Authorize board of elections to meet by video conference

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
H. B. No. 619

2025-2026

Representative Lorenz

To
amend section 3501.09 of the Revised Code
to
authorize a board of elections to conduct meetings by video
conference or any other similar electronic technology.

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

Section
1.
That
section 3501.09 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec.
3501.09.
(A)

Biennially,
within five days after the appointments to the board of elections are
made by the secretary of state, the members of the board shall meet
and organize by selecting one of their number as chairperson, who
shall preside at all meetings. They shall, upon careful consideration
of each such person's qualifications, select a resident elector of
the county, other than a member of the board, as director, and a
resident elector of the county as deputy director. All such officers
shall continue in office, at the pleasure of the board, for two
years. The balloting for such officers shall commence on the day of
the convening and be taken until such organization is effected or
five ballots have been cast. The director shall first be selected by
the votes of at least three members. If, after five ballots, no
person is agreed upon as director, the names of all persons voted for
on the fifth ballot, together with the names of the board members who
nominated them, shall be certified to the secretary of state, who
shall designate therefrom one of such persons to serve as director,
unless the secretary of state has reason to believe that no person
nominated is qualified. In this case the secretary of state shall so
state in writing to the board, and the board shall nominate other
persons, in the manner in which the original persons were nominated,
and select from those nominated another person as director. If, after
five ballots, no person is agreed upon as director, the names of all
persons voted for on the fifth ballot, together with the names of the
board members who nominated them, shall be certified to the secretary
of state, who shall designate therefrom one of such nominees to serve
as director and another such nominee to serve as deputy director. If
the board fails to nominate another person as director, the office
shall be filled in accordance with the procedures of section 3501.16
of the Revised Code.

(B)

The
director and deputy director shall be of opposite political parties,
and each such officer shall have been nominated by a board member of
the political party to which
he
the
officer

belongs, but the board may decide by the affirmative vote of at least
three members that the services of a deputy director are unnecessary
and such deputy director then shall not be employed. After the
selection of the director and deputy director, the

chairman
chairperson

shall be selected from the members of the board of opposite politics
to that of the director. If, upon the first ballot, no person is
agreed upon as
chairman
chairperson
,
the member of opposite politics to the director having the shortest
term to serve shall be
chairman

chairperson
,
and shall preside at all meetings. When such organization is
perfected, the director shall forthwith report it to the secretary of
state.

(C)
Notwithstanding division (B)(3)(e)(iv) of section 121.221 of the
Revised Code, a board of elections may conduct a meeting through
means of video conference or any other similar electronic technology
provided that the meeting is otherwise conducted in accordance with
section 121.221 of the Revised Code.

Section
2.
That
existing section 3501.09 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.