Require registration as a member of a political party for primary

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
H. B. No. 320

2025-2026

Representatives Lear, Click

Cosponsors: Representatives Gross,
Bird, Dean, Ritter, Workman, Mullins, Fischer, Creech, King, Willis,
Williams, Richardson, Ferguson, Teska, Claggett, Barhorst, Hall, T.,
Miller, M., Mathews, A.

To
amend sections 3501.01, 3503.09, 3503.10, 3503.11, 3503.14, 3503.15
,
3503.151, 3503.152, 3503.153
,
3503.16, 3503.19, 3503.20, 3503.23, 3503.28, 3505.181, 3509.02,
3509.04, 3509.07, 3509.08, 3513.041, 3513.05, 3513.07, 3513.18,
3513.19, 3513.191, 3513.257, 3517.012, 3517.013, and 3599.12; to
enact section 3503.071; and to repeal sections 3513.192 and 3513.20
of the Revised Code
to
require an elector to register as a member of a political party in
order to participate in that party's primary election.

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

Section
1.
That
sections 3501.01, 3503.09, 3503.10, 3503.11, 3503.14, 3503.15
,
3503.151, 3503.152, 3503.153
,
3503.16, 3503.19, 3503.20, 3503.23, 3503.28, 3505.181, 3509.02,
3509.04, 3509.07, 3509.08, 3513.041, 3513.05, 3513.07, 3513.18,
3513.19, 3513.191, 3513.257, 3517.012, 3517.013, and 3599.12 be
amended and section 3503.071 of the Revised Code be enacted to read
as follows:

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 May or November, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
August in accordance with section 3501.022 of the Revised Code, 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 May, except as authorized by a municipal or county charter,
but may be held on the third 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 third 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 not less than twenty per cent of
the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state
election.

(2)
"Minor political party" means any political party organized
under the laws of this state that meets either of the following
requirements:

(a)
Except as otherwise provided in this division, the political party's
candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received
less than twenty per cent but not less than three per cent of the
total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state
election. A political party that meets the requirements of this
division remains a political party for a period of four years after
meeting those requirements.

(b)
The political party has filed with the secretary of state, subsequent
to its failure to meet the requirements of division (F)(2)(a) of this
section, a petition that meets the requirements of section 3517.01 of
the Revised Code.

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

is

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 judge
of a municipal court, county court, or court of common pleas, 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
is
affiliated with
a
political party and who has been certified to appear on the
office-type ballot at a general or special election as the nominee of
a political party because the candidate has won the primary election
of the candidate's party for the public office the candidate seeks,
has been nominated under section 3517.012, 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 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 election officials;

(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 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 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 and addiction
services, the department of developmental disabilities, the
opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency, 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)(1)
"Photo identification" means one of the following documents
that includes the individual's name and photograph and is not
expired:

(a)
An Ohio driver's license, state identification card, or interim
identification form issued by the registrar of motor vehicles or a
deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of the Revised Code;

(b)
A United States passport or passport card;

(c)
A United States military identification card, Ohio national guard
identification card, or United States department of veterans affairs
identification card.

(2)
A "copy" of an individual's photo identification means
images of both the front and back of a document described in division
(AA)(1) of this section, except that if the document is a United
States passport, a copy of the photo identification means an image of
the passport's identification page that includes the individual's
name, photograph, and other identifying information and the
passport's expiration date.

(BB)
"Driver's license" means a license or permit issued by the
registrar or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of the
Revised Code that authorizes an individual to drive. "Driver's
license" includes a driver's license, commercial driver's
license, probationary license, restricted license, motorcycle
operator's license, or temporary instruction permit identification
card. "Driver's license" does not include a limited term
license issued under section 4507.09 of the Revised Code.

(CC)
"State identification card" means a card issued by the
registrar or a deputy registrar under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of
the Revised Code.

(DD)
"Interim identification form" means the document issued by
the registrar or a deputy registrar to an applicant for a driver's
license or state identification card that contains all of the
information otherwise found on the license or card and that an
applicant may use as a form of identification until the physical
license or card arrives in the mail.

Sec.
3503.071.
(A)
An elector's political party affiliation shall be determined based on
the most recent of the following:

(1)
The elector's affiliation, if any, with a currently recognized
political party as indicated on the elector's most recent voter
registration application or voter registration update form;

(2)
In the case of an elector who is registered to vote in this state
before the effective date of this section, the currently recognized
political party, if any, whose ballot the elector most recently cast
at a primary election held during the calendar year of the effective
date of this section or the previous two calendar years.

(B)(1)
Each voter registration application and voter registration update
form prescribed by the secretary of state shall include all of the
following:

(a)
A list of the political parties that are recognized in this state,
accompanied by boxes for the applicant to check to select a party
with which the applicant wishes to be affiliated;

(b)
A space for the applicant to write the name of a recognized political
party that is not listed on the form, if the applicant wishes to be
affiliated with that party;

(c)
A box for the applicant to check to indicate that the applicant does
not wish to be affiliated with any political party;

(d)
A notice that the applicant may select or write the name of only one
recognized political party and that the applicant is not required to
select a political party.

(2)
An applicant who submits a voter registration application or update
form shall be considered unaffiliated if either of the following
apply:

(a)
The applicant indicates on the application or form that the applicant
does not wish to be affiliated with any political party.

(b)
The applicant is not currently registered as affiliated with a
political party, does not select or write the name of a recognized
political party, and does not indicate that the applicant does not
wish to be affiliated with any political party.

(3)
An applicant who submits a voter registration update form shall
remain registered as affiliated with the applicant's current
political party if the applicant currently is affiliated with a
political party, does not select or write the name of a recognized
political party, and does not indicate that the applicant does not
wish to be affiliated with any political party.

Sec.
3503.09.
(A)(1)
The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the electronic
transmission by boards of elections, designated agencies, public high
schools and vocational schools, public libraries, and offices of
county treasurers, where applicable, of
name
and residence changes for
voter
registration
records
in the statewide voter registration database
update
forms
.

(2)
The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the purpose of improving
the speed of processing new voter registrations that permit
information from a voter registration application received by a
designated agency to be made available electronically, in addition to
requiring the original voter registration application to be
transmitted to the applicable board of elections under division
(E)(2) of section 3503.10 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, 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 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;

(3)
Require each designated agency that transmits voter registration
information electronically to transmit an identifier for data
relating to each new voter registration that shall be used by the
secretary of state or a board of elections to match the electronic
data to the original voter registration application.

Sec.
3503.10.
(A)
Each designated agency shall designate one person within that agency
to serve as coordinator for the voter registration 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 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 applications and
assistance in the registration of persons qualified to register 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 to vote or update your
current voter registration?"--followed by boxes for the
applicant to indicate whether the applicant would like to register or
decline to register 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 to vote at this time.";

(2)
If the agency provides public assistance, the statement, "Applying
to register or declining to register 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 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 to decline to register to vote, your right
to privacy in deciding whether to register or in applying to register
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 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 program
in order to provide to each applicant who wishes to register to vote
and who accepts assistance, the same degree of assistance with regard
to completion of the voter registration application as is provided by
the agency with regard to the completion of its own form;

(2)
Accept completed voter registration applications
,

and

voter
registration
change
of residence forms, and voter registration change of name
update

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 applications and
other voter registration 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 to vote or updated the person's voter
registration records, and information relating to a declination to
register to vote made in connection with a voter registration
application issued by a designated agency.

(F)
The secretary of state shall prepare and transmit written
instructions on the implementation of the voter registration 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
maintain strict neutrality with respect to a person's political
philosophies, a person's right to register or decline to register,
and any other matter that may influence a person's decision to
register or not register to vote;

(2)
That each person designated to assist with voter registration not
seek to influence a person's decision to register or not register 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 not register 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 application, what to do with the completed voter
registration application or voter registration 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 forms and procedures.

(G)
If the voter registration activity is part of an in-class voter
registration 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 shall provide
voter registration assistance;

(2)
Designate a person to assist with voter registration from the public
high school's or vocational school's staff;

(3)
Make voter registration applications and materials available, as
outlined in the voter registration program established by the
secretary of state pursuant to section 3501.05 of the Revised Code;

(4)
Distribute the statement, "applying to register or declining to
register to vote
,
or registering as affiliated with a particular political party or
registering to vote and remaining unaffiliated,

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 application and
other voter registration 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 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, the nature
of that person's duties, and where and when that person is available
for assisting in the registration 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 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 programs within a high school or
vocational school, including programs in which pupils serve as
persons designated to assist with voter registration, 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 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 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.
(A)(1)
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, and the
person presents proof of United States citizenship to the registrar
of motor vehicles or the deputy registrar or has previously presented
proof of United States citizenship to the registrar or any deputy
registrar, the registrar or deputy registrar shall offer the
applicant the opportunity to register to vote or to update the
applicant's voter registration by electronic means in conjunction
with the person's transaction with the registrar or deputy registrar,
in a manner prescribed by the secretary of state.

(2)
When any person submits a notice of change of address to the
registrar under division (C) of section 4507.09 of the Revised Code,
the registrar shall offer the applicant the opportunity to submit a

notice
of change of address for
voter
registration
purposes

update

by
electronic means in conjunction with the person's transaction with
the registrar, in a manner prescribed by the secretary of state.

(3)
When a person registers to vote or updates the person's voter
registration under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section, the
registrar or deputy registrar shall electronically transmit the
person's signature that is on file with the bureau of motor vehicles
with the electronic record of the voter registration or update, and
that signature shall be considered the person's signature on the
voter registration or update and for all other election and
signature-matching purposes.

(B)
Within twenty-four hours after a person registers to vote or updates
the person's voter registration under division (A) of this section,
the registrar or deputy registrar shall transmit the electronic
record of the voter registration or update to the secretary of state
by electronic means in a manner prescribed by the secretary of state
by rule. Rules adopted under this division shall do all of the
following:

(1)
Prohibit any direct electronic connection between the office of the
registrar or a deputy registrar and the statewide voter registration
database;

(2)
Require any voter registration 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;

(3)
Require the registrar or deputy registrar to electronically date
stamp each electronic record in a manner that does not disclose the
identity of the office that receives the voter registration or
update.

(C)(1)
The registrar of motor vehicles and each deputy registrar also shall
make available to all other customers paper voter registration
applications and update forms, but are not required to offer
assistance to customers in completing those forms. The bureau of
motor vehicles shall supply all of its deputy registrars with a
sufficient number of voter registration applications and update
forms.

(2)
Within five days after a person submits a completed paper voter
registration application or update form to the registrar or a deputy
registrar, the registrar or deputy registrar shall send the form to
the board of elections of the county in which the office of the
registrar or deputy registrar is located.

(D)
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 applications and
change
of residence or change of name
update

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 update the applicant's voter registration at
the office of the registrar or deputy registrar may be used for any
purpose other than voter registration record-keeping required by the
secretary of state, and all such information shall be kept
confidential.

Sec.
3503.14.
(A)
(A)(1)

The secretary of state shall prescribe the form and content of the

voter

registration
,
change of residence,

and
change
of name
voter
registration update
forms
used in this state. The forms shall meet the requirements of the
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and shall include spaces for
all of the following:

(1)
(a)

The voter's name;

(2)
(b)

The voter's address;

(3)
(c)

The current date;

(4)
(d)

The voter's date of birth;

(5)
(e)

The voter to provide at least one of the following forms of
identification:

(a)
(i)

The voter's Ohio driver's license or state identification card
number;

(b)
(ii)

The last four digits of the voter's social security number.

(6)
(f)

The voter's signature.

(2)
The form shall include the political party affiliation fields and
notice described in division (B)(1) of section 3503.071 of the
Revised Code.

(3)

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.

(4)

The
forms shall include a box for the person filling out the form to
check to indicate, if applicable, that the person has filled out all
or part of the form on behalf of the applicant because the applicant
declares that the applicant requires such assistance by reason of
blindness, disability, or illiteracy.

(5)

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 so as to accommodate the electronic reading and conversion of
the voter'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)
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 to vote or to
change

update

the
applicant's
name
or residence
voter
registration
.
The person registering the applicant shall sign the form and attest
that the applicant indicated that the applicant desired to register
to vote or to
change
the applicant's name or residence
update
the applicant's voter registration
.

(D)
No registration
,
change of residence,
or

change
of name
update

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)
A voter registration application
or
voter registration update form
submitted
electronically through the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy
registrar pursuant to section 3503.11 or submitted online through the
internet pursuant to section 3503.20 of the Revised Code is not
required to contain a signature to be considered valid. The signature
obtained under division (A)(3) of section 3503.11 or under division
(B) of section 3503.20 of the Revised Code, as applicable, shall be
considered the applicant's signature for all election and
signature-matching purposes.

(F)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section and in
sections 3501.382 and 3505.24 of the Revised Code, no person shall
preprint or fill out any portion of a voter registration, change of
residence, or change of name form on behalf of an applicant.

(2)
A completed voter registration, change of residence, or change of
name form is not valid if any portion of it has been completed by any
person other than the applicant in violation of division (F)(1) of
this section.

(G)
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 administered by the office of
data analytics and archives in the office of the secretary of state
and made continuously available to each board of elections and to
other agencies as authorized by law.

The
statewide voter registration database shall be the official list of
registered electors for all elections conducted in this state.

(B)
The statewide voter registration database 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 electors and their
registration information by name, driver's license or state
identification card number, birth date, social security number, or
current address;

(5)
Safeguards and components to ensure that the integrity, security, and
confidentiality of the voter registration information is maintained;

(6)
Methods to retain canceled voter registration records for not less
than five years after they are canceled and to record the reason for
their cancellation.

(C)
For each registered elector, the statewide voter registration
database shall include all of the following information:

(1)
The elector's name;

(2)
The elector's birth date;

(3)
The elector's current residence address;

(4)
The elector's precinct number;

(5)

The
elector's political party affiliation, if any, as determined under
section 3503.071 of the Revised Code;

(6)

The
elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number,
if available;

(6)
(7)

The last four digits of the elector's social security number, if
available;

(7)
(8)

The elector's telephone number, if available;

(8)
(9)

The elector's electronic mail address, if available;

(9)(a)
(10)(a)

The elector's voter registration date, which shall be determined
based on the elector's most recent application to register to vote in
this state, subject to division
(C)(9)(b)
(C)(10)(b)

of this section, as follows:

(i)
In the case of an application delivered in person to 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, or the office of a county
treasurer, the date stamped on the application upon receipt by the
entity that transmits the application to the board of elections or
the secretary of state;

(ii)
In the case of an application delivered in person to a board of
elections or the secretary of state, the date stamped on the
application upon receipt by the board of elections or the secretary
of state, as applicable;

(iii)
In the case of an application delivered by mail to a board of
elections or the secretary of state, the date the application is
postmarked;

(iv)
In the case of an application submitted through the online voter
registration system established under section 3503.20 of the Revised
Code, the date of the online submission;

(v)
In the case of an application submitted to a board of elections by
facsimile transmission or electronic mail under Chapter 3511. of the
Revised Code, the date of the receipt of the transmission or
electronic mail by the board of elections;

(vi)
In the case of a provisional ballot affirmation that serves as an
application to register to vote in future elections because the
individual who cast the ballot is not registered to vote, the date
the board of elections determines that the provisional ballot is
invalid under section 3505.183 of the Revised Code.

(b)
For purposes of determining an elector's voter registration date
under division
(C)(9)(a)
(C)(10)(a)

of this section, all of the following apply:

(i)
An elector's voter registration date shall not be during the period
beginning on the day after the close of voter registration before an
election and ending on the day of the election. If the date
determined under division
(C)(9)(a)
(C)(10)(a)

of this section would be during that period, the voter registration
date instead shall be the date on which the board of elections
processes the application to register to vote after the day of the
election.

(ii)
A change of address or change of name form, including a provisional
ballot affirmation that serves as a change of address or change of
name form, is not considered an application to register to vote.

(iii)
An application to register to vote that is submitted by an individual
who is already registered to vote in this state is not considered an
application to register to vote.

(10)
(11)

The elector's voting history, including all of the following for each
election in which the elector cast a ballot that was counted:

(a)
The date of the election;

(b)
If the election was a primary election, the political party whose
ballot the elector cast at the primary election or an indication that
the elector voted only on the questions and issues appearing on the
ballot at a special election held on the day of the primary election;

(c)
The type of ballot the elector cast.

(11)
(12)

The elector's last activity date, which shall be determined in
accordance with rules adopted by the secretary of state pursuant to
Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(12)
(13)

Any other information the secretary of state requires to be included
by rule adopted pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

(D)
Every day during the period beginning on the forty-sixth day before
an election and ending on the eighty-first day after the day of the
election, a board of elections shall create a daily record of its
voter registration database as of four p.m. and shall transmit the
daily record to the secretary of state in a secure manner prescribed
by the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall archive the
daily record and retain it for at least twenty-two months after the
day of the election.

(E)
The secretary of state shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of
the Revised Code to implement this section and sections 3503.151 to
3503.153 of the Revised Code, including rules doing all of the
following:

(1)
Specifying the manner in which any voter registration records
maintained by boards of elections in other data formats shall be
converted for inclusion in the statewide voter registration database;

(2)
Establishing a uniform method for entering voter registration records
into the statewide voter registration database on an expedited basis,
but not less than once per day, if new registration information is
received, and for transmitting information securely to the secretary
of state;

(3)
Establishing a uniform method for purging canceled voter registration
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.

(F)
A board of elections promptly shall purge a voter's name and voter
registration information from the statewide voter registration
database in accordance with the rules adopted by the secretary of
state under division (E)(3) of this section after the cancellation of
a voter's registration under section 3503.21 of the Revised Code.

(G)
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.

(H)
A board of elections and any vendor with which it contracts to
provide voter registration software or related services shall ensure
that the board's voter registration system and practices comply with
the requirements of this section and any rules adopted under this
section.

Sec.
3503.151.
(A)
The secretary of state, through the office of data analytics and
archives, and the boards of elections shall maintain the accuracy of
the statewide voter registration database in accordance with this
section.

(B)(1)
State agencies, including, but not limited to, the department of
health, the bureau of motor vehicles, the department of job and
family services, the department of medicaid, and the department of
rehabilitation and corrections, shall provide any information and
data to the secretary of state that is collected in the course of
normal business and that is necessary to register to vote, to update
an elector's registration, or to maintain the statewide voter
registration database, except where prohibited by federal law or
regulation. The department of health, the bureau of motor vehicles,
the department of job and family services, the department of
medicaid, and the department of rehabilitation and corrections shall
provide that information and data to the secretary of state not later
than the last day of each month. The secretary of state shall ensure
that any information or data provided to the secretary of state that
is confidential in the possession of the entity providing the data
remains confidential while in the possession of the secretary of
state. No public office, and no public official or employee, shall
sell that information or data or use that information or data for
profit.

(2)
The secretary of state shall adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the
Revised Code that establish, by mutual agreement with the bureau of
motor vehicles, the content and format of the information and data
the bureau of motor vehicles shall provide to the secretary of state
under division (B)(1) of this section and the frequency with which
the bureau shall provide that information and data.

(C)(1)
The secretary of state shall enter into agreements to share
information or data that is in the possession of the secretary of
state with other states or groups of states, as the secretary of
state considers necessary, in order to maintain the statewide voter
registration database. Except as otherwise provided in division
(C)(2) of this section, the secretary of state shall ensure that any
information or data provided to the secretary of state that is
confidential in the possession of the state providing the data
remains confidential while in the possession of the secretary of
state.

(2)
The secretary of state may provide such otherwise confidential
information or data to persons or organizations that are engaging in
legitimate governmental purposes related to the maintenance of the
statewide voter registration database. The secretary of state shall
adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code identifying
the persons or organizations who may receive that information or
data. The secretary of state shall not share that information or data
with a person or organization not identified in those rules. The
secretary of state shall ensure that a person or organization that
receives confidential information or data under this division keeps
the information or data confidential in the person's or
organization's possession by, at a minimum, entering into a
confidentiality agreement with the person or organization. Any
confidentiality agreement entered into under this division shall
include a requirement that the person or organization submit to the
jurisdiction of this state in the event that the person or
organization breaches the agreement.

(3)
No person or entity that receives information or data under division
(C) of this section shall sell the information or data or use the
information or data for profit.

(D)
The secretary of state shall regularly transmit to the boards of
elections, to the extent permitted by state and federal law, the
information and data the secretary of state receives under divisions
(B) and (C) of this section that is necessary to do the following, in
order to ensure that the accuracy of the statewide voter registration
database is maintained on a regular basis in accordance with
applicable state and federal law:

(1)
Require the boards of elections to maintain the database in a manner
that ensures that the name of each registered elector appears in the
database, that only individuals who are not registered or eligible to
vote are removed from the database, and that duplicate registrations
are eliminated from the database;

(2)
Require the boards of elections to make a reasonable effort to remove
individuals who are not eligible to vote from the database;

(3)
Establish safeguards to ensure that eligible electors are not removed
in error from the database.

(E)(1)
The secretary of state shall adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the
Revised Code to establish a uniform method for addressing instances
in which records contained in the statewide voter registration
database do not conform with records maintained by an agency, state,
or group of states described in division (B) or (C) of this section.
That method shall prohibit an elector's voter registration from being
canceled on the sole basis that the information in the registration
record does not conform to records maintained by such an agency.

(2)
Information provided under division (B) or (C) of this section for
maintenance of the statewide voter registration database shall not be
used to update

the name or address of a registered elector

an elector's registration
.
The name

or
,

address
,
or political party affiliation

of a registered elector shall only be updated as a result of the
elector's actions in filing a
notice
of change of name, change of address, or both
voter
registration update form
.

(3)
A board of elections shall contact a registered elector pursuant to
the rules adopted under division (E)(1) of this section to verify the
accuracy of the information in the statewide voter registration
database regarding that elector if that information does not conform
with information provided under division (B) or (C) of this section
and the discrepancy would affect the elector's eligibility to cast a
regular ballot.

Sec.
3503.152.
The
secretary of state shall conduct an annual review of the statewide
voter registration database to identify persons who appear not to be
United States citizens, as follows:

(A)
The secretary of state shall compare the information in the statewide
voter registration database with the information the secretary of
state obtains from the bureau of motor vehicles under section
3503.151 of the Revised Code to identify any person who does all of
the following, in the following order:

(1)
Submits documentation to the bureau of motor vehicles that indicates
that the person is not a United States citizen;

(2)
Registers to vote,
submits
a
updates
the person's
voter
registration

change of residence or change of name form
,
or votes in this state;

(3)
Submits documentation to the bureau of motor vehicles that indicates
that the person is not a United States citizen.

(B)
The secretary of state shall send a written notice to each person
identified under division (A) of this section, instructing the person
either to confirm that the person is a United States citizen or to
submit a completed voter registration cancellation form to the
secretary of state. The secretary of state shall include a blank
voter registration cancellation form with the notice. If the person
fails to respond to the secretary of state in the manner described in
division (C) or (D) of this section not later than thirty days after
the notice is sent, the secretary of state promptly shall send the
person a second notice and form.

(C)
If, not later than sixty days after the first notice is sent, a
person who is sent a notice under division (B) of this section
responds to the secretary of state, confirming that the person is a
United States citizen, the secretary of state shall take no action
concerning the person's voter registration.

(D)
If, not later than sixty days after the first notice was sent, a
person who receives a notice under division (B) of this section sends
a completed voter registration cancellation form to the secretary of
state, the secretary of state shall instruct the board of elections
of the county in which the person is registered to cancel the
person's registration.

(E)
If a person who is sent a second notice under division (B) of this
section fails to respond to the secretary of state in the manner
described in division (C) or (D) of this section not later than
thirty days after the second notice is sent, the secretary of state
shall refer the matter to the attorney general for further
investigation and possible prosecution under section 3599.11,
3599.12, 3599.13, or any other applicable section of the Revised
Code. If, after the thirtieth day after the second notice is sent,
the person sends a completed voter registration cancellation form to
the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall instruct the
board of elections of the county in which the person is registered to
cancel the person's registration and shall notify the attorney
general of the cancellation.

(F)
The secretary of state shall not conduct the review described in this
section during the ninety days immediately preceding a primary or
general election for federal office.

Sec.
3503.153.
(A)
The statewide voter registration database shall be made available on
a web site of the office of the secretary of state as follows:

(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, the
following information from the statewide voter registration database
regarding a registered elector shall be made available on the web
site:

(a)
The elector's name;

(b)
The elector's birth date;

(c)
The elector's current residence address;

(d)
The elector's precinct number;

(e)

The
elector's political party affiliation, if any, as determined under
section 3503.071 of the Revised Code;

(f)

The
elector's voter registration date, as described in division

(C)(9)
(C)(10)

of section 3503.15 of the Revised Code;

(f)
(g)

The elector's voting history, as described in division
(C)(10)
(C)(11)

of section 3503.15 of the Revised Code;

(g)
(h)

The elector's last activity date, as described in division

(C)(11)
(C)(12)

of section 3503.15 of the Revised Code.

(2)
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 an elector to search for the polling location
at which that elector may cast a ballot.

(3)
No information in the statewide voter registration database that is
exempt from disclosure under division (A)(2) of section 3503.13 of
the Revised Code shall be made available on the web site.

(B)(1)
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 (A)(2)
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.

(2)
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 (B)(1) 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 (A)(2) of this
section.

Sec.
3503.16.
(A)
Except as otherwise provided in division (E) of section 111.44 of the
Revised Code, whenever
(A)
Whenever
a
registered elector changes the place of residence of that registered
elector
from
one precinct to another
within

a county or from one county to another

this state
,
or has a change of name

or a change of political party affiliation
,
that registered elector 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, 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 also may update the registration of that
registered elector 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
resides or at the board of elections or at another site designated by
the board

one of the methods described in section 3503.19 of the Revised Code
not later than the thirtieth day before the day of an election,
except as otherwise permitted under this section
.

(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
reported
the
change
of residence
with
the board of elections
under
section 3503.19 of the Revised Code
may
vote in that election by going to that registered elector's assigned
polling place, completing and signing a

notice of change of residence

voter registration update form
,
showing photo identification, and casting a ballot.

(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
reported
the
change
of name
with
the board of elections
under
section 3503.19 of the Revised Code
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

voter registration update form
,
and casting a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the
Revised Code. If the registered elector provides to the precinct
election officials proof of a legal name change, such as a marriage
license or court order that includes the elector's current and prior
names, the elector may complete and sign a
notice
of change of name
voter
registration update form
and
cast a regular ballot.

(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
reported
the
change
of residence or change of name, whichever is appropriate,
with
the board of elections
under
section 3503.19 of the Revised Code
may
vote in that election if that registered elector complies with
division
(G)
(E)

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 for 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, the
written affirmation on the provisional ballot envelope, which shall
serve as a

notice of change of residence or change of name, whichever is
appropriate

voter registration update form
;

(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 for
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.

(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
reported
the change of residence under section 3503.19 of the Revised Code
may
vote in that election if that registered elector complies with
division
(G)
(E)

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, the
written affirmation on the provisional ballot envelope, which shall
serve as a

notice of change of residence

voter registration update form
;

(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.

(D)
A person who votes by absent voter's ballots pursuant to division
(G)

(E)

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)

(E)

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)

(E)

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 notice of change of residence or change of name, the
board of elections shall immediately send the registrant an
acknowledgment notice. If the change of residence or change of name
notice 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 on a form prescribed by the secretary of
state 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 the
close of business on the seventh day 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
a
voter registration update form
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.
3503.19.
(A)
Persons
(A)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (E) of section 111.44 of the
Revised Code, persons
qualified
to register or to
change

update

their
registration because of a change of address

or
,

change of name
,
or change of political party affiliation

may register or
change

update

their
registration
in

by
doing any of the following:

(a)
Submitting a voter registration application or voter registration
update form in
person

or
through another 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
;

(b)
Submitting a voter registration application or a voter registration
update form in person or through another person at a probate court or
a court of common pleas. The board of elections shall provide the
forms to the courts, and the courts 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.

(c)
Submitting a voter registration application or a voter registration
update form in
person,
through another person, or by mail at the office of the secretary of
state or at the office of
a

any

board
of elections
.
A registered elector may also change the elector's registration on
;

(d)
Submitting a voter registration application or a voter registration
update form through the online voter registration system under
section 3503.20 of the Revised Code;

(e)
Submitting a voter registration application or a voter registration
update form in person to the election officials 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
.

Voter
registration applications and voter registration update forms shall
be available at each polling place, and the election officials shall
return all completed forms, together with the pollbooks and tally
sheets, to the board of elections.

(f)
In the case of a person who is eligible to vote as a uniformed
services voter or an overseas voter in accordance with 52 U.S.C.
20310, returning the person's completed voter registration
application or voter registration update 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
Chapter 3511. of the Revised Code.

(2)(a)

Any
state or local office of a designated agency, a public high school or
vocational school, a public library,
a
probate court or court of common pleas,
or
the office of a county treasurer
shall
date stamp a voter registration application or voter registration
update form it receives using a date stamp that does not disclose the
identity of the state or local office that receives it and
shall
transmit
any
voter registration
the

application
or
change
of registration
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
application
or
change
of registration
form.
The office of the registrar or any deputy registrar of motor vehicles
shall
date
stamp a voter registration application or voter registration update
form it receives using a date stamp that does not disclose the
identity of the state or local office that receives it,
transmit
any electronic voter registration application or
change
of
voter

registration

update form

that it receives to the secretary of state within twenty-four hours
after receiving it, and shall transmit any paper voter registration
application or
change
of
voter

registration

update

form
that it receives to the board of elections of the county in which the
office of the registrar or deputy registrar is located within five
days after receiving the
voter
registration
application
or
change
of registration
form,
as required under section 3503.11 of the Revised Code.

(b)
If the board of elections or the office of the secretary of state
receives a voter registration application or voter registration
update form before the thirtieth day before an election, the board or
the office of the secretary of state, as applicable, shall forward
the application or form to the board of elections of the county in
which the applicant resides within ten days after receiving it. If a
board of elections or the office of the secretary of state receives a
voter registration application or voter registration update form on
or after the thirtieth day before an election, the board or the
office of the secretary of state, as applicable, shall forward the
application or form to the board of elections of the county in which
the applicant resides within thirty days after that election.

(3)
Except as otherwise provided in section 3503.16 of the Revised Code:

(a)

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,

a probate court or court of common pleas,

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 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.

(b)

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)
(B)

Any person may apply in person, by telephone, by mail, or through
another person for voter registration 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

52

U.S.C.

1973ff-6

20310

also
may apply for voter registration 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 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 also may return
the applicant's completed voter registration 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 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

or
voter registration update form
and
is satisfied as to the truth of the statements made in the

registration

application
or
form
shall register the applicant

or update the elector's registration

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

person

in
writing of each of the following:

(a)
The
applicant's

fact
that the person is registered to vote or has had the person's

registration

updated
;

(b)

The
person's political party affiliation, if any, as determined under
section 3503.071 of the Revised Code;

(c)

The
precinct in which the
applicant

person

is
to vote;

(c)
(d)

In bold type as follows:

"Voters
must bring photo identification to the polls in order to verify
identity. Voters who do not provide photo identification will still
be able to vote 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 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.
3503.20.
(A)
The secretary of state shall establish a secure online voter
registration system. The system shall provide for all of the
following:

(1)
An applicant to submit a voter registration application to the
secretary of state online through the internet;

(2)
The online applicant to be registered to vote, if all of the
following apply:

(a)
The application contains all of the following information:

(i)
The applicant's name;

(ii)
The applicant's address;

(iii)
The applicant's date of birth;

(iv)
The last four digits of the applicant's social security number;

(v)
The applicant's Ohio driver's license number or the number of the
applicant's state identification card issued under section 4507.50 of
the Revised Code.

(b)
The applicant's name, address, and date of birth, the last four
digits of the applicant's social security number, and the applicant's
Ohio driver's license number or the number of the applicant's state
identification card as they are provided in the application are not
inconsistent with the information on file with the bureau of motor
vehicles;

(c)
The applicant is a United States citizen, will have lived in this
state for thirty days immediately preceding the next election, will
be at least eighteen years of age on or before the day of the next
general election, and is otherwise eligible to register to vote;

(d)
The applicant attests to the truth and accuracy of the information
submitted in the online application under penalty of election
falsification.

(3)
The application includes the political party affiliation fields and
notice described in division (B)(1) of section 3503.071 of the
Revised Code.

(B)
If an individual registers to vote or a registered elector updates
the elector's
name,
address, or both
registration

under
this section, the secretary of state shall obtain an electronic copy
of the applicant's or elector's signature that is on file with the
bureau of motor vehicles. That electronic signature shall be used as
the applicant's or elector's signature on voter registration records,
for all election and signature-matching purposes.

(C)
The secretary of state shall employ whatever security measures the
secretary of state considers necessary to ensure the integrity and
accuracy of voter registration information submitted electronically
pursuant to this section. Errors in processing voter registration
applications in the online system shall not prevent an applicant from
becoming registered or from voting.

(D)
The online voter registration application established under division
(A) of this section shall include the following language:

"By
clicking the box below, I affirm all of the following under penalty
of election falsification, which is a felony of the fifth degree:

(1)
I am the person whose name and identifying information is provided on
this form, and I desire to register to vote, or update my voter
registration, in the State of Ohio.

(2)
All of the information I have provided on this form is true and
correct as of the date I am submitting this form.

(3)
I am a United States citizen.

(4)
I will have lived in Ohio for thirty days immediately preceding the
next election.

(5)
I will be at least eighteen years of age on or before the day of the
next general election.

(6)
I authorize the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to transmit to the Ohio
Secretary of State my signature that is on file with the Bureau of
Motor Vehicles, and I understand and agree that the signature
transmitted by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles will be used by the
Secretary of State to validate this electronic voter registration
application as if I had signed this form personally."

In
order to register to vote or update a voter registration under
division (A) of this section, an applicant or elector shall be
required to mark the box in the online voter registration application
that appears in conjunction with the previous statement.

(E)

The
online voter registration process established under division (A) of
this section shall be in operation and available for use by
individuals who wish to register to vote or update their voter
registration information online not earlier than January 1, 2017.

During
the period beginning on the first day after the close of voter
registration before an election and ending on the day of the
election, the online voter registration system shall display a notice
indicating that the applicant will not be registered to vote for the
purposes of that election.

(F)
Notwithstanding section 1.50 of the Revised Code, if any provision of
this section or of division (E) of section 3503.14 of the Revised
Code is held invalid, or if the application of any provision of this
section or of that division to any person or circumstance is held
invalid, then this section and that division cease to operate.

Sec.
3503.23.
(A)
Fourteen days before an election, the board of elections shall cause
to be prepared from the statewide voter registration database
established under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code a complete and
official registration list for each precinct, containing the names,
addresses, and political party
whose
ballot the elector voted in the most recent primary election within
the current year and the immediately preceding two calendar years,

affiliations

of
all qualified registered voters in the precinct, except as otherwise
provided in section 111.44 of the Revised Code. All the names,
insofar as practicable, shall be arranged in alphabetical order. The
lists may be prepared either in sheet form on one side of the paper
or in electronic form, at the discretion of the board. Each precinct
list shall be headed "Register of Voters," and under the
heading shall be indicated the district or ward and precinct.

Appended
to each precinct list shall be attached the names of the members of
the board and the name of the director. A sufficient number of such
lists shall be provided for distribution to the candidates, political
parties, or organized groups that apply for them. The board shall
have each precinct list available at the board for viewing by the
public during normal business hours. The board shall ensure that, by
the opening of the polls on the day of a general or primary election,
each precinct has a paper copy of the registration list of voters in
that precinct.

(B)
On the day of a general or primary election, precinct election
officials shall do both of the following:

(1)
By the time the polls open, conspicuously post and display at the
polling place one copy of the registration list of voters in that
precinct in an area of the polling place that is easily accessible;

(2)
At 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. place a mark, on the official registration list
posted at the polling place, before the name of those registered
voters who have voted.

(C)
Notwithstanding division (B) of section 3501.35 of the Revised Code,
any person may enter the polling place for the sole purpose of
reviewing the official registration list posted in accordance with
division (B) of this section, provided that the person does not
engage in conduct that would constitute harassment in violation of
the election law, as defined in section 3501.90 of the Revised Code.

Sec.
3503.28.
(A)
The secretary of state shall develop an information brochure
regarding voter registration. 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 form if the person returning the form is being
compensated for registering voters;

(3)

The
manner in which a person may establish or change the person's
political party affiliation;

(4)

The
locations to which a person may return an applicant's completed
registration form;

(4)

(5)

The
location to which a person who is compensated for registering voters
may return an applicant's completed registration form;

(5)

(6)

The
registration and affirmation requirements applicable to persons who
are compensated for registering voters under section 3503.29 of the
Revised Code;

(6)

(7)

A
notice, which shall be written in bold type, stating as follows:

"Voters
must bring photo identification to the polls in order to verify
identity. Voters who do not provide photo identification will still
be able to vote 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 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 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 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 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 voters" includes any
effort, for compensation, to provide voter registration forms or to
assist persons in completing or returning those forms.

Sec.
3505.181.
(A)
All of the following individuals shall be permitted to cast a
provisional ballot at an election:

(1)
An individual who declares that the individual is a registered voter
in the precinct in which the individual desires to vote and that the
individual is eligible to vote in an election, but the name of the
individual does not appear on the official list of eligible voters
for the precinct or an election official asserts that the individual
is not eligible to vote;

(2)
An individual who does not have or is unable to provide photo
identification to the election officials;

(3)
An individual whose name in the poll list or signature pollbook has
been marked under section 3509.09 or 3511.13 of the Revised Code as
having requested an absent voter's ballot or a uniformed services or
overseas absent voter's ballot for that election and who appears to
vote at the polling place;

(4)
An individual whose notification of registration has been returned
undelivered to the board of elections and whose name in the official
registration list and in the poll list or signature pollbook has been
marked under division (C)(2) of section 3503.19 of the Revised Code;

(5)
An individual who has been successfully challenged under section
3505.20 or
3513.20

3513.19

of
the Revised Code;

(6)
An individual who changes the individual's name and remains within
the precinct without providing proof of that name change under
division (B)(1)(b) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code, moves from
one precinct to another within a county, moves from one precinct to
another and changes the individual's name, or moves from one county
to another within the state, and completes and signs the required
forms and statements under division (B) or (C) of section 3503.16 of
the Revised Code;

(7)
An individual whose signature, in the opinion of the precinct
officers under section 3505.22 of the Revised Code, is not that of
the person who signed that name in the registration forms.

(B)
An individual who is eligible to cast a provisional ballot under
division (A) of this section shall be permitted to cast a provisional
ballot as follows:

(1)
An election official at the polling place shall notify the individual
that the individual may cast a provisional ballot in that election.

(2)
Except as otherwise provided in division (F) of this section, the
individual shall complete and execute a written affirmation before an
election official at the polling place stating that the individual is
both of the following:

(a)
A registered voter in the precinct in which the individual desires to
vote;

(b)
Eligible to vote in that election.

(3)
An election official at the polling place shall transmit the ballot
cast by the individual and the voter information contained in the
written affirmation executed by the individual under division (B)(2)
of this section to an appropriate local election official for
verification under division (B)(4) of this section.

(4)
If the appropriate local election official to whom the ballot or
voter or address information is transmitted under division (B)(3) of
this section determines that the individual is eligible to vote, the
individual's provisional ballot shall be counted as a vote in that
election.

(5)(a)
At the time that an individual casts a provisional ballot, the
appropriate local election official shall give the individual written
information that states that any individual who casts a provisional
ballot will be able to ascertain under the system established under
division (B)(5)(b) of this section whether the vote was counted, and,
if the vote was not counted, the reason that the vote was not
counted.

(b)
The appropriate state or local election official shall establish a
free access system, in the form of a toll-free telephone number, that
any individual who casts a provisional ballot may access to discover
whether the vote of that individual was counted, and, if the vote was
not counted, the reason that the vote was not counted. The free
access system established under this division also shall provide to
an individual whose provisional ballot was not counted information
explaining how that individual may contact the board of elections to
register to vote or to resolve problems with the individual's voter
registration.

The
appropriate state or local election official shall establish and
maintain reasonable procedures necessary to protect the security,
confidentiality, and integrity of personal information collected,
stored, or otherwise used by the free access system established under
this division. The system shall permit an individual only to gain
access to information about the individual's own provisional ballot.

(6)
If, at the time that an individual casts a provisional ballot, the
individual provides photo identification, the individual shall record
the type of identification provided on the provisional ballot
affirmation and, if the individual provides an Ohio driver's license,
state identification card, or interim identification document, the
individual also shall write the individual's driver's license or
state identification card number on the provisional ballot
affirmation.

(7)(a)
For a provisional ballot to be eligible to be counted when it is cast
by an individual who does not have photo identification because the
individual has a religious objection to being photographed, the
individual shall complete an affidavit of religious objection under
section 3505.19 of the Revised Code. The election officials shall
attach the affidavit to the individual's provisional ballot envelope.
If the individual does not complete the affidavit at the time of
casting the provisional ballot, the individual may appear at the
office of the board of elections within four days after the day of
the election and complete the affidavit.

(b)
For a provisional ballot to be eligible to be counted when it is cast
by any other individual who does not have or is unable to provide
photo identification to the election officials, the individual who
cast that ballot, within four days after the day of the election,
shall appear at the office of the board of elections and provide
photo identification.

(8)
For a provisional ballot cast by an individual who has been
successfully challenged under section 3505.20 of the Revised Code to
be eligible to be counted, the individual who cast that ballot,
within four days after the day of that election, shall provide to the
board of elections any identification or other documentation required
to be provided by the applicable challenge questions asked of that
individual under section 3505.20 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1)
If an individual declares that the individual is eligible to vote in
a precinct other than the precinct in which the individual desires to
vote, or if, upon review of the precinct voting location guide using
the residential street address provided by the individual, an
election official at the precinct at which the individual desires to
vote determines that the individual is not eligible to vote in that
precinct, the election official shall direct the individual to the
precinct and polling place in which the individual appears to be
eligible to vote, explain that the individual may cast a provisional
ballot at the current location but the ballot or a portion of the
ballot will not be counted if it is cast in the wrong precinct, and
provide the telephone number of the board of elections in case the
individual has additional questions.

(2)
If the individual refuses to travel to the correct precinct or to the
office of the board of elections to cast a ballot, the individual
shall be permitted to vote a provisional ballot at that precinct in
accordance with division (B) of this section. If the individual is in
the correct polling location for the precinct in which the individual
is registered and eligible to vote, the election official shall
complete and sign, under penalty of election falsification, a form
that includes all of the following, and attach the form to the
individual's provisional ballot affirmation:

(a)
The name or number of the individual's correct precinct;

(b)
A statement that the election official instructed the individual to
travel to the correct precinct to vote;

(c)
A statement that the election official informed the individual that
casting a provisional ballot in the wrong precinct would result in
all or a portion of the votes on the ballot being rejected;

(d)
The name or number of the precinct in which the individual is casting
a provisional ballot; and

(e)
The name of the polling location in which the individual is casting a
provisional ballot.

(D)
The appropriate local election official shall cause voting
information to be publicly posted at each polling place on the day of
each election.

(E)
As used in this section and sections 3505.182 and 3505.183 of the
Revised Code:

(1)
"Precinct voting location guide" means either of the
following:

(a)
An electronic or paper record that lists the correct precinct and
polling place for either each specific residential street address in
the county or the range of residential street addresses located in
each neighborhood block in the county;

(b)
Any other method that a board of elections creates that allows a
precinct election official or any elector who is at a polling place
in that county to determine the correct precinct and polling place of
any qualified elector who resides in the county.

(2)
"Voting information" means all of the following:

(a)
A sample version of the ballot that will be used for that election;

(b)
Information regarding the date of the election and the hours during
which polling places will be open;

(c)
Instructions on how to vote, including how to cast a vote and how to
cast a provisional ballot;

(d)
Instructions for mail-in registrants and first-time voters under
applicable federal and state laws;

(e)
General information on voting rights under applicable federal and
state laws, including information on the right of an individual to
cast a provisional ballot and instructions on how to contact the
appropriate officials if these rights are alleged to have been
violated;

(f)
General information on federal and state laws regarding prohibitions
against acts of fraud and misrepresentation.

(F)
Nothing in this section or section 3505.183 of the Revised Code is in
derogation of section 3505.24 of the Revised Code, which permits a
blind, disabled, or illiterate elector to receive assistance in the
marking of the elector's ballot by two precinct election officials of
different political parties. A blind, disabled, or illiterate elector
may receive assistance in marking that elector's provisional ballot
and in completing the required affirmation in the same manner as an
elector may receive assistance on the day of an election under that
section.

Sec.
3509.02.
(A)
Any qualified elector may vote by absent voter's ballots at an
election.

(B)
Any qualified elector who 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,
and who moves from one precinct to another within a county, changes
the elector's name and moves from one precinct to another within a
county, or 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 filed a notice of change of residence or change of name may
vote by absent voter's ballots in that election as specified in
division
(G)

(E)

of
section 3503.16 of the Revised Code.

Sec.
3509.04.
(A)
If a board of elections receives an application for absent voter's
ballots that does not contain all of the required information or is
not submitted on an appropriate form, the board promptly shall notify
the applicant of the additional information required to be provided
by the applicant to complete that application, direct the applicant
to use an appropriate form, or both, as applicable.

(B)
Upon receipt by the board of elections of an application for absent
voter's ballots that contains all of the required information and is
submitted on an appropriate form, as provided by section 3509.03 and
division
(G)

(E)

of
section 3503.16 of the Revised Code, the board, if the board 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 board 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.

If
I have a confidential voter registration record, I am providing my
program participant identification number instead of my residence
address: ________________________

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
Ohio driver's license or state identification card number is
_______________ (Driver's license or state identification card
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 or state identification card
number or the last four digits of my Social Security Number, I am
enclosing a copy of my photo identification in the return envelope in
which this identification envelope will be mailed.

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
board shall mail with the ballots and the unsealed identification
envelope an unsealed return envelope upon the face of which shall be
printed the post-office address of the board. 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 board.

No
public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an
official capacity, shall prepay the return postage for any absent
voter's ballots.

Except
as otherwise provided in this section and in sections 3505.24 and
3509.08 of the Revised Code, an election official shall not fill out
any portion of an identification envelope statement of voter or an
absent voter's ballot on behalf of an elector. A board of elections
may preprint only an elector's name and address on an identification
envelope statement of voter before mailing absent voter's ballots to
the elector, except that if the elector has a confidential voter
registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised
Code, the board of elections shall not preprint the elector's address
on the identification envelope statement of voter.

Sec.
3509.07.
If
election officials find that any of the following are true concerning
an absent voter's ballot or absent voter's presidential ballot cast
under section 3503.16, 3509.05, 3509.08, or 3511.09 of the Revised
Code and, if applicable, the person did not provide any required
additional information to the board of elections not later than the
fourth day after the day of the election, as permitted under division
(D)(3)(b) or (E)(2) of section 3509.06 of the Revised Code, the
ballot shall not be accepted or counted:

(A)
The statement accompanying the ballot is incomplete as described in
division (D)(3)(a) of section 3509.06 of the Revised Code or is
insufficient;

(B)
The signatures do not correspond with the person's registration
signature;

(C)
The applicant is not a qualified elector in the precinct

or for the election in which the elector cast the ballot
;

(D)
The ballot envelope contains more than one ballot of any one kind, or
any voted ballot that the elector is not entitled to vote;

(E)
Stub A is detached from the absent voter's ballot or absent voter's
presidential ballot;
or

(F)
The elector has not included with the elector's ballot any
identification required under section 3509.05 or 3511.09 of the
Revised Code.

The
vote of any absent voter may be challenged for cause in the same
manner as other votes are challenged, and the election officials
shall determine the legality of that ballot. Every ballot not counted
shall be endorsed on its back "Not Counted" with the
reasons the ballot was not counted, and shall be enclosed and
returned to or retained by the board of elections along with the
contested ballots.

Sec.
3509.08.
(A)
Any qualified elector, who, on account of the elector's own personal
illness, physical disability, or infirmity, or on account of the
elector's confinement in a jail or workhouse under sentence for a
misdemeanor or awaiting trial on a felony or misdemeanor, will be
unable to travel from the elector's home or place of confinement to
the voting booth in the elector's precinct on the day of any general,
special, or primary election may make application in writing for an
absent voter's ballot to the board of elections of the elector's
county in the manner described in section 3509.03 of the Revised
Code. The application shall state the nature of the elector's
illness, physical disability, or infirmity, or the fact that the
elector is confined in a jail or workhouse and the elector's
resultant inability to travel to the election booth in the elector's
precinct on election day.

The
absent voter's ballot may be mailed directly to the applicant at the
applicant's voting residence or place of confinement as stated in the
applicant's application, or the board may designate two board
employees belonging to the two major political parties for the
purpose of delivering the ballot to the disabled or confined elector
and returning it to the board, unless the applicant is confined to a
public or private institution within the county, in which case the
board shall designate two board employees belonging to the two major
political parties for the purpose of delivering the ballot to the
disabled or confined elector and returning it to the board. In all
other instances, the ballot shall be returned to the office of the
board in the manner prescribed in section 3509.05 of the Revised
Code.

Any
disabled or confined elector who declares to the two board employees
belonging to the two major political parties that the elector is
unable to mark the elector's ballot by reason of physical infirmity
that is apparent to the employees to be sufficient to incapacitate
the voter from marking the elector's ballot properly, may receive,
upon request, the assistance of the employees in marking the
elector's ballot, and they shall thereafter give no information in
regard to this matter. Such assistance shall not be rendered for any
other cause.

When
two board employees belonging to the two major political parties
deliver a ballot to a disabled or confined elector, each of the
employees shall be present when the ballot is delivered, when
assistance is given, and when the ballot is returned to the office of
the board, and shall subscribe to the declaration on the
identification envelope.

The
secretary of state shall prescribe the form of application for absent
voter's ballots under this division.

This
chapter applies to disabled and confined absent voter's ballots
except as otherwise provided in this section.

(B)(1)
Any qualified elector who is unable to travel to the voting booth in
the elector's precinct on the day of any general, special, or primary
election may apply to the board of elections of the county where the
elector is a qualified elector to vote in the election by absent
voter's ballot if either of the following apply:

(a)
The elector is confined in a hospital as a result of an accident or
unforeseeable medical emergency occurring before the election;

(b)
The elector's minor child is confined in a hospital as a result of an
accident or unforeseeable medical emergency occurring before the
election.

(2)
The application authorized under division (B)(1) of this section
shall be made in writing in the manner described in section 3509.03
of the Revised Code, except that the application shall be delivered
to the office of the board not later than three p.m. on the day of
the election. The application shall indicate the hospital where the
applicant or the applicant's child is confined, the date of the
applicant's or the applicant's child's admission to the hospital, and
the offices for which the applicant is qualified to vote. The
applicant may also request that a member of the applicant's family,
as listed in section 3509.05 of the Revised Code, deliver the absent
voter's ballot to the applicant. The board, after establishing to the
board's satisfaction the validity of the circumstances claimed by the
applicant, shall supply an absent voter's ballot to be delivered to
the applicant. When the applicant or the applicant's child is in a
hospital in the county where the applicant is a qualified elector and
no request is made for a member of the family to deliver the ballot,
the board shall arrange for the delivery of an absent voter's ballot
to the applicant, and for its return to the office of the board, by
two board employees belonging to the two major political parties
according to the procedures prescribed in division (A) of this
section. When the applicant or the applicant's child is in a hospital
outside the county where the applicant is a qualified elector and no
request is made for a member of the family to deliver the ballot, the
board shall arrange for the delivery of an absent voter's ballot to
the applicant by mail, and the ballot shall be returned to the office
of the board in the manner prescribed in section 3509.05 of the
Revised Code.

(3)
Any qualified elector who is eligible to vote under division (B) or
(C) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code but is unable to do so
because of the circumstances described in division (B)(2) of this
section may vote in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section
if that qualified elector states in the application for absent
voter's ballots that that qualified elector moved or had a change of
name under the circumstances described in division (B) or (C) of
section 3503.16 of the Revised Code and if that qualified elector
complies with divisions
(G)(1)

(E)(1)

to
(4) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code.

(C)
Any qualified elector described in division (A) or (B)(1) of this
section who needs no assistance to vote or to return absent voter's
ballots to the board of elections may apply for absent voter's
ballots under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code instead of applying
for them under this section or may cast absent voter's ballots in
person under section 3509.051 of the Revised Code.

(D)
Any qualified elector described in division (A) or (B)(1) of this
section to whom ballots are delivered by two employees of the board
of elections or who votes with the assistance of two employees of the
board of elections shall be considered to have cast absent voter's
ballots by mail, rather than in person, for the purpose of the laws
governing voter identification.

Sec.
3513.041.
A
write-in space shall be provided on the ballot for every office,
except in an election for which the board of elections has received
no valid declarations of intent to be a write-in candidate under this
section. Write-in votes shall not be counted for any candidate who
has not filed a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate
pursuant to this section. A qualified person who has filed a
declaration of intent may receive write-in votes at either a primary
or general election. Any candidate shall file a declaration of intent
to be a write-in candidate before four p.m. of the seventy-second day
preceding the election at which such candidacy is to be considered.
If the election is to be determined by electors of a county or a
district or subdivision within the county, such declaration shall be
filed with the board of elections of that county. If the election is
to be determined by electors of a subdivision located in more than
one county, such declaration shall be filed with the board of
elections of the county in which the major portion of the population
of such subdivision is located. If the election is to be determined
by electors of a district comprised of more than one county but less
than all of the counties of the state, such declaration shall be
filed with the board of elections of the most populous county in such
district. Any candidate for an office to be voted upon by electors
throughout the entire state shall file a declaration of intent to be
a write-in candidate with the secretary of state before four p.m. of
the seventy-second day preceding the election at which such candidacy
is to be considered. In addition, candidates for president and
vice-president of the United States shall also file with the
secretary of state by that seventy-second day a slate of presidential
electors sufficient in number to satisfy the requirements of the
United States constitution.

A
board of elections shall not accept for filing the declaration of
intent to be a write-in candidate of a person seeking to become a
candidate if that person, for the same election, has already filed a
declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in
candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a candidate
through party nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a
vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code, for any
federal, state, or county office, if the declaration of intent to be
a write-in candidate is for a state or county office, or for any
municipal or township office, for member of a city, local, or
exempted village board of education, or for member of a governing
board of an educational service center, if the declaration of intent
to be a write-in candidate is for a municipal or township office, or
for member of a city, local, or exempted village board of education,
or for member of a governing board of an educational service center.

No
person shall file a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate
for the office of governor unless the declaration also shows the
intent of another person to be a write-in candidate for the office of
lieutenant governor. No person shall file a declaration of intent to
be a write-in candidate for the office of lieutenant governor unless
the declaration also shows the intent of another person to be a
write-in candidate for the office of governor. No person shall file a
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate for the office of
governor or lieutenant governor if the person has previously filed a
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate to the office of
governor or lieutenant governor at the same primary or general
election. A write-in vote for the two candidates who file such a
declaration shall be counted as a vote for them as joint candidates
for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor.

The
secretary of state shall not accept for filing the declaration of
intent to be a write-in candidate of a person for the office of
governor unless the declaration also shows the intent of another
person to be a write-in candidate for the office of lieutenant
governor, shall not accept for filing the declaration of intent to be
a write-in candidate of a person for the office of lieutenant
governor unless the declaration also shows the intent of another
person to be a write-in candidate for the office of governor, and
shall not accept for filing the declaration of intent to be a
write-in candidate of a person to the office of governor or
lieutenant governor if that person, for the same election, has
already filed a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to
be a write-in candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a
candidate through party nomination at a primary election or by the
filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised
Code, for any other state office or any federal or county office.

Protests
against the candidacy of any person filing a declaration of intent to
be a write-in candidate may be filed by any qualified elector who is
eligible to vote in the election at which the candidacy is to be
considered. The protest shall be in writing and shall be filed not
later than four p.m. of the sixty-seventh day before the day of the
election. The protest shall be filed with the board of elections with
which the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate was filed.
Upon the filing of the protest, the board with which it is filed
shall promptly fix the time for hearing it and shall proceed in
regard to the hearing in the same manner as for hearings set for
protests filed under section 3513.05 of the Revised Code. At the time
fixed, the board shall hear the protest and determine the validity or
invalidity of the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate.
If the board finds that the candidate is not an elector of the state,
district, county, or political subdivision in which the candidate
seeks election to office
;
is not affiliated with the political party whose nomination or office
the candidate seeks at a primary election, if applicable;

or has not fully complied with the requirements of Title XXXV of the
Revised Code in regard to the candidate's candidacy, the candidate's
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate shall be determined
to be invalid and shall be rejected; otherwise, it shall be
determined to be valid. The determination of the board is final.

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

Sec.
3513.05.
Each
person desiring to become a candidate for a party nomination at a
primary election or for election to an office or position to be voted
for at a primary election, except persons desiring to become joint
candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor and
except as otherwise provided in section 3513.051 of the Revised Code,
shall, not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before the day
of the primary election, file a declaration of candidacy and petition
and pay the fees required under divisions (A) and (B) of section
3513.10 of the Revised Code. The declaration of candidacy and all
separate petition papers shall be filed at the same time as one
instrument. When the offices are to be voted for at a primary
election, persons desiring to become joint candidates for the offices
of governor and lieutenant governor shall, not later than four p.m.
of the ninetieth day before the day of the primary election, comply
with section 3513.04 of the Revised Code. The prospective joint
candidates' declaration of candidacy and all separate petition papers
of candidacies shall be filed at the same time as one instrument. The
secretary of state or a board of elections shall not accept for
filing a declaration of candidacy and petition of a person seeking to
become a candidate if that person, for the same election, has already
filed a declaration of candidacy or a declaration of intent to be a
write-in candidate, or has become a candidate by the filling of a
vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code for any federal,
state, or county office, if the declaration of candidacy is for a
state or county office, or for any municipal or township office, if
the declaration of candidacy is for a municipal or township office.

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

Except
as otherwise provided in this paragraph, if the declaration of
candidacy is of one that is to be submitted only to electors within a
district, political subdivision, or portion thereof, the petition
shall be signed by not less than fifty qualified electors who are

members
of
affiliated
with
the
same political party as
the
political party of which
the
candidate

is a member
.
If the declaration of candidacy is for party nomination as a
candidate for member of the legislative authority of a municipal
corporation elected by ward, the petition shall be signed by not less
than twenty-five qualified electors who are
members
of
affiliated
with
the

same

political
party
of
which
as

the
candidate

is a member
.

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

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

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

is a member
.

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

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

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

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

The
secretary of state shall promptly transmit to each board such
separate petition papers of each petition accompanying a declaration
of candidacy filed with the secretary of state as purport to contain
signatures of electors of the county of such board. The board of the
most populous county of a district shall promptly transmit to each
board within such district such separate petition papers of each
petition accompanying a declaration of candidacy filed with it as
purport to contain signatures of electors of the county of each such
board. The board of a county within which the major portion of the
population of a subdivision, situated in more than one county, is
located, shall promptly transmit to the board of each other county
within which a portion of such subdivision is located such separate
petition papers of each petition accompanying a declaration of
candidacy filed with it as purport to contain signatures of electors
of the portion of such subdivision in the county of each such board.

All
petition papers so transmitted to a board and all petitions
accompanying declarations of candidacy filed with a board shall,
under proper regulations, be open to public inspection until four
p.m. of the eightieth day before the day of the next primary
election. Each board shall, not later than the seventy-eighth day
before the day of that primary election, examine and determine the
validity or invalidity of the signatures on the petition papers so
transmitted to or filed with it and shall return to the secretary of
state all petition papers transmitted to it by the secretary of
state, together with its certification of its determination as to the
validity or invalidity of signatures thereon, and shall return to
each other board all petition papers transmitted to it by such board,
together with its certification of its determination as to the
validity or invalidity of the signatures thereon. All other matters
affecting the validity or invalidity of such petition papers shall be
determined by the secretary of state or the board with whom such
petition papers were filed.

For
purposes of being eligible to sign or circulate a petition of
candidacy for party nomination or election, an elector is considered
to be affiliated with a political party if, at the time the petition
is verified, the elector is affiliated with that party as determined
under section 3503.071 of the Revised Code.

Protests
against the candidacy of any person filing a declaration of candidacy
for party nomination or for election to an office or position, as
provided in this section, may be filed by any qualified elector who
is
a
member of
affiliated
with
the
same political party as the candidate and who is eligible to vote at
the primary election for the candidate whose declaration of candidacy
the elector objects to, or by the controlling committee of that
political party. The protest shall be in writing, and shall be filed
not later than four p.m. of the seventy-fourth day before the day of
the primary election. The protest shall be filed with the election
officials with whom the declaration of candidacy and petition was
filed. Upon the filing of the protest, the election officials with
whom it is filed shall promptly fix the time for hearing it, and
shall forthwith mail notice of the filing of the protest and the time
fixed for hearing to the person whose candidacy is so protested. They
shall also forthwith mail notice of the time fixed for such hearing
to the person who filed the protest. At the time fixed, such election
officials shall hear the protest and determine the validity or
invalidity of the declaration of candidacy and petition. If they find
that such candidate is not an elector of the state, district, county,
or political subdivision in which the candidate seeks a party
nomination or election to an office or position,
is
not affiliated with the political party,
or
has not fully complied with this chapter, the candidate's declaration
of candidacy and petition shall be determined to be invalid and shall
be rejected; otherwise, it shall be determined to be valid. That
determination shall be final.

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

The
secretary of state shall, on the seventieth day before the day of a
primary election, certify to each board in the state the forms of the
official ballots to be used at the primary election, together with
the names of the candidates to be printed on the ballots whose
nomination or election is to be determined by electors throughout the
entire state and who filed valid declarations of candidacy and
petitions.

The
board of the most populous county in a district comprised of more
than one county but less than all of the counties of the state shall,
on the seventieth day before the day of a primary election, certify
to the board of each county in the district the names of the
candidates to be printed on the official ballots to be used at the
primary election, whose nomination or election is to be determined
only by electors within the district and who filed valid declarations
of candidacy and petitions.

The
board of a county within which the major portion of the population of
a subdivision smaller than the county and situated in more than one
county is located shall, on the seventieth day before the day of a
primary election, certify to the board of each county in which a
portion of that subdivision is located the names of the candidates to
be printed on the official ballots to be used at the primary
election, whose nomination or election is to be determined only by
electors within that subdivision and who filed valid declarations of
candidacy and petitions.

Sec.
3513.07.
The
form of declaration of candidacy and petition of a person desiring to
be a candidate for a party nomination or a candidate for election to
an office or position to be voted for at a primary election shall be
substantially as follows:

"DECLARATION
OF CANDIDACY PARTY PRIMARY ELECTION

I,
___________________________ (Name of Candidate), the undersigned,
hereby declare under penalty of election falsification that my voting
residence is in _______________ precinct of the
_____________________________ (Township) or (Ward and City or
Village) in the county of ________________, Ohio; that my voting
residence is _______________ (Street and Number, if any, or Rural
Route and Number) of the _____________________________ (City or
Village) of _________________, Ohio; and that I am a qualified
elector in the precinct in which my voting residence is located. I am

a
member of
affiliated
with
the
________ Party. I hereby declare that I desire to be
____________________ (a candidate for nomination as a candidate of
the Party for election to the office of _____________) (a candidate
for election to the office or position of ______________) for the
____________ in the state, district, (Full term or unexpired term
ending _______________) county, city, or village of
___________________, at the primary election to be held on the
_____________ day of _________, ____, and I hereby request that my
name be printed upon the official primary election ballot of the said
__________ Party as a candidate for _________ (such nomination) or
(such election) as provided by law.

I
further declare that, if elected to said office or position, I will
qualify therefor, and that I will support and abide by the principles
enunciated by the ____________ Party.

Dated
this __________ day of _________________, _________

__________________________________

(Signature
of candidate)

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

PETITION
OF CANDIDATE

We,
the undersigned, qualified electors of the state of Ohio, whose
voting residence is in the county, city, village, ward, township, or
school district, and precinct set opposite our names, and
members
of
affiliated
with
the
_______________________________________ Party, hereby certify that
____________________________ (Name of candidate) whose declaration of
candidacy is filed herewith, is
a
member of
affiliated
with
the
____________ Party, and is, in our opinion, well qualified to perform
the duties of the office or position to which that candidate desires
to be elected.

Street

City,

and

Village
or

Signature

Number

Township

Ward

Precinct

County

Date

(Must
use address on file with the board of elections)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

-
_______________________________________
(Name of circulator of petition), declares under penalty of election
falsification that the circulator of the petition is a qualified
elector of the state of Ohio and resides at the address appearing
below the signature of that circulator; that the circulator is
a
member of
affiliated
with
the
___________ Party; that the circulator is the circulator of the
foregoing petition paper containing _____________ (Number)
signatures; that the circulator witnessed the affixing of every
signature; that all signers were to the best of the circulator's
knowledge and belief qualified to sign; and that every signature is
to the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief the signature of
the person whose signature it purports to be or of an attorney in
fact acting pursuant to section 3501.382 of the Revised Code.

_____________________________

(Signature
of circulator)

____________________________

(Address
of circulator's

permanent
residence

in
this

state)

_________________________

(If
petition is for a

statewide

candidate,
the

name
and address of person

employing

to
circulate

petition,
if any)

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

The
secretary of state shall prescribe a form of declaration of candidacy
and petition, and the form shall be substantially similar to the
declaration of candidacy and petition set forth in this section, that
will be suitable for joint candidates for the offices of governor and
lieutenant governor.

The
petition provided for in this section shall be circulated only by
a
member of
an
elector who is affiliated with
the
same political party as the candidate.

Sec.
3513.18.
(A)

Party
primaries shall be held at the same place and time, but there shall
be separate pollbooks and tally sheets provided at each polling place
for each party participating in the election.
The
pollbooks shall include each elector's political party affiliation,
if any. An elector may vote a political party's ballot at a primary
election only if the elector is affiliated with that political party
as of the thirtieth day before the day of the primary election.

(B)

If
a special election on a question or issue is held on the day of a
primary election, there shall be provided in the pollbooks pages on
which shall be recorded the names of all electors voting on said
question or issue and not voting in such primary.
It
shall not be necessary for electors desiring
Any
elector may choose
to
vote only on the

question or issue to declare their political affiliation

questions or issues appearing on the ballot
.

An elector who is not affiliated with any political party shall vote
only on the questions or issues appearing on the ballot.

Sec.
3513.19.
(A)
It is the duty of any precinct election official, whenever any such
official doubts that a person attempting to vote at a primary
election is legally entitled to vote at that election, to challenge
the right of that person to vote. The right of a person to vote at a
primary election may be challenged
as
described in section 3505.20 of the Revised Code or
upon
the
following
grounds:

(1)
That the person whose right to vote is challenged is not a legally
qualified elector;

(2)
That the person has received or has been promised some valuable
reward or consideration for the person's vote;

(3)
That
ground
that
the
person is not affiliated with
or
is not a member of
the
political party whose ballot the person desires to vote
.
Such party affiliation shall be
,
as
determined

by
examining the elector's voting record for the current year and the
immediately preceding two calendar years as shown on the voter's
registration card, using the standards of affiliation specified in
the seventh paragraph of
under

section

3513.05

3503.071

of
the Revised Code
,
as of the thirtieth day before the day of the primary election
.

Division
(A)(3) of this section and the seventh paragraph of section 3513.05
of the Revised Code do not prohibit a person who holds an elective
office for which candidates are nominated at a party primary election
from doing any of the following:

(a)
If the person voted as a member of a different political party at any
primary election within the current year and the immediately
preceding two calendar years, being a candidate for nomination at a
party primary held during the times specified in division (C)(2) of
section 3513.191 of the Revised Code provided that the person
complies with the requirements of that section;

(b)
Circulating the person's own petition of candidacy for party
nomination in the primary election.

(B)
When the right of a person to vote is challenged upon the ground set
forth in division (A)(3) of this section, membership in or political
affiliation with a political party shall be determined by the
person's statement, made under penalty of election falsification,
that the person desires to be affiliated with and supports the
principles of the political party whose primary ballot the person
desires to vote.

(B)
If a majority of the precinct officials finds that the person is not
entitled to vote at the primary election, the person shall be
permitted to vote a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the
Revised Code.

Sec.
3513.191.
(A)
No person shall be a candidate for nomination or election at a party
primary if the person
voted
as a member of a different
is
not affiliated with that
political
party

at any primary election within the current year and the immediately
preceding two calendar years
,
as determined under section 3503.071 of the Revised Code
.

(B)

Notwithstanding
division (A) of this section, either of the following persons may be
candidates for nomination of any political party at a party primary:

(1)
A person who does not hold an elective office;

(2)
A person who holds an elective office other than one for which
candidates are nominated at a party primary.

(C)(1)
Notwithstanding division (A) of this section, a
A

person
who holds an elective office for which candidates are nominated at a
party primary may be a candidate at a primary election
held
during the times specified in division (C)(2) of this section
for
nomination as a candidate of a political party

of which the person is prohibited from being a candidate for
nomination under division (A) of this section
,
other than the party that most recently nominated the person as a
candidate for the office the person currently holds, only
if

all
of
the

following
are true:

(1)
The person submits a voter registration update form reflecting the
change of political party affiliation not later than four p.m. of the
thirtieth day before a declaration of candidacy and petition is
required to be filed under section 3513.05 of the Revised Code.

(2)
The
person
files a declaration of intent to seek the nomination of
that

the
person's new
party

and if, by filing the declaration, the person has not violated
division (C)(3) of this section
.
The declaration of intent shall:

(a)
Be filed not later than four p.m. of the thirtieth day before a
declaration of candidacy and petition is required to be filed under
section 3513.05 of the Revised Code;

(b)
Be filed with the same official with whom the person filing the
declaration of intent is required to file a declaration of candidacy
and petition;

(c)
Indicate the political party whose nomination in the primary election
the person seeks;

(d)
Be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state.

(3)
The person has not violated division (C) of this section.

(2)

(C)(1)

No
person filing a declaration of intent under division
(C)(1)

(B)

of
this section shall be a candidate at any primary election for
nomination for an elective office for which candidates are nominated
at a party primary during the calendar year in which the person files
the declaration or during the next calendar year except as a
candidate of the party indicated under division
(C)(1)(c)

(B)(2)(c)

of
this section.

(3)

(2)

No
person who files a declaration of intent under division
(C)(1)

(B)(2)

of
this section shall file another such declaration for a period of ten
years after the declaration is filed.

(4)
Notwithstanding the seventh paragraph of section 3513.05 of the
Revised Code, a person who complies with this section may circulate
that person's own petition of candidacy for party nomination at the
party primary at which the person seeks nomination under this
section.

Sec.
3513.257.
Each
person
desiring

who
is not affiliated with a political party, as determined under section
3503.071 of the Revised Code, and who desires
to
become an independent candidate for an office for which candidates
may be nominated at a primary election, except persons desiring to
become independent joint candidates for the offices of governor and
lieutenant governor and for the offices of president and
vice-president of the United States, shall file no later than four
p.m. of the day before the day of the primary election immediately
preceding the general election at which such candidacy is to be voted
for by the voters, a statement of candidacy and nominating petition
as provided in section 3513.261 of the Revised Code. Persons desiring
to become independent joint candidates for the offices of governor
and lieutenant governor shall file, not later than four p.m. of the
day before the day of the primary election, one statement of
candidacy and one nominating petition for the two of them. Persons
desiring to become independent joint candidates for the offices of
president and vice-president of the United States shall file, not
later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before the day of the
general election at which the president and vice-president are to be
elected, one statement of candidacy and one nominating petition for
the two of them. The prospective independent joint candidates'
statement of candidacy shall be filed with the nominating petition as
one instrument.

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

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

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

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

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

All
nominating petitions of candidates for offices to be voted on by
electors throughout the entire state shall be filed in the office of
the secretary of state. No nominating petition for the offices of
president and vice-president of the United States shall be accepted
for filing unless there is submitted to the secretary of state, at
the time of filing the petition, a slate of presidential electors
sufficient in number to satisfy the requirement of the United States
Constitution. The secretary of state shall not accept for filing the
statement of candidacy of a person who desires to be an independent
candidate for the office of governor unless it also shows the joint
candidacy of a person who desires to be an independent candidate for
the office of lieutenant governor, shall not accept for filing the
statement of candidacy of a person who desires to be an independent
candidate for the office of lieutenant governor unless it also shows
the joint candidacy of a person who desires to be an independent
candidate for the office of governor, and shall not accept for filing
the statement of candidacy of a person who desires to be an
independent candidate to the office of governor or lieutenant
governor who, for the same election, has already filed a declaration
of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or
a statement of candidacy, or has become a candidate by the filling of
a vacancy under section 3513.30 of the Revised Code for any other
state office or any federal or county office.

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

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

No
petition other than the petition of a candidate whose candidacy is to
be considered by electors throughout the entire state shall be
accepted for filing if it appears on its face to contain more than
three times the minimum required number of signatures. A board of
elections shall not accept for filing a nominating petition of a
person seeking to become a candidate if that person, for the same
election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, a declaration
of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a nominating petition, or
has become a candidate by the filling of a vacancy under section
3513.30 of the Revised Code for any federal, state, or county office,
if the nominating petition is for a state or county office, or for
any municipal or township office, for member of a city, local, or
exempted village board of education, or for member of a governing
board of an educational service center, if the nominating petition is
for a municipal or township office, or for member of a city, local,
or exempted village board of education, or for member of a governing
board of an educational service center. When a petition of a
candidate has been accepted for filing by a board of elections, the
petition shall not be deemed invalid if, upon verification of
signatures contained in the petition, the board of elections finds
the number of signatures accepted exceeds three times the minimum
number of signatures required. A board of elections may discontinue
verifying signatures when the number of verified signatures on a
petition equals the minimum required number of qualified signatures.

Any
candidate, other than a candidate for judge of a municipal court,
county court, or court of common pleas, who files a nominating
petition may request, at the time of filing, that the candidate be
designated on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or as an other-party
candidate, or may request that the candidate's name be placed on the
ballot without any designation. Any such candidate who fails to
request a designation either as a nonparty candidate or as an
other-party candidate shall have the candidate's name placed on the
ballot without any designation.

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

Sec.
3517.012.
(A)(1)
When a party formation petition meeting the requirements of section
3517.01 of the Revised Code declaring the intention to organize a
political party is filed with the secretary of state, the new party
comes into legal existence on the date of filing and is entitled to
nominate candidates to appear on the ballot at the general election
held in even-numbered years that occurs more than one hundred
twenty-five days after the date of filing.

(2)(a)
Upon receiving a party formation petition filed under division (A)(1)
of this section, the secretary of state shall promptly transmit to
each board of elections the separate petition papers that purport to
contain signatures of electors of that board's county.

(b)
Not later than the one hundred eighteenth day before the day of the
general election, each board shall examine and determine the
sufficiency of the signatures on the petition papers and shall return
them to the secretary of state, together with the board's
certification of its determination as to the validity or invalidity
of the signatures on the petition.

(c)
Any qualified elector may file a written protest against the petition
with the secretary of state not later than the one hundred fourteenth
day before the day of the general election. Any such protest shall be
resolved in the manner specified under section 3501.39 of the Revised
Code.

(d)
Not later than the ninety-fifth day before the day of the general
election, the secretary of state shall determine whether the party
formation petition is sufficient and shall notify the committee
designated in the petition of that determination.

(B)(1)
Not later than one hundred ten days before the day of that general
election and not earlier than the day the applicable party formation
petition is filed, each candidate or pair of joint candidates wishing
to appear on the ballot at the general election as the nominee or
nominees of the party that filed the party formation petition shall
file a nominating petition, on a form prescribed by the secretary of
state, that includes the name of the political party that submitted
the party formation petition. Except as otherwise provided in this
section and sections 3505.03, 3505.08, 3506.11, 3513.31, 3513.311,
and 3513.312 of the Revised Code, the provisions of the Revised Code
concerning independent candidates who file nominating petitions apply
to candidates who file nominating petitions under this section.

(2)(a)
If the candidacy is to be submitted to electors throughout the entire
state, the nominating petition, including a petition for joint
candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, shall
be signed by at least fifty qualified electors who
have
not voted as a member of
are
not affiliated with
a
different political party

at any primary election within the current year or the immediately
preceding two calendar years
,
as determined under section 3503.071 of the Revised Code
.

(b)

Except
as otherwise provided in this division, if
If

the
candidacy is to be submitted only to electors within a district,
political subdivision, or portion thereof, the nominating petition
shall be signed by not less than five qualified electors who
have
not voted as a member of
are
not affiliated with
a
different political party

at any primary election within the current year or the immediately
preceding two calendar years
,
as determined under section 3503.071 of the Revised Code
.

(3)(a)
Each board of elections that is responsible to verify signatures on
the nominating petition shall examine and determine the sufficiency
of those signatures not later than the one hundred fifth day before
the day of the general election

and shall be resolved as specified in that section
.

(b)
Written protests against the petition may be filed in the manner
specified under section 3513.263 of the Revised Code not later than
the one hundredth day before the general election and shall be
resolved as specified in that section.

(c)
Not later than the ninety-fifth day before the day of the general
election, the secretary of state or the board of elections, as
applicable, shall determine whether the nominating petition is
sufficient and shall notify the candidate and the committee
designated in the party formation petition of that determination.

(C)(1)
After being notified that the political party has submitted a
sufficient party formation petition under division (A) of this
section, the committee designated in a party formation petition
shall, not later than the seventy-fifth day before the day of the
general election, certify to the secretary of state a slate of
candidates consisting of candidates or joint candidates who submitted
sufficient nominating petitions under division (B) of this section.
The slate certifying the candidates shall be on a form prescribed by
the secretary of state and signed by all of the individuals of the
committee designated in the party formation petition. In no event
shall the slate of candidates include more than one candidate for any
public office or more than one set of joint candidates for the
offices of governor and lieutenant governor. The names of the
candidates or joint candidates so certified shall appear on the
ballot at the general election as that party's nominees for those
offices. For purposes of this division, "joint candidates"
means the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant
governor.

(2)
If a candidate's nominating petition is insufficient or if the
committee does not certify the candidate's name under division (C)(1)
of this section, the candidate shall not appear on the ballot in the
general election.

(3)
If a party formation petition is insufficient, no candidate shall
appear on the ballot in the general election as that political
party's nominee, regardless of whether any candidate's nominating
petition is sufficient.

Sec.
3517.013.
Section

Division
(B) of section
3513.191
of the Revised Code does not apply to persons desiring to become
candidates for party nomination of a newly formed political party
meeting the requirements of sections 3517.011 and 3517.012 of the
Revised Code for a period of four calendar years from the date of the
party formation.

Sec.
3599.12.
(A)
No person shall do any of the following:

(1)
Vote or attempt to vote in any primary, special, or general election
in a precinct in which that person is not a legally qualified
elector;

(2)
Vote or attempt to vote more than once at the same election by any
means, including voting or attempting to vote both by absent voter's
ballots under division
(G)

(E)

of
section 3503.16 of the Revised Code and by regular ballot at the
polls at the same election, or voting or attempting to vote both by
absent voter's ballots under division
(G)

(E)

of
section 3503.16 of the Revised Code and by absent voter's ballots
under Chapter 3509. or armed service absent voter's ballots under
Chapter 3511. of the Revised Code at the same election;

(3)
Impersonate or sign the name of another person, real or fictitious,
living or dead, and vote or attempt to vote as that other person in
any such election;

(4)
Cast a ballot at any such election after objection has been made and
sustained to that person's vote;

(5)
Knowingly vote or attempt to vote a ballot other than the official
ballot.

(B)
Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a felony
of the fourth degree.

Section
2.
That
existing sections 3501.01, 3503.09, 3503.10, 3503.11, 3503.14,
3503.15
,
3503.151, 3503.152, 3503.153
,
3503.16, 3503.19, 3503.20, 3503.23, 3503.28, 3505.181, 3509.02,
3509.04, 3509.07, 3509.08, 3513.041, 3513.05, 3513.07, 3513.18,
3513.19, 3513.191, 3513.257, 3517.012, 3517.013, and 3599.12 of the
Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section
3.
That
sections 3513.192 and 3513.20 of the Revised Code are hereby
repealed.