or consent to the entry of a fictitious name on a voter registration or preregistration list;
(3) Alter the name on or remove or destroy the registration card or form of any qualified elector or the preregistration record or form of any person who is qualified to preregister;
(4) Neglect, unlawfully execute, or fail to execute any duty enjoined upon that person as an election official, person assisting in the registration or preregistration of electors, or police officer.
(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Sec. 3599.26.  No person shall fraudulently put a ballot or ticket into a ballot box; or knowingly and willfully vote a ballot other than an official ballot lawfully obtained by the person from the precinct election authorities; or fraudulently or deceitfully change a ballot of an elector, by which such elector is prevented from voting for such candidates or on an issue as the elector intends to do; or mark a ballot of an elector except as authorized by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code; or hand a marked ballot to an elector to vote, with intent to ascertain how the elector voted; or furnish a ballot to an elector who cannot read, knowingly informing the elector that it contains a name different from the one that is printed or written thereon, to induce the elector to vote contrary to the elector's intentions; or unduly delay or hinder an elector another person from applying for registration or preregistration, registering or preregistering, or from attempting to vote or voting; or knowingly print or distribute a ballot contrary to law.
Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
Sec. 3599.31.  No officer of the law shall fail to obey forthwith an order of the presiding judge and aid in enforcing a lawful order of the presiding judges at an election, against persons unlawfully congregating or loitering within one hundred feet of a polling place, hindering or delaying an elector from reaching or leaving the polling place, soliciting or attempting, within one hundred feet of the polling place, to influence an elector in casting the elector's vote, or interfering with the registration or preregistration of voters or casting and counting of the ballots.
Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Sec. 4501.023.  (A) The registrar of motor vehicles shall designate an employee of the bureau of motor vehicles to be in charge of and responsible for voter registration and preregistration within the bureau. Each deputy registrar of motor vehicles shall designate an employee in that deputy registrar's office to be in charge of and responsible for voter registration and preregistration within that office.
(B) The registrar shall provide, in cooperation with the secretary of state, a training program and materials for initial training in voter registration and preregistration and for ongoing training for all deputy registrars and their employees.
(C) The registrar shall report to the secretary of state at least once annually the number of applicants for licenses served and the number of voter registration and preregistration transactions completed and transmitted to the board of elections by the registrar and all deputy registrars.
Sec. 4503.03.  (A)(1)(a) The registrar of motor vehicles may designate the county auditor in each county a deputy registrar. If the population of a county is forty thousand or less according to the last federal census and if the county auditor is designated by the registrar as a deputy registrar, no other person need be designated in the county to act as a deputy registrar.
(b) The registrar may designate a clerk of a court of common pleas as a deputy registrar if the population of the county is forty thousand or less according to the last federal census. In a county with a population greater than forty thousand but not more than fifty thousand according to the last federal census, the clerk of a court of common pleas is eligible to act as a deputy registrar and may participate in the competitive selection process for the award of a deputy registrar contract by applying in the same manner as any other person. All fees collected and retained by a clerk for conducting deputy registrar services shall be paid into the county treasury to the credit of the certificate of title administration fund created under section 325.33 of the Revised Code.
(c) In all other instances, the registrar shall contract with one or more other persons in each county to act as deputy registrars. Notwithstanding the county population restrictions in division (A)(1)(b) of this section, if no person applies to act under contract as a deputy registrar in a county and the county auditor is not designated as a deputy registrar, the registrar may ask the clerk of a court of common pleas to serve as the deputy registrar for that county.
(2) Deputy registrars shall accept applications for the annual license tax for any vehicle not taxed under section 4503.63 of the Revised Code and shall assign distinctive numbers in the same manner as the registrar. Such deputies shall be located in such locations in the county as the registrar sees fit. There shall be at least one deputy registrar in each county.
Deputy registrar contracts are subject to the provisions of division (B) of section 125.081 of the Revised Code.
(B) The registrar shall not contract with any person to act as a deputy registrar if the person or, where applicable, the person's spouse or a member of the person's immediate family has made, within the current calendar year or any one of the previous three calendar years, one or more contributions totaling in excess of one hundred dollars to any person or entity included in division (A)(2) of section 4503.033 of the Revised Code. As used in this division, "immediate family" has the same meaning as in division (D) of section 102.01 of the Revised Code, and "entity" includes any political party and any "continuing association" as defined in division (B)(4) of section 3517.01 of the Revised Code or "political action committee" as defined in division (B)(8) of that section that is primarily associated with that political party. For purposes of this division, contributions to any continuing association or any political action committee that is primarily associated with a political party shall be aggregated with contributions to that political party.
The contribution limitations contained in this division do not apply to any county auditor or clerk of a court of common pleas. A county auditor or clerk of a court of common pleas is not required to file the disclosure statement or pay the filing fee required under section 4503.033 of the Revised Code. The limitations of this division also do not apply to a deputy registrar who, subsequent to being awarded a deputy registrar contract, is elected to an office of a political subdivision.
The registrar shall not contract with either of the following to act as a deputy registrar:
(1) Any elected public official other than a county auditor or, as authorized by division (A)(1)(b) of this section, a clerk of a court of common pleas, acting in an official capacity, except that, the registrar shall continue and may renew a contract with any deputy registrar who, subsequent to being awarded a deputy registrar contract, is elected to an office of a political subdivision;
(2) Any person holding a current, valid contract to conduct motor vehicle inspections under section 3704.14 of the Revised Code.
As used in division (B) of this section, "political subdivision" has the same meaning as in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) Except as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, deputy registrars are independent contractors and neither they nor their employees are employees of this state, except that nothing in this section shall affect the status of county auditors or clerks of courts of common pleas as public officials, nor the status of their employees as employees of any of the counties of this state, which are political subdivisions of this state. Each deputy registrar shall be responsible for the payment of all unemployment compensation premiums, all workers' compensation premiums, social security contributions, and any and all taxes for which the deputy registrar is legally responsible. Each deputy registrar shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws requiring the withholding of income taxes or other taxes from the compensation of the deputy registrar's employees. Each deputy registrar shall maintain during the entire term of the deputy registrar's contract a policy of business liability insurance satisfactory to the registrar and shall hold the department of public safety, the director of public safety, the bureau of motor vehicles, and the registrar harmless upon any and all claims for damages arising out of the operation of the deputy registrar agency.
(2) For purposes of Chapter 4141. of the Revised Code, determinations concerning the employment of deputy registrars and their employees shall be made under Chapter 4141. of the Revised Code.
(D)(1) With the approval of the director, the registrar shall adopt rules governing the terms of the contract between the registrar and each deputy registrar and specifications for the services to be performed. The rules shall include specifications relating to the amount of bond to be given as provided in this section; the size and location of the deputy's office; and the leasing of equipment necessary to conduct the vision screenings required under section 4507.12 of the Revised Code and training in the use of the equipment. The specifications shall permit and encourage every deputy registrar to inform the public of the location of the deputy registrar's office and hours of operation by means of public service announcements and allow any deputy registrar to advertise in regard to the operation of the deputy registrar's office. The rules also shall include specifications for the hours the deputy's office is to be open to the public and shall require as a minimum that one deputy's office in each county be open to the public for at least four hours each weekend, provided that if only one deputy's office is located within the boundary of the county seat, that office is the office that shall be open for the four-hour period each weekend, and that every deputy's office in each county shall be open to the public until six-thirty p.m. on at least one weeknight each week. The rules also shall include specifications providing that every deputy in each county, upon request, provide any person with information about the location and office hours of all deputy registrars in the county and that every deputy prominently display within the deputy's office, the toll-free telephone number of the bureau. The rules shall not prohibit the award of a deputy registrar contract to a nonprofit corporation formed under the laws of this state. The rules shall prohibit any deputy registrar from operating more than one such office at any time, except that the rules may permit a nonprofit corporation formed for the purposes of providing automobile-related services to its members or the public and that provides such services from more than one location in this state to operate a deputy registrar office at any such location, provided that the nonprofit corporation operates no more than one deputy registrar office in any one county. The rules may include such other specifications as the registrar and director consider necessary to provide a high level of service.
The rules shall establish procedures for a deputy registrar who requests such authority to collect reinstatement fees under sections 4507.1612, 4507.45, 4509.101, 4509.81, 4510.10, 4510.22, 4510.72, and 4511.191 of the Revised Code and to transmit the reinstatement fees and two dollars of the service fee collected under those sections. The registrar shall ensure that, not later than January 1, 2012, at least one deputy registrar in each county has the necessary equipment and is able to accept reinstatement fees. The registrar shall deposit the service fees received from a deputy registrar under those sections into the state bureau of motor vehicles fund created in section 4501.25 of the Revised Code and shall use the money for deputy registrar equipment necessary in connection with accepting reinstatement fees.
(2) As a daily adjustment, the bureau of motor vehicles shall credit to a deputy registrar three dollars and fifty cents for each damaged license plate or validation sticker the deputy registrar replaces as a service to a member of the public.
(3) With the prior approval of the registrar, each deputy registrar may conduct at the location of the deputy registrar's office any business that is consistent with the functions of a deputy registrar and that is not specifically mandated or authorized by this or another chapter of the Revised Code or by implementing rules of the registrar.
In accordance with guidelines the director of public safety shall establish, a deputy registrar may operate or contract for the operation of a vending machine at a deputy registrar location if products of the vending machine are consistent with the functions of a deputy registrar.
(4) As used in this section and in section 4507.01 of the Revised Code, "nonprofit corporation" has the same meaning as in section 1702.01 of the Revised Code.
(E) Unless otherwise terminated and except for interim contracts of less than one year, contracts with deputy registrars shall be for a term of at least two years, but no more than three years, and all contracts effective on or after July 1, 1996, shall be for a term of more than two years, but not more than three years. All contracts with deputy registrars shall expire on the last Saturday of June in the year of their expiration. The auditor of state may examine the accounts, reports, systems, and other data of each deputy registrar at least every two years. The registrar, with the approval of the director, shall immediately remove a deputy who violates any provision of the Revised Code related to the duties as a deputy, any rule adopted by the registrar, or a term of the deputy's contract with the registrar. The registrar also may remove a deputy who, in the opinion of the registrar, has engaged in any conduct that is either unbecoming to one representing this state or is inconsistent with the efficient operation of the deputy's office.
If the registrar, with the approval of the director, determines that there is good cause to believe that a deputy registrar or a person proposing for a deputy registrar contract has engaged in any conduct that would require the denial or termination of the deputy registrar contract, the registrar may require the production of books, records, and papers as the registrar determines are necessary, and may take the depositions of witnesses residing within or outside the state in the same manner as is prescribed by law for the taking of depositions in civil actions in the court of common pleas, and for that purpose the registrar may issue a subpoena for any witness or a subpoena duces tecum to compel the production of any books, records, or papers, directed to the sheriff of the county where the witness resides or is found. Such a subpoena shall be served and returned in the same manner as a subpoena in a criminal case is served and returned. The fees of the sheriff shall be the same as that allowed in the court of common pleas in criminal cases. Witnesses shall be paid the fees and mileage provided for under section 119.094 of the Revised Code. The fees and mileage shall be paid from the fund in the state treasury for the use of the agency in the same manner as other expenses of the agency are paid.
In any case of disobedience or neglect of any subpoena served on any person or the refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which the witness lawfully may be interrogated, the court of common pleas of any county where the disobedience, neglect, or refusal occurs or any judge of that court, on application by the registrar, shall compel obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt, as in the case of disobedience of the requirements of a subpoena issued from that court, or a refusal to testify in that court.
Nothing in this division shall be construed to require a hearing of any nature prior to the termination of any deputy registrar contract by the registrar, with the approval of the director, for cause.
(F) Except as provided in section 2743.03 of the Revised Code, no court, other than the court of common pleas of Franklin county, has jurisdiction of any action against the department of public safety, the director, the bureau, or the registrar to restrain the exercise of any power or authority, or to entertain any action for declaratory judgment, in the selection and appointment of, or contracting with, deputy registrars. Neither the department, the director, the bureau, nor the registrar is liable in any action at law for damages sustained by any person because of any acts of the department, the director, the bureau, or the registrar, or of any employee of the department or bureau, in the performance of official duties in the selection and appointment of, and contracting with, deputy registrars.
(G) The registrar shall assign to each deputy registrar a series of numbers sufficient to supply the demand at all times in the area the deputy registrar serves, and the registrar shall keep a record in the registrar's office of the numbers within the series assigned. Each deputy shall be required to give bond in the amount of at least twenty-five thousand dollars, or in such higher amount as the registrar determines necessary, based on a uniform schedule of bond amounts established by the registrar and determined by the volume of registrations handled by the deputy. The form of the bond shall be prescribed by the registrar. The bonds required of deputy registrars, in the discretion of the registrar, may be individual or schedule bonds or may be included in any blanket bond coverage carried by the department.
(H) Each deputy registrar shall keep a file of each application received by the deputy and shall register that motor vehicle with the name and address of its owner.
(I) Upon request, a deputy registrar shall make the physical inspection of a motor vehicle and issue the physical inspection certificate required in section 4505.061 of the Revised Code.
(J) Each deputy registrar shall file a report semi-annually semiannually with the registrar of motor vehicles listing the number of applicants for licenses the deputy has served, the number of voter registration and preregistration applications the deputy has completed and transmitted to the board of elections, and the number of voter registration and preregistration applications declined.
Sec. 4507.06.  (A)(1) Every application for a driver's license or motorcycle operator's license or endorsement, or duplicate of any such license or endorsement, shall be made upon the approved form furnished by the registrar of motor vehicles and shall be signed by the applicant.
Every application shall state the following:
(a) The applicant's name, date of birth, social security number if such has been assigned, sex, general description, including height, weight, color of hair, and eyes, residence address, including county of residence, duration of residence in this state, and country of citizenship;
(b) Whether the applicant previously has been licensed as an operator, chauffeur, driver, commercial driver, or motorcycle operator and, if so, when, by what state, and whether such license is suspended or canceled at the present time and, if so, the date of and reason for the suspension or cancellation;
(c) Whether the applicant is now or ever has been afflicted with epilepsy, or whether the applicant now is suffering from any physical or mental disability or disease and, if so, the nature and extent of the disability or disease, giving the names and addresses of physicians then or previously in attendance upon the applicant;
(d) Whether an applicant for a duplicate driver's license, or duplicate license containing a motorcycle operator endorsement has pending a citation for violation of any motor vehicle law or ordinance, a description of any such citation pending, and the date of the citation;
(e) Whether the applicant wishes to certify willingness to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.05 of the Revised Code, which shall be given no consideration in the issuance of a license or endorsement;
(f) Whether the applicant has executed a valid durable power of attorney for health care pursuant to sections 1337.11 to 1337.17 of the Revised Code or has executed a declaration governing the use or continuation, or the withholding or withdrawal, of life-sustaining treatment pursuant to sections 2133.01 to 2133.15 of the Revised Code and, if the applicant has executed either type of instrument, whether the applicant wishes the applicant's license to indicate that the applicant has executed the instrument;
(g) On and after October 7, 2009, whether the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States and, if the applicant is such, whether the applicant wishes the applicant's license to indicate that the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States by a military designation on the license.
(2) Every applicant for a driver's license shall be photographed in color at the time the application for the license is made. The application shall state any additional information that the registrar requires.
(B) The registrar or a deputy registrar, in accordance with section 3503.11 of the Revised Code, shall register or preregister as an elector any person who applies for a driver's license or motorcycle operator's license or endorsement under division (A) of this section, or for a renewal or duplicate of the license or endorsement, if the applicant is eligible and wishes to be registered or preregistered as an elector. The decision of an applicant whether to register or preregister as an elector shall be given no consideration in the decision of whether to issue the applicant a license or endorsement, or a renewal or duplicate.
(C) The registrar or a deputy registrar, in accordance with section 3503.11 of the Revised Code, shall offer the opportunity of completing a notice of change of residence or change of name to any applicant for a driver's license or endorsement under division (A) of this section, or for a renewal or duplicate of the license or endorsement, if the applicant is a registered elector or preregistered person who has changed the applicant's residence or name and has not filed such a notice.
(D) In addition to any other information it contains, on and after October 7, 2009, the approved form furnished by the registrar of motor vehicles for an application for a driver's license or motorcycle operator's license or endorsement or an application for a duplicate of any such license or endorsement shall inform applicants that the applicant must present a copy of the applicant's DD-214 or an equivalent document in order to qualify to have the license or duplicate indicate that the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States based on a request made pursuant to division (A)(1)(g) of this section.
Sec. 4507.51.  (A)(1) Every application for an identification card or duplicate shall be made on a form furnished by the registrar of motor vehicles, shall be signed by the applicant, and by the applicant's parent or guardian if the applicant is under eighteen years of age, and shall contain the following information pertaining to the applicant: name, date of birth, sex, general description including the applicant's height, weight, hair color, and eye color, address, and social security number. The application also shall state whether an applicant wishes to certify willingness to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.05 of the Revised Code and shall include information about the requirements of sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code that apply to persons who are less than eighteen years of age. The statement regarding willingness to make such a donation shall be given no consideration in the decision of whether to issue an identification card. Each applicant shall be photographed in color at the time of making application.
(2)(a) The application also shall state whether the applicant has executed a valid durable power of attorney for health care pursuant to sections 1337.11 to 1337.17 of the Revised Code or has executed a declaration governing the use or continuation, or the withholding or withdrawal, of life-sustaining treatment pursuant to sections 2133.01 to 2133.15 of the Revised Code and, if the applicant has executed either type of instrument, whether the applicant wishes the identification card issued to indicate that the applicant has executed the instrument.
(b) On and after October 7, 2009, the application also shall state whether the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States and, if the applicant is such, whether the applicant wishes the identification card issued to indicate that the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States by a military designation on the identification card.
(3) The registrar or deputy registrar, in accordance with section 3503.11 of the Revised Code, shall register or preregister as an elector any person who applies for an identification card or duplicate if the applicant is eligible and wishes to be registered or preregistered as an elector. The decision of an applicant whether to register or preregister as an elector shall be given no consideration in the decision of whether to issue the applicant an identification card or duplicate.
(B) The application for an identification card or duplicate shall be filed in the office of the registrar or deputy registrar. Each applicant shall present documentary evidence as required by the registrar of the applicant's age and identity, and the applicant shall swear that all information given is true. An identification card issued by the department of rehabilitation and correction under section 5120.59 of the Revised Code or an identification card issued by the department of youth services under section 5139.511 of the Revised Code shall be sufficient documentary evidence under this division upon verification of the applicant's social security number by the registrar or a deputy registrar. Upon issuing an identification card under this section for a person who has been issued an identification card under section 5120.59 or section 5139.511 of the Revised Code, the registrar or deputy registrar shall destroy the identification card issued under section 5120.59 or section 5139.511 of the Revised Code.
All applications for an identification card or duplicate shall be filed in duplicate, and if submitted to a deputy registrar, a copy shall be forwarded to the registrar. The registrar shall prescribe rules for the manner in which a deputy registrar is to file and maintain applications and other records. The registrar shall maintain a suitable, indexed record of all applications denied and cards issued or canceled.
(C) In addition to any other information it contains, on and after the date that is fifteen months after April 7, 2009, the form furnished by the registrar of motor vehicles for an application for an identification card or duplicate shall inform applicants that the applicant must present a copy of the applicant's DD-214 or an equivalent document in order to qualify to have the card or duplicate indicate that the applicant is an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States based on a request made pursuant to division (A)(2)(b) of this section.
Sec. 5101.54.  (A) The director of job and family services shall administer the supplemental nutrition assistance program in accordance with the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.). The department may:
(1) Prepare and submit to the secretary of the United States department of agriculture a plan for the administration of the supplemental nutrition assistance program;
(2) Prescribe forms for applications, certificates, reports, records, and accounts of county departments of job and family services, and other matters;
(3) Require such reports and information from each county department of job and family services as may be necessary and advisable;
(4) Administer and expend any sums appropriated by the general assembly for the purposes of the supplemental nutrition assistance program and all sums paid to the state by the United States as authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008;
(5) Conduct such investigations as are necessary;
(6) Enter into interagency agreements and cooperate with investigations conducted by the department of public safety, including providing information for investigative purposes, exchanging property and records, passing through federal financial participation, modifying any agreements with the United States department of agriculture, providing for the supply, security, and accounting of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits for investigative purposes, and meeting any other requirements necessary for the detection and deterrence of illegal activities in the supplemental nutrition assistance program;
(7) Adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code governing employment and training requirements of recipients of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, including rules specifying which recipients are subject to the requirements and establishing sanctions for failure to satisfy the requirements. The rules shall be consistent with 7 U.S.C. 2015 and, to the extent practicable, may provide for the recipients to participate in work activities, developmental activities, and alternative work activities established under sections 5107.40 to 5107.69 of the Revised Code that are comparable to programs authorized by 7 U.S.C. 2015(d)(4). The rules may reference rules adopted under section 5107.05 of the Revised Code governing work activities, developmental activities, and alternative work activities established under sections 5107.40 to 5107.69 of the Revised Code.
(8) Adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code that are consistent with the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, and regulations adopted thereunder governing the following:
(a) Eligibility requirements for the supplemental nutrition assistance program;
(b) Sanctions for failure to comply with eligibility requirements;
(c) Allotment of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits;
(d) To the extent permitted under federal statutes and regulations, a system under which some or all recipients of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits subject to employment and training requirements established by rules adopted under division (A)(7) of this section receive the benefits after satisfying the requirements;
(e) Administration of the program by county departments of job and family services;
(f) Other requirements necessary for the efficient administration of the program.
(9) Submit a plan to the United States secretary of agriculture for the department of job and family services to operate a simplified supplemental nutrition assistance program pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2035 under which requirements governing the Ohio works first program established under Chapter 5107. of the Revised Code also govern the supplemental nutrition assistance program in the case of households receiving supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits and participating in Ohio works first.
(B) A household that is entitled to receive supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits and that is determined to be in immediate need of nutrition assistance, shall receive certification of eligibility for program benefits, pending verification, within twenty-four hours, or, if mitigating circumstances occur, within seventy-two hours, after application, if:
(1) The results of the application interview indicate that the household will be eligible upon full verification;
(2) Information sufficient to confirm the statements in the application has been obtained from at least one additional source, not a member of the applicant's household. Such information shall be recorded in the case file, and shall include:
(a) The name of the person who provided the name of the information source;
(b) The name and address of the information source;
(c) A summary of the information obtained.
The period of temporary eligibility shall not exceed one month from the date of certification of temporary eligibility. If eligibility is established by full verification, benefits shall continue without interruption as long as eligibility continues.
At the time of application, the county department of job and family services shall provide to a household described in this division a list of community assistance programs that provide emergency food.
(C) All applications shall be approved or denied through full verification within thirty days from receipt of the application by the county department of job and family services.
(D) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the certification of households that qualify under federal regulations to receive supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits without charge under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.
(E) Any person who applies for the supplemental nutrition assistance program shall receive a voter registration or preregistration application under section 3503.10 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5115.05. (A) The director of job and family services shall adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code establishing application and verification procedures, reapplication procedures, and other requirements the director considers necessary in the administration of the application process for disability financial assistance. The rules may require recipients of disability financial assistance to participate in a reapplication process two months after initial approval for assistance has been determined and at such other times as specified in the rules.
(B) Any person who applies for disability financial assistance shall receive a voter registration or preregistration application under section 3503.10 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5505.044. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of two or more persons authorized by a candidate to receive contributions and in-kind contributions and make expenditures on behalf of the candidate.
(2) "Candidate" means an individual who has been nominated in accordance with rules adopted under section 5505.047 of the Revised Code for election to the state highway patrol retirement board or who is seeking to be elected to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 5505.042 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, transfer of funds or transfer of anything of value including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal services of another person, which contribution is made, received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the state highway patrol retirement board under section 5505.041 or 5505.042 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 5505.042 of the Revised Code. "Contribution" does not include:
(a) Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;
(b) Ordinary home hospitality;
(c) The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer campaign worker.
(4) "Election day" means the following, as appropriate to the situation:
(a) The last day that ballots for an election to the state highway patrol retirement board under section 5505.041 or 5505.042 of the Revised Code may be returned in order for the ballot to be counted;
(b) If, pursuant to section 5505.043 of the Revised Code, no election is held, the last day that ballots would have been required to be returned in order to be counted if an election was to be held under section 5505.041 or 5505.042 of the Revised Code.
(5) "Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an election to the state highway patrol retirement board under section 5505.041 or 5505.042 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 5505.042 of the Revised Code.
(6) "Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by an individual, partnership, or other entity advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of the candidate or candidates. An independent expenditure shall not be construed as being a contribution. As used in division (A)(6) of this section:
(a) "Advocating" means any communication containing a message advocating election or defeat.
(b) "Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous reference.
(c) "Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is any of the following:
(i) Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward having an expenditure made;
(ii) Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the candidate's campaign committee or agent;
(iii) Made by a political party in support of a candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to conduct voter registration or preregistration or voter education efforts.
(d) "Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may authorize expenditures.
(7) "In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than money that is used to influence the results of an election to the state highway patrol retirement board under section 5505.041 or 5505.042 of the Revised Code or the results of an election to fill a vacancy on the board pursuant to section 5505.042 of the Revised Code or is transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate and that is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited candidate. The financing of the dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or in part, of any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.
(8) "Personal expenses" includes ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives contributions or in-kind contributions totaling one thousand dollars or more or has expenditures totaling one thousand dollars or more in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the state highway patrol retirement board shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether an election is held or, pursuant to section 5505.043 of the Revised Code, an election is not held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(C) Each individual, partnership, or other entity who makes an independent expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to the state highway patrol retirement board shall file with the secretary of state two complete, accurate, and itemized statements setting forth in detail the independent expenditures. The statements shall be filed regardless of whether an election is held or, pursuant to section 5505.043 of the Revised Code, an election is not held. The statements shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code.
The first statement shall be filed not later than four p.m. on the day that is twelve days before election day. The second statement shall be filed not sooner than the day that is eight days after election day and not later than thirty-eight days after election day. The first statement shall reflect independent expenditures made to the close of business on the twentieth day before election day. The second statement shall reflect independent expenditures made during the period beginning on the nineteenth day before election day and ending on the close of business on the seventh day after election day.
(D) Each candidate who, or whose campaign committee, receives a contribution or in-kind contribution or makes an expenditure in connection with the candidate's efforts to be elected to fill a vacancy in the public employees retirement board pursuant to section 5505.042 of the Revised Code shall file with the secretary of state a complete, accurate, and itemized statement setting forth in detail the contributions, in-kind contributions, and expenditures. The statement shall be made on a form prescribed under section 111.30 of the Revised Code. Every expenditure shall be vouched for by a receipted bill, stating the purpose of the expenditures, that shall be filed with the statement; a canceled check with a notation of the purpose of the expenditure is a receipted bill for purposes of this division.
The statement shall be filed within thirty-eight days after the day the candidate takes office. The statement shall reflect contributions and in-kind contributions received and expenditures made to the close of business on the seventh day after the day the candidate takes office.
Section 2.  That existing sections 111.29, 145.053, 329.051, 742.042, 2961.01, 2967.17, 3307.072, 3309.072, 3313.77, 3501.01, 3501.011, 3501.012, 3501.04, 3501.05, 3501.11, 3501.13, 3501.18, 3501.30, 3501.31, 3501.33, 3501.90, 3503.02, 3503.07, 3503.09, 3503.10, 3503.11, 3503.111, 3503.12, 3503.13, 3503.14, 3503.15, 3503.16, 3503.17, 3503.18, 3503.19, 3503.191, 3503.21, 3503.24, 3503.25, 3503.26, 3503.28, 3503.30, 3503.33, 3505.20, 3517.01, 3517.08, 3517.1013, 3517.18, 3599.02, 3599.11, 3599.161, 3599.18, 3599.26, 3599.31, 4501.023, 4503.03, 4507.06, 4507.51, 5101.54, 5115.05, and 5505.044 and sections 3503.29 and 3599.111 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3. That the version of section 4507.06 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2017, be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 4507.06.  (A)(1) Every application for a driver's license, motorcycle operator's license or endorsement, or motor-driven cycle or motor scooter license or endorsement, or duplicate of any such license or endorsement, shall be made upon the approved form furnished by the registrar of motor vehicles and shall be signed by the applicant.
Every application shall state the following:
(a) The applicant's name, date of birth, social security number if such has been assigned, sex, general description, including height, weight, color of hair, and eyes, residence address, including county of residence, duration of residence in this state, and country of citizenship;
(b) Whether the applicant previously has been licensed as an operator, chauffeur, driver, commercial driver, or motorcycle operator and, if so, when, by what state, and whether such license is suspended or canceled at the present time and, if so, the date of and reason for the suspension or cancellation;
(c) Whether the applicant is now or ever has been afflicted with epilepsy, or whether the applicant now is suffering from any physical or mental disability or disease and, if so, the nature and extent of the disability or disease, giving the names and addresses of physicians then or previously in attendance upon the applicant;
(d) Whether an applicant for a duplicate driver's license, duplicate license containing a motorcycle operator endorsement, or duplicate license containing a motor-driven cycle or motor scooter endorsement has pending a citation for violation of any motor vehicle law or ordinance, a description of any such citation pending, and the date of the citation;
(e) Whether the applicant wishes to certify willingness to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.05 of the Revised Code, which shall be given no consideration in the issuance of a license or endorsement;
(f) Whether the applicant has executed a valid durable power of attorney for health care pursuant to sections 1337.11 to 1337.17 of the Revised Code or has executed a declaration governing the use or continuation, or the withholding or withdrawal, of life-sustaining treatment pursuant to sections 2133.01 to 2133.15 of the Revised Code and, if the applicant has executed either type of instrument, whether the applicant wishes the applicant's license to indicate that the applicant has executed the instrument;
(g) On and after October 7, 2009, whether the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States and, if the applicant is such, whether the applicant wishes the applicant's license to indicate that the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States by a military designation on the license.
(2) Every applicant for a driver's license shall be photographed in color at the time the application for the license is made. The application shall state any additional information that the registrar requires.
(B) The registrar or a deputy registrar, in accordance with section 3503.11 of the Revised Code, shall register or preregister as an elector any person who applies for a license or endorsement under division (A) of this section, or for a renewal or duplicate of the license or endorsement, if the applicant is eligible and wishes to be registered or preregistered as an elector. The decision of an applicant whether to register or preregister as an elector shall be given no consideration in the decision of whether to issue the applicant a license or endorsement, or a renewal or duplicate.
(C) The registrar or a deputy registrar, in accordance with section 3503.11 of the Revised Code, shall offer the opportunity of completing a notice of change of residence or change of name to any applicant for a driver's license or endorsement under division (A) of this section, or for a renewal or duplicate of the license or endorsement, if the applicant is a registered elector or preregistered person who has changed the applicant's residence or name and has not filed such a notice.
(D) In addition to any other information it contains, on and after October 7, 2009, the approved form furnished by the registrar of motor vehicles for an application for a license or endorsement or an application for a duplicate of any such license or endorsement shall inform applicants that the applicant must present a copy of the applicant's DD-214 or an equivalent document in order to qualify to have the license or duplicate indicate that the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States based on a request made pursuant to division (A)(1)(g) of this section.
Section 4. That the existing version of section 4507.06 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2017, is hereby repealed.
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