Require citizenship verification before an elector may vote

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
S. B. No. 153

2025-2026

Senators Gavarone, Brenner

To
amend sections 303.12, 303.59, 307.94, 3501.01, 3501.38, 3501.381,
3501.39, 3503.13
,
3503.14
,
3503.15, 3503.151, 3503.152, 3503.153
,
3503.16, 3503.19, 3503.20
,
3503.21
,
3503.33
,
3505.181, 3505.182, 3505.183, 3505.20
,
3509.02, 3509.03, 3509.04
,
3509.05, 3509.051, 3509.06, 3509.07, 3509.08, 3509.09
,
3511.02, 3511.04, 3511.05, 3511.09, 3511.11, 3511.14
,
3513.07, 3513.261, 3517.01, 3517.12, 3519.02, 3519.05, 3519.16
,
3599.12
,
and 3599.21 and to enact
sections

3503.201
,
3503.202, and 3511.052

of the Revised Code
to
require verification of an elector's citizenship before the elector
may vote and to modify procedures regarding voter registration, voter
roll maintenance, absent voting, and election petitions.

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

Section
1.
That
sections 303.12, 303.59, 307.94, 3501.01, 3501.38, 3501.381, 3501.39,
3503.13
,
3503.14
,
3503.15, 3503.151, 3503.152, 3503.153
,
3503.16, 3503.19, 3503.20
,
3503.21
,
3503.33
,
3505.181, 3505.182, 3505.183, 3505.20
,
3509.02, 3509.03, 3509.04
,
3509.05, 3509.051, 3509.06, 3509.07, 3509.08, 3509.09
,
3511.02, 3511.04, 3511.05, 3511.09, 3511.11, 3511.14
,
3513.07, 3513.261, 3517.01, 3517.12, 3519.02, 3519.05, 3519.16
,
3599.12
,
and 3599.21 be amended and
sections

3503.201
,
3503.202, and 3511.052

of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec.
303.12.
(A)(1)
Amendments to the zoning resolution may be initiated by motion of the
county rural zoning commission, by the passage of a resolution by the
board of county commissioners, or by the filing of an application by
one or more of the owners or lessees of property within the area
proposed to be changed or affected by the proposed amendment with the
county rural zoning commission. The board of county commissioners may
require that the owner or lessee of property filing an application to
amend the zoning resolution pay a fee to defray the cost of
advertising, mailing, filing with the county recorder, and other
expenses. If the board of county commissioners requires such a fee,
it shall be required generally, for each application. The board of
county commissioners, upon the passage of such a resolution, shall
certify it to the county rural zoning commission.

(2)
Upon the adoption of a motion by the county rural zoning commission,
the certification of a resolution by the board of county
commissioners to the commission, or the filing of an application by
property owners or lessees as described in division (A)(1) of this
section with the commission, the commission shall set a date for a
public hearing, which date shall not be less than twenty nor more
than forty days from the date of adoption of such a motion, the date
of the certification of such a resolution, or the date of the filing
of such an application. Notice of the hearing shall be given by the
commission by one publication at least ten days before the date of
the hearing, using at least one of the following methods:

(a)
In the print or digital edition of one or more newspapers of general
circulation in each township affected by the proposed amendment;

(b)
On the official public notice web site established under section
125.182 of the Revised Code;

(c)
On the web site and social media account of the county.

(B)
If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or
fewer parcels of land, as listed on the county auditor's current tax
list, written notice of the hearing shall be mailed by the county
rural zoning commission, by first class mail, at least ten days
before the date of the public hearing to all owners of property
within and contiguous to and directly across the street from the area
proposed to be rezoned or redistricted to the addresses of those
owners appearing on the county auditor's current tax list. The
failure of delivery of that notice shall not invalidate any such
amendment.

(C)
If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or
fewer parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax
list, the published and mailed notices shall set forth the time,
date, and place of the public hearing and include all of the
following:

(1)
The name of the county rural zoning commission that will be
conducting the hearing;

(2)
A statement indicating that the motion, resolution, or application is
an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3)
A list of the addresses of all properties to be rezoned or
redistricted by the proposed amendment and of the names of owners of
these properties, as they appear on the county auditor's current tax
list;

(4)
The present zoning classification of property named in the proposed
amendment and the proposed zoning classification of that property;

(5)
The time and place where the motion, resolution, or application
proposing to amend the zoning resolution will be available for
examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(6)
The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the public
hearing by publication, by mail, or by both publication and mail;

(7)
A statement that, after the conclusion of the hearing, the matter
will be submitted to the board of county commissioners for its
action;

(8)
Any other information requested by the commission.

(D)
If the proposed amendment alters the text of the zoning resolution,
or rezones or redistricts more than ten parcels of land as listed on
the county auditor's current tax list, the published notice shall set
forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all
of the following:

(1)
The name of the county rural zoning commission that will be
conducting the hearing on the proposed amendment;

(2)
A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is
an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3)
The time and place where the text and maps of the proposed amendment
will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days
prior to the hearing;

(4)
The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing
by publication;

(5)
A statement that, after the conclusion of the hearing, the matter
will be submitted to the board of county commissioners for its
action;

(6)
Any other information requested by the commission.

Hearings
shall be held in the county court house or in a public place
designated by the commission.

(E)
Within five days after the adoption of the motion described in
division (A) of this section, the certification of the resolution
described in division (A) of this section, or the filing of the
application described in division (A) of this section, the county
rural zoning commission shall transmit a copy of it together with
text and map pertaining to it to the county or regional planning
commission, if there is such a commission.

The
county or regional planning commission shall recommend the approval
or denial of the proposed amendment or the approval of some
modification of it and shall submit its recommendation to the county
rural zoning commission. The recommendation shall be considered at
the public hearing held by the county rural zoning commission on the
proposed amendment.

The
county rural zoning commission, within thirty days after the hearing,
shall recommend the approval or denial of the proposed amendment, or
the approval of some modification of it, and shall submit that
recommendation together with the motion, application, or resolution
involved, the text and map pertaining to the proposed amendment, and
the recommendation of the county or regional planning commission on
it to the board of county commissioners.

The
board of county commissioners, upon receipt of that recommendation,
shall set a time for a public hearing on the proposed amendment,
which date shall be not more than thirty days from the date of the
receipt of that recommendation. Notice of the hearing shall be given
by the board by one publication at least ten days before the date of
the hearing, using at least one of the following methods:

(1)
In the print or digital edition of one or more newspapers of general
circulation in the county;

(2)
On the official public notice web site established under section
125.182 of the Revised Code;

(3)
On the web site and social media account of the county.

(F)
If the proposed amendment intends to rezone or redistrict ten or
fewer parcels of land as listed on the county auditor's current tax
list, the published notice shall set forth the time, date, and place
of the public hearing and include all of the following:

(1)
The name of the board of county commissioners that will be conducting
the hearing;

(2)
A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is
an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3)
A list of the addresses of all properties to be rezoned or
redistricted by the proposed amendment and of the names of owners of
those properties, as they appear on the county auditor's current tax
list;

(4)
The present zoning classification of property named in the proposed
amendment and the proposed zoning classification of that property;

(5)
The time and place where the motion, application, or resolution
proposing to amend the zoning resolution will be available for
examination for a period of at least ten days prior to the hearing;

(6)
The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing
by publication, by mail, or by both publication and mail;

(7)
Any other information requested by the board.

(G)
If the proposed amendment alters the text of the zoning resolution,
or rezones or redistricts more than ten parcels of land as listed on
the county auditor's current tax list, the published notice shall set
forth the time, date, and place of the public hearing and include all
of the following:

(1)
The name of the board of county commissioners that will be conducting
the hearing on the proposed amendment;

(2)
A statement indicating that the motion, application, or resolution is
an amendment to the zoning resolution;

(3)
The time and place where the text and maps of the proposed amendment
will be available for examination for a period of at least ten days
prior to the hearing;

(4)
The name of the person responsible for giving notice of the hearing
by publication;

(5)
Any other information requested by the board.

(H)
Within twenty days after its public hearing, the board of county
commissioners shall either adopt or deny the recommendation of the
county rural zoning commission or adopt some modification of it. If
the board denies or modifies the commission's recommendation, a
majority vote of the board shall be required.

The
proposed amendment, if adopted by the board, shall become effective
in thirty days after the date of its adoption, unless, within thirty
days after the adoption, there is presented to the board of county
commissioners a petition, signed by a number of qualified voters
residing in the unincorporated area of the township or part of that
unincorporated area included in the zoning plan equal to not less
than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates for
governor in that area at the most recent general election at which a
governor was elected, requesting the board to submit the amendment to
the electors of that area for approval or rejection at a special
election to be held on the day of the next primary or general
election occurring at least ninety days after the petition is
submitted. Each part of this petition shall contain the number and
the full and correct title, if any, of the zoning amendment
resolution, motion, or application, furnishing the name by which the
amendment is known and a brief summary of its contents. In addition
to meeting the requirements of this section, each petition shall be
governed by the rules specified in section 3501.38 of the Revised
Code.

The
form of a petition calling for a zoning referendum and the statement
of the circulator shall be substantially as follows:

"PETITION
FOR ZONING REFERENDUM

(if
the proposal is identified by a particular name or number, or both,
these should be inserted here) ________________________

A
proposal to amend the zoning map of the unincorporated area of
______________ Township, ___________________ County, Ohio, adopted
_______ (date) __________ (followed by brief summary of the
proposal).

To
the Board of County Commissioners of __________________ County, Ohio:

We,
the undersigned, being electors residing in the unincorporated area
of _______________ Township, included within the _________________
County Zoning Plan, equal to not less than eight per cent of the
total vote cast for all candidates for governor in the area at the
preceding general election at which a governor was elected, request
the Board of County Commissioners to submit this amendment of the
zoning resolution to the electors of _____________ Township residing
within the unincorporated area of the township included in the
_______________ County Zoning Resolution, for approval or rejection
at a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or
general election to be held on ________(date)_______, pursuant to
section 303.12 of the Revised Code.

Street
Address

Date
of

Signature

or R.F.D.

Township
Precinct County Signing

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

STATEMENT
OF CIRCULATOR

I,
_____________________(name of circulator)___________________, declare
under penalty of election falsification that I
am
an elector of the state of Ohio and
reside
at the address appearing below my signature; that I am the circulator
of the foregoing part petition containing _____(number)_______
signatures; that I have witnessed the affixing of every signature;
that all signers were to the best of my knowledge and belief
qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best of my
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.

(The circulator shall personally write the number of electors whose
signatures the petition paper contains.)

For
the purposes of any proceeding related to this petition, I submit to
the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Ohio, the Ohio
Secretary of State, and the board of elections of the county in which
I have circulated this petition. I understand that I may be required
to testify or to produce evidence in such a proceeding. I agree to
receive any service of process at the residence address I have
provided.

I
am compensated to circulate this petition by _______________________
(name and address). (The circulator shall complete the preceding
sentence as required by section 3501.38 of the Revised Code if the
circulator is being compensated to circulate the petition.)

_____________________________

(Signature
of circulator)

_____________________________

-
(Address
of circulator's

-
permanent
residence

in this

-
state
)

_____________________________

(City,
village, or township,
-

and
zip code)

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

No
amendment for which such a referendum vote has been requested shall
be put into effect unless a majority of the vote cast on the issue is
in favor of the amendment. Upon certification by the board of
elections that the amendment has been approved by the voters, it
shall take immediate effect.

Within
five working days after an amendment's effective date, the board of
county commissioners shall file the text and maps of the amendment in
the office of the county recorder and with the regional or county
planning commission, if one exists.

The
failure to file any amendment, or any text and maps, or duplicates of
any of these documents, with the office of the county recorder or the
county or regional planning commission as required by this section
does not invalidate the amendment and is not grounds for an appeal of
any decision of the board of zoning appeals.

Sec.
303.59.
A
resolution designating a restricted area prohibiting the construction
of utility facilities, if adopted by the board of county
commissioners, becomes effective thirty days after the date of its
adoption, unless, within thirty days after the adoption, there is
presented to the board of county commissioners a petition, signed by
a number of registered electors residing in the county equal to not
less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all candidates
for governor in that county at the most recent general election at
which a governor was elected, requesting the board of county
commissioners to submit the resolution to the electors of that county
for approval or rejection at a special election to be held on the day
of the next primary or general election that occurs at least one
hundred twenty days after the petition is filed. Each part petition
shall contain the number and the full and correct title, if any, of
the resolution, motion, or application, furnishing the name by which
the resolution is known and a brief summary of its contents. In
addition to meeting the requirements of this section, each petition
shall be governed by the rules specified in section 3501.38 of the
Revised Code.

The
form of a petition calling for a referendum on the designation of a
restricted area and the statement of the circulator shall be
substantially as follows:

"PETITION
FOR REFERENDUM ON THE DESIGNATION OF A RESTRICTED AREA PROHIBITING
THE CONSTRUCTION OF UTILITY FACILITIES

(if
the proposal is identified by a particular name or number, or both,
these should be inserted here)__________

A
proposal to designate a restricted area prohibiting the construction
of utility facilities in the unincorporated area of __________
county, Ohio, adopted __________(date) (followed by brief summary of
the resolution).

To
the board of county commissioners of __________ county, Ohio:

We,
the undersigned, being electors residing in __________county, equal
to not less than eight per cent of the total vote cast for all
candidates for governor in the county at the preceding general
election at which a governor was elected, request the board of county
commissioners to submit this designation of a restricted area to the
electors of __________ county, for approval or rejection at a special
election to be held on the day of the primary or general election to
be held on __________ (date), pursuant to section 303.59 of the
Revised Code.

__________
Signature

__________
Residence address

__________
Date of signing

STATEMENT
OF CIRCULATOR

I,
__________ (name of circulator), declare under penalty of election
falsification that I reside at the address appearing below my
signature; that I am the circulator of the foregoing part petition
containing __________ (number) signatures; that I have witnessed the
affixing of every signature; that all signers were to the best of my
knowledge and belief qualified to sign; and that every signature is
to the best of my 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.

(The circulator shall personally write the number of electors whose
signatures the petition paper contains.)

For
the purposes of any proceeding related to this petition, I submit to
the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Ohio, the Ohio
Secretary of State, and the board of elections of the county in which
I have circulated this petition. I understand that I may be required
to testify or to produce evidence in such a proceeding. I agree to
receive any service of process at the residence address I have
provided.

I
am compensated to circulate this petition by _______________________
(name and address). (The circulator shall complete the preceding
sentence as required by section 3501.38 of the Revised Code if the
circulator is being compensated to circulate the petition.)

__________
(Signature of circulator)

__________
(Circulator's residence address)

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

The
petition shall be filed with the board of county commissioners.
Within two weeks after receiving a petition filed under this section,
the board of county commissioners shall certify the petition to the
board of elections. A petition filed under this section shall be
certified to the board of elections not less than ninety days prior
to the election at which the question is to be voted upon.

The
board of elections shall determine the sufficiency and validity of
each petition certified to it by a board of county commissioners
under this section. If the board of elections determines that a
petition is sufficient and valid, the question shall be voted upon at
a special election to be held on the day of the next primary or
general election that occurs at least one hundred twenty days after
the date the petition is filed with the board of county
commissioners, regardless of whether any election will be held to
nominate or elect candidates on that day.

No
resolution designating a restricted area for which such a referendum
vote has been requested shall be put into effect unless a majority of
the vote cast on the issue is in favor of the resolution. Upon
certification by the board of elections that the resolution has been
approved by the voters, it shall take immediate effect.

Within
five working days after the resolution's effective date, the board of
county commissioners shall file the text of the resolution and maps
of the restricted area in the office of the county recorder and with
the county or regional planning commission, if one exists.

The
failure to file any resolution, or any text and maps, or duplicates
of any of these documents, with the office of the county recorder as
required by this section does not invalidate the resolution.

Sec.
307.94.
Electors
of a county, equal in number to ten per cent of the number who voted
for governor in the county at the most recent gubernatorial election,
may file, not later than one hundred fifteen days before the date of
a general election, a petition with the board of county commissioners
asking that the question of the adoption of a county charter in the
form attached to the petition be submitted to the electors of the
county. The petition shall be available for public inspection at the
offices of the county commissioners during regular business hours
until four p.m. of the one hundred eleventh day before the election,
at which time the board shall, by resolution, certify the petition to
the board of elections of the county for submission to the electors
of the county, unless the signatures are insufficient or the
petitions otherwise invalid, at the next general election.

Such
electors may, in the alternative not later than the one hundred
thirtieth day before the date of a general election, file such a
petition with the board of elections of the county. In such case the
board of elections shall immediately proceed to determine whether the
petition and the signatures on the petition meet the requirements of
law and to count the number of valid signatures and to note opposite
each invalid signature the reason for the invalidity. The board of
elections shall complete its examination of the petition and the
signatures and shall submit a report to the board of county
commissioners not later than the one hundred twentieth day before the
date of the general election certifying whether the petition is valid
or invalid and, if invalid, the reasons for invalidity, whether there
are sufficient valid signatures, and the number of valid and invalid
signatures. The petition and a copy of the report to the board of
county commissioners shall be available for public inspection at the
board of elections. If the petition is certified by the board of
elections to be valid and to have sufficient valid signatures, the
board of county commissioners shall forthwith and not later than four
p.m. on the one hundred eleventh day before the general election, by
resolution, certify the petition to the board of elections for
submission to the electors of the county at the next general
election. If the petition is certified by the board of elections to
be invalid or to have insufficient valid signatures, or both, the
petitioners' committee may protest such findings or solicit
additional signatures as provided in section 307.95 of the Revised
Code, or both, or request that the board of elections proceed to
establish the validity or invalidity of the petition and the
sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures in an action before
the court of common pleas in the county. Such action must be brought
within three days after the request has been made, and the case shall
be heard forthwith by a judge or such court whose decision shall be
certified to the board of elections and to the board of county
commissioners in sufficient time to permit the board of county
commissioners to perform its duty to certify the petition, if it is
determined by the court to be valid and contain sufficient valid
signatures, to the board of elections not later than four p.m. on the
one hundred eleventh day prior to the general election for submission
to the electors at such general election.

A
county charter to be submitted to the voters by petition shall be
considered to be attached to the petition if it is printed as a part
of the petition. A county charter petition may consist of any number
of separate petition papers. Each part shall have attached a copy of
the charter to be submitted to the electors, and each part shall
otherwise meet all the requirements of law for a county charter
petition. Section 3501.38 of the Revised Code applies to county
charter petitions.

The
petitioners shall designate in the petition the names
and
addresses
of
a committee of not fewer than three nor more than five persons who
will represent them in all matters relating to the petition. Notice
of all matters or proceedings pertaining to such petitions may be
served on the

committee, or any of them

committee's agent designated under division (N)(1) of section 3501.38
of the Revised Code
,
either personally or by certified mail, or by leaving it at the

agent's

usual
place of residence

of each of them
.

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 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 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
,
name, or other information required for registration
.

The
notice shall be sent by forwardable mail, shall be accompanied by a
postage prepaid, preaddressed return envelope containing a form on
which the elector may verify or correct the elector's registration,
and shall meet the requirements of the National Voter Registration
Act of 1993.

(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.

(EE)(1)
"Proof of citizenship" means evidence that an individual is
a United States citizen, in the form of one of the following:

(a)
The number of the individual's current or expired Ohio driver's
license or state identification card, if the secretary of state
verifies using information obtained from the bureau of motor vehicles
that the individual has submitted documentation to the bureau that
indicates that the individual is a United States citizen;

(b)
The individual's current or expired Ohio driver's license, state
identification card, or interim identification form issued on or
after April 7, 2023, or a copy of the front and back of that license,
card, or form, if the license, card, or form does not include a
notation designating that the individual is a noncitizen of the
United States;

(c)
The individual's current or expired driver's license or nondriver
identification card issued by another state within the United States,
or a copy of the front and back of the license or card, if the
issuing agency indicates on the license or card that the individual
is a United States citizen;

(d)
The individual's birth certificate, certification of report of birth,
or consular report of birth abroad, or a copy of one of those
documents;

(e)
The individual's current or expired United States passport or
passport card, a copy of the identification page of the passport, or
a copy of the front and back of the passport card;

(f)
The individual's certificate of naturalization or certificate of
citizenship or a copy of one of those documents.

(2)
If an individual's current legal name is different from the name on
the individual's proof of citizenship, the individual also shall
provide proof of the change of name, such as a copy of a marriage
license or court order.

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

(A)
Only electors qualified to vote on the candidacy or issue which is
the subject of the petition shall sign a petition. Each signer shall
be a registered elector pursuant to section 3503.01 of the Revised
Code. The facts of qualification shall be determined as of the date

when

the

elector
signs the
petition

is filed
.

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

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

(D)
Except as otherwise provided in section 3501.382 of the Revised Code,
no person shall write any name other than the person's own on any
petition. Except as otherwise provided in section 3501.382 of the
Revised Code, no person may authorize another to sign for the person.
If a petition contains the signature of an elector two or more times,
only the first signature shall be counted.

(E)(1)

(E)

On
each petition paper, the circulator shall
personally

indicate
the number of signatures contained on it, and shall sign a statement
made under penalty of election falsification that
the

includes
all of the following:

(1)
A statement 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
.
On the circulator's statement for a declaration of candidacy or
nominating petition for a person seeking to become a statewide
candidate, for a statewide initiative or a statewide referendum
petition, or for a party formation petition described in division
(A)(1)(b) of section 3517.01 of the Revised Code, the circulator
shall identify the
;

(2)
The
circulator's
name
,

and

the address of the circulator's permanent residence
,
and the name and address of the
;

(3)
If any
person

employing

is
compensating
the
circulator to circulate the petition,

if any.

(2)
As used in division (E) of this section, "statewide candidate"
means the joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant
governor or a candidate for the office of secretary of state, auditor
of state, treasurer of state, or attorney general.

as described in division (C) of section 3501.381 of the Revised Code,
the name and address of that person;

(4)
The following statement:

"For
the purposes of any proceeding related to this petition, I submit to
the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Ohio, the Ohio
Secretary of State, and the board of elections of the county in which
I have circulated this petition. I understand that I may be required
to testify or to produce evidence in such a proceeding. I agree to
receive any service of process at the residence address I have
provided."

(F)
Except as otherwise provided in section 3501.382 of the Revised Code,
if a circulator knowingly permits an unqualified person to sign a
petition paper or permits a person to write a name other than the
person's own on a petition paper, that petition paper is invalid;
otherwise, the signature of a person not qualified to sign shall be
rejected but shall not invalidate the other valid signatures on the
paper.

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

(H)
Any signer of a petition or an attorney in fact acting pursuant to
section 3501.382 of the Revised Code on behalf of a signer may remove
the signer's signature from that petition at any time before the
petition is filed in a public office by striking the signer's name
from the petition; no signature may be removed after the petition is
filed in any public office.

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

(2)(a)
No declaration of candidacy, nominating petition, or other petition
for the purpose of becoming a candidate may be withdrawn after it is
filed in a public office. Nothing in this division prohibits a person
from withdrawing as a candidate as otherwise provided by law.

(b)
No petition presented to or filed with the secretary of state, a
board of elections, or any other public office for the purpose of the
holding of an election on any question or issue may be resubmitted
after it is withdrawn from a public office or rejected as containing
insufficient signatures. Nothing in this division prevents a question
or issue petition from being withdrawn by the filing of a written
notice of the withdrawal by a majority of the members of the
petitioning committee with the same public office with which the
petition was filed prior to the sixtieth day before the election at
which the question or issue is scheduled to appear on the ballot.

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

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

(L)
If a board of elections distributes for use a petition form for a
declaration of candidacy, nominating petition, or any type of
question or issue petition that does not satisfy the requirements of
law as of the date of that distribution, the board shall not
invalidate the petition on the basis that the petition form does not
satisfy the requirements of law, if the petition otherwise is valid.
Division (L) of this section applies only if the candidate received
the petition from the board within ninety days of when the petition
is required to be filed.

(M)(1)
Upon receiving an initiative petition, or a petition filed under
section 307.94 or 307.95 of the Revised Code, concerning a ballot
issue that is to be submitted to the electors of a county or
municipal political subdivision, the board of elections shall examine
the petition to determine:

(a)
Whether the petition falls within the scope of a municipal political
subdivision's authority to enact via initiative, including, if
applicable, the limitations placed by Sections 3 and 7 of Article
XVIII of the Ohio Constitution on the authority of municipal
corporations to adopt local police, sanitary, and other similar
regulations as are not in conflict with general laws, and whether the
petition satisfies the statutory prerequisites to place the issue on
the ballot. The petition shall be invalid if any portion of the
petition is not within the initiative power; or

(b)
Whether the petition falls within the scope of a county's authority
to enact via initiative, including whether the petition conforms to
the requirements set forth in Section 3 of Article X of the Ohio
Constitution, including the exercise of only those powers that have
vested in, and the performance of all duties imposed upon counties
and county officers by law, and whether the petition satisfies the
statutory prerequisites to place the issue on the ballot. The finding
of the board shall be subject to challenge by a protest filed
pursuant to division (B) of section 307.95 of the Revised Code.

(2)
After making a determination under division (M)(1)(a) or (b) of this
section, the board of elections shall promptly transmit a copy of the
petition and a notice of the board's determination to the office of
the secretary of state. Notice of the board's determination shall be
given to the petitioners and the political subdivision.

(3)
If multiple substantially similar initiative petitions are submitted
to multiple boards of elections and the determinations of the boards
under division (M)(1)(a) or (b) of this section concerning those
petitions differ, the secretary of state shall make a single
determination under division (M)(1)(a) or (b) of this section that
shall apply to each such initiative petition.

(N)
With respect to any petition for which a committee is designated to
represent the petitioners, both of the following apply:

(1)
The committee shall designate an agent upon whom notice of all
matters or proceedings pertaining to the petition may be served. Each
part-petition shall include the names of the members of the committee
and the name and address of the committee's agent as they exist at
the time the part-petition is printed.

(2)
The committee shall designate in writing the names and addresses of
one or more members or agents of the committee who consent to testify
on behalf of the committee. The designation may set out the matters
on which each person designated may testify. Upon request, the
committee's agent described in division (N)(1) of this section shall
make the designation available to the secretary of state, a board of
elections, or a court of competent jurisdiction.

Sec.
3501.381.
(A)(1)
Any person who will receive compensation for supervising, managing,
or otherwise organizing any effort to obtain signatures for a

declaration
of candidacy, nominating petition, or declaration of intent to be a
write-in candidate for a person seeking to become a statewide
candidate, for a statewide initiative petition or a statewide
referendum petition, or for a party formation
petition
described in
division
(A)(1)(b) of
section

3517.01

3501.38

of
the Revised Code shall file a statement to that effect with the
office of the secretary of state before any signatures are obtained
for the petition or before the person is engaged to supervise,
manage, or otherwise organize the effort to obtain signatures for the
petition, whichever is later.

(2)
Any person who will compensate a person for supervising, managing, or
otherwise organizing any effort to obtain signatures for a

declaration
of candidacy, nominating petition, or declaration of intent to be a
write-in candidate for a person seeking to become a statewide
candidate, for a statewide initiative or a statewide referendum
petition, or for a party formation
petition
described in
division
(A)(1)(b) of
section

3517.01

3501.38

of
the Revised Code shall file a statement to that effect with the
office of the secretary of state before any signatures are obtained
for the petition or before the person engages a person to supervise,
manage, or otherwise organize the effort to obtain signatures for the
petition, whichever is later.

(B)

(3)

The
secretary of state shall prescribe the form and content of the
statements required under division (A) of this section.

(C)

(4)

Whoever
violates division
(A)

(A)(1)
or (2)
of
this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, and the
petition for which a person was compensated for supervising,
managing, or otherwise organizing the effort to obtain signatures
shall be deemed invalid.

(D)
As used in this section, "statewide candidate" means the
joint candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor
or a candidate for the office of secretary of state, auditor of
state, treasurer of state, or attorney general.

(B)
At all times while circulating a petition, a person who is
compensated for circulating the petition shall have, plainly visible
on the circulator's person, a badge that legibly identifies the
circulator as a paid circulator. The secretary of state shall
prescribe the form of the badge.

(C)
For purposes of this section, a person is compensated for taking an
action if any of the following apply:

(1)
The person has been paid, given, or promised, or has received, any
money or other thing of value as consideration for taking the action.

(2)
The person is authorized to take the action as part of the person's
regular duties as an employee or contractor of another person.

(3)
The person has been given or promised, or has received, an
appointment, promotion, or contract or an increase in pay as
consideration for taking the action.

(4)
The person has been given or promised, or has received, assistance to
obtain an appointment, promotion, or contract or an increase in pay
as consideration for taking the action.

Sec.
3501.39.
(A)
(A)(1)

The secretary of state or a board of elections shall accept any
petition described in section 3501.38 of the Revised Code unless one
of the following occurs:

(1)

(a)

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

(2)

(b)

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

(3)

(c)

In
the case of an initiative petition received by the board of
elections, the petition falls outside the scope of authority to enact
via initiative or does not satisfy the statutory prerequisites to
place the issue on the ballot, as described in division (M) of
section 3501.38 of the Revised Code. The petition shall be invalid if
any portion of the petition is not within the initiative power.

(4)

(d)

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

(2)
Whenever any person fails to fully comply with a subpoena or an order
to produce evidence served upon the person in a proceeding under
division (A)(1) of this section by the secretary of state acting
pursuant to section 3501.05, or by a board of elections acting
pursuant to division (J) of section 3501.11 or section 3519.18 of the
Revised Code, the secretary of state or the board of elections, as
applicable, may file in a court of competent jurisdiction, and serve
upon the person, a request for an order of the court that compels
compliance with the subpoena or order. If the court finds that the
noncompliance was in bad faith or for the purpose of delay, it may
order the person to pay to the secretary of state or the board of
elections, as applicable, the reasonable expenses incurred in
obtaining the order to comply, including attorney's fees, and may
invoke the sanctions provided by Rule 37 of the Rules of Civil
Procedure.

(B)

No
part-petition is properly verified if it appears on the face thereof,
or is made to appear by satisfactory evidence, that any of the
following are true:

(1)
That the number and statement required by division (E) of section
3501.38 of the Revised Code are not properly filled out by the
circulator;

(2)
That the statement required by division (E) of section 3501.38 of the
Revised Code is not properly signed, is altered by erasure,
interlineation, or otherwise, or is false in any respect;

(3)
That any one person has signed the part-petition more than once;

(4)
If applicable, that division (A)(1) or (2) of section 3501.381 of the
Revised Code was violated with respect to the petition;

(5)
If applicable, that the circulator did not comply with the
requirements of division (B) of section 3501.381 of the Revised Code
while circulating the part-petition.

(C)

Except
as otherwise provided in division
(C)

(D)

of
this section or section 3513.052 of the Revised Code, a board of
elections shall not invalidate any declaration of candidacy or
nominating petition under division
(A)(4)

(A)(1)(d)

of
this section after the sixtieth day prior to the election at which
the candidate seeks nomination to office, if the candidate filed a
declaration of candidacy, or election to office, if the candidate
filed a nominating petition.

(C)(1)

(D)(1)

If
a petition is filed for the nomination or election of a candidate in
a charter municipal corporation with a filing deadline that occurs
after the ninetieth day before the day of the election, a board of
elections may invalidate the petition within fifteen days after the
date of that filing deadline.

(2)
If a petition for the nomination or election of a candidate is
invalidated under division
(C)(1)

(D)(1)

of
this section, that person's name shall not appear on the ballots for
any office for which the person's petition has been invalidated. If
the ballots have already been prepared, the board of elections shall
remove the name of that person from the ballots to the extent
practicable in the time remaining before the election. If the name is
not removed from the ballots before the day of the election, the
votes for that person are void and shall not be counted.

Sec.
3503.13.
(A)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section,
voter registration forms submitted by applicants and the statewide
voter registration database established under section 3503.15 of the
Revised Code are public records subject to disclosure under section
149.43 of the Revised Code.

(2)
None of the following are subject to disclosure under division (A)(1)
of this section:

(a)
An elector's full or partial social security number, driver's license
or state identification card number, telephone number, or electronic
mail address;

(b)
A confidential voter registration record, as described in section
111.44 of the Revised Code;

(c)
The address of a designated public service worker, if the designated
public service worker has submitted a redaction request to the board
of elections under section 149.45 of the Revised Code;

(d)

An
elector's proof of citizenship;

(e)

Any
other information that is prohibited from being disclosed by state or
federal law.

(B)
A board of elections may use a legible digitized signature list of
voter signatures, copied from the signatures on the registration
forms in a form and manner prescribed by the secretary of state,
provided that the board includes the required voter registration
information in the statewide voter registration database established
under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code, and provided that the
precinct election officials have computer printouts at the polls
prepared in the manner required under section 3503.23 of the Revised
Code.

Sec.
3503.14.
(A)
The secretary of state shall prescribe the form and content of the
registration, change of residence, and change of name 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)
The voter's name;

(2)
The voter's
current
residence
address;

(3)
The current date;

(4)
The voter's date of birth;

(5)
The voter to provide
at
least one of the following forms of identification:

(a)
The
the

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

(b)
The
or,
if the voter does not have an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card, the voter to provide the
last
four digits of the voter's social security number.

(6)

A
space for the voter to provide the voter's former residence address
or addresses, if the voter is currently registered to vote at another
address.

(7)

The
voter's signature
,
accompanied by the following statement: "I declare under penalty
of election falsification I am a citizen of the United States, will
have lived in this state for 30 days immediately preceding the next
election, and will be at least 18 years of age at the time of the
general election. I understand that if I am registered to vote at any
other address, the election officials will be notified of my change
of address."

The
forms shall include the following statement:

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

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.

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.

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
the applicant's name or residence. 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.

(D)
No registration, change of residence, or change of name form shall be
rejected solely on the basis that a person registering an applicant
failed to sign the person's name or failed to name the employer who
is employing that person to register the applicant as required under
division (A) of this section.

(E)

(E)(1)
A voter registration application is not required to contain the
voter's former residence address to be considered valid.

(2)

A
voter registration application 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 Ohio driver's license or state identification card
number, if available;

(6)
The last four digits of the elector's social security number, if
available;

(7)
The elector's telephone number, if available;

(8)
The elector's electronic mail address, if available;

(9)(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) 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) 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) 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)
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)
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)

The
date, if any, on which the elector's United States citizenship was
verified under section 3503.152 or 3503.202 of the Revised Code;

(13)
If applicable, a notation that the elector is required to cast a
provisional ballot under section 3503.201 or 3503.202 of the Revised
Code and the reason the elector is required to do so;

(14)

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

(D)
Every
business

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

permanently
.

(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 use the information in the statewide voter
registration database and the databases of the bureau of motor
vehicles and the United States social security administration
regularly to prepare and transmit a report to each board of elections
that identifies each voter registration record in the county to which
any of the following apply and that has not been identified in a
previous report:

(a)
The record contains neither an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card number nor the last four digits of a social
security number.

(b)
The record contains an Ohio driver's license or state identification
card number, but one of the following applies:

(i)
The number does not exist in the records of the bureau of motor
vehicles.

(ii)
The number exists in the records of the bureau of motor vehicles but
is not associated with the first name, last name, and date of birth
that appear in the voter registration record.

(iii)
Except as otherwise provided in division (E)(2) of this section, the
number exists in the records of the bureau of motor vehicles and is
associated with the first name, last name, and date of birth that
appear in the voter registration record, but the residence address
that appears in the records of the bureau of motor vehicles is not
the same as the residence address that appears in the voter
registration record.

(c)
The record contains the last four digits of a social security number,
but one of the following applies:

(i)
Those digits do not exist in the records of the United States social
security administration.

(ii)
Those digits exist in the records of the United States social
security administration but are not associated with the first name,
last name, and date of birth that appear in the voter registration
record.

(2)
The report shall exclude any voter registration record described in
division (E)(1)(b)(iii) belonging to an elector to whom either of the
following applies:

(a)
The elector is a participant in the address confidentiality program
described in sections 111.41 to 111.99 of the Revised Code.

(b)
The elector is a designated public service worker, as described in
section 149.43 of the Revised Code, and one of the following applies:

(i)
The elector has submitted a redaction request to the secretary of
state or to the board of elections under section 149.45 of the
Revised Code.

(ii)
It is otherwise apparent from the elector's voter registration record
or from the records of the bureau of motor vehicles that the elector
is a designated public service worker.

(3)
If, after a voter registration record appears on a report created
under division (E) of this section because of the circumstances
described in division (E)(1)(b)(iii) of this section, and the
secretary of state learns in the preparation of a subsequent report
that the elector's residence address in the records of the bureau of
motor vehicles has been updated to match the elector's residence
address in the voter registration record, the subsequent report shall
include an instruction to the board to remove the indication from the
elector's registration record added under division (A)(1) of section
3503.202 of the Revised Code.

(4)
Promptly after receiving the report, the board of elections shall
proceed under section 3503.201 of the Revised Code.

(5)
Subject to division (A)(2) of section 3503.13 of the Revised Code,
the secretary of state shall make the information in each report
available to the public on the secretary of state's official web
site.

(F)(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. The name
or address 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.

(3)

A

Except
as otherwise provided in section 3503.201 of the Revised Code, a

board
of elections shall contact a registered elector pursuant to the rules
adopted under division
(E)(1)

(F)(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

At
least once each month, and every day during the period beginning on
the forty-sixth day before an election and ending on the day before
the day of the election, the
secretary
of state shall
conduct
an annual
review

of

the
statewide voter registration database to
identify
persons who appear not to be
verify
the
United
States

citizens

citizenship of persons whose citizenship has not been verified
,
as follows:

(A)
(A)(1)
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 has submitted
documentation to the bureau of motor vehicles that indicates that the
person is a United States citizen.

(2)

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
,
and who has not previously been included in a report issued under
this section
:

(1)

(a)

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

(2)

(b)

Registers
to vote, submits a voter registration change of residence or change
of name form, or votes in this state;

(3)

(c)

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.
(3)
Separately, 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 has
submitted documentation to the bureau of motor vehicles that
indicates that the person is not a United States citizen, has not
subsequently submitted documentation to the bureau that indicates
that the person has become a United States citizen, and has not
previously been included in a report issued under this section. The
secretary of state then shall consult the systematic alien
verification for entitlements (SAVE) program or its successor
program, operated by the United States department of homeland
security or its successor agency, to determine whether the program
indicates that the person is not a United States citizen.

(B)(1)
When the secretary of state verifies that a person is a United States
citizen under division (A)(1) of this section, the secretary of state
promptly shall send a report to the applicable board of elections,
instructing the board to proceed under division (D) of section
3503.201 or division (A)(1)(e) of section 3503.202 of the Revised
Code, as applicable.

(2)
When the secretary of state identifies a person who appears not to be
a United States citizen under division (A)(2) or (3) of this section,
the secretary of state promptly shall send a report to the applicable
board of elections, instructing the board to proceed under division
(A)(1)(e) of section 3503.202 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1)
If, after being sent a confirmation notice under division (A)(1)(e)
of section 3503.202 of the Revised Code, a person cancels the
person's voter registration or has the person's registration canceled
under division (D)(4) of that section, 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.

(2)
If, within fourteen days after a person is sent a second confirmation
notice under division (A)(1)(e) of section 3503.202 of the Revised
Code, the person does not provide valid proof of citizenship to the
board of elections under that section or cancel the person's voter
registration, the secretary of state shall do all of the following:

(a)
Cancel the person's voter registration and notify the board of
elections of that action;

(b)
Send the person a notice that the person's voter registration has
been canceled and the reason for the cancelation;

(c)
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.

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 voter registration date, as described in division
(C)(9) of section 3503.15 of the Revised Code;

(f)
The elector's voting history, as described in division (C)(10) of
section 3503.15 of the Revised Code;

(g)
The elector's last activity date, as described in division (C)(11) of
section 3503.15 of the Revised Code
;

(h)
If applicable, the fact that the elector is required to cast a
provisional ballot under section 3503.201 or 3503.202 of the Revised
Code, the reason for that fact, and the information the elector must
provide to the board of elections to become eligible to cast a
regular ballot
.

(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
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, 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 change of residence with the board of elections may vote in
that election by going to that registered elector's assigned polling
place, completing and signing a notice of change of residence,
showing 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
change of name with the board of elections may vote in that election
by going to that registered elector's assigned polling place,
completing and signing a notice of a change of name, and casting a
provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. 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 and cast a regular
ballot.

(2)
(B)

Any registered elector who moves
from
one precinct to another
within
a county
,
does not move but changes the elector's name,

or moves
from
one precinct to another
within
a county
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) 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
by
casting a provisional ballot using the address to which the elector
has moved or the name of the elector as changed, whichever is
appropriate, at the
polling
place for the precinct in which that registered elector resides
;

(ii)
The
,
at the
office
of the board of elections
or,
if pursuant to division (C) of
of
the county in which the elector resides during the time that absent
voter's ballots may be cast in person under
section

3501.10

3509.051

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, if the elector qualifies to do so, by casting a provisional
ballot with the assistance of two election officials of the county in
which the elector resides under section 3509.08 of the Revised Code
.

(b)
Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, the

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
;

(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) 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
by
casting a provisional ballot using the address to which the elector
has moved
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
of
the county in which the elector resides during the time that absent
voter's ballots may be cast in person under section 3509.061 of the
Revised Code,
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
,
or, if the elector qualifies to do so, by casting a provisional
ballot with the assistance of two election officials of the county in
which the elector resides under section 3509.08 of the Revised Code.
The
written
affirmation on the provisional ballot envelope
,
which

shall serve as a notice of change of residence
;

(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)
of this section shall not make written application for the ballots
pursuant to Chapter 3509. of the Revised Code. Ballots cast pursuant
to division (G) of this section shall be set aside in a special
envelope and counted during the official canvass of votes in the
manner provided for in sections 3505.32 and 3509.06 of the Revised
Code insofar as that manner is applicable. The board shall examine
the pollbooks to verify that no ballot was cast at the polls or by
absent voter's ballots under Chapter 3509. or 3511. of the Revised
Code by an elector who has voted by absent voter's ballots pursuant
to division (G) of this section. Any ballot determined to be
insufficient for any of the reasons stated above or stated in section
3509.07 of the Revised Code shall not be counted.

Subject
to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code, a board of
elections may lease or otherwise acquire a site different from the
office of the board at which registered electors may vote pursuant to
division (B) or (C) of this section.

(E)
Upon receiving a 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 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

Except
as otherwise provided in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, persons

qualified
to register or to change their registration because of a change of
address or change of name may register or
change

update

their
registration
in

by
doing any of the following:

(1)
Submitting a voter registration application or update form in
person
at any state or local office of a designated agency, at the office of
the registrar or any deputy registrar of motor vehicles, at a public
high school or vocational school, at a public library, at the office
of a county treasurer, or at a
branch
office established by the board of elections, or
probate
court or court of common pleas, provided that a person who receives
compensation for registering a voter shall return any registration
form entrusted to that person by an applicant to a board of elections
or to the office of the secretary of state;

(2)
Submitting a voter registration application or update form
in
person, through another person, or by mail at the office of the
secretary of state or at the office of a board of elections
.
A registered elector may also change the elector's registration
,
including a branch office;

(3)
Submitting a voter registration application or update form through
the online voter registration system under section 3503.20 of the
Revised Code;

(4)
Submitting a voter registration application or 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
.

The
election officials shall return all completed forms, together with
the pollbooks and tally sheets, to the board of elections.

(5)
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 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.

(B)(1)

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

(2)
If the office of the secretary of state receives a registration or
update form before the thirtieth day before an election, the office
shall forward the form to the board of elections of the county in
which the applicant resides within ten days after receiving the
application. If the office of the secretary of state receives a
registration or update form on or after the thirtieth day before an
election, the office shall forward the registration to the board of
elections of the county in which the applicant resides within thirty
days after that election.

(3)
If a board of elections receives a registration or update form from
an applicant who resides in another county before the thirtieth day
before an election, the board shall forward the form to the board of
elections of the county in which the applicant resides within ten
days after receiving the application. If a board of elections
receives a registration or update form from an applicant who resides
in another county on or after the thirtieth day before an election,
the board shall forward the registration to the board of elections of
the county in which the applicant resides within thirty days after
that election.

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

(1)

An
otherwise valid voter registration application that is returned to
the appropriate office other than by mail must be received by a state
or local office of a designated agency, the office of the registrar
or any deputy registrar of motor vehicles, a public high school or
vocational school, a public library, the office of a county
treasurer,
a
probate court or court of common pleas,
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.

(2)

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)

(D)

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 U.S.C. 1973ff-6 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
and is satisfied as to the truth of the statements made in the
registration form shall register the applicant not later than twenty
business days after receiving the application, unless that
application is received during the thirty days immediately preceding
the day of an election. The board shall promptly notify the applicant
in writing of each of the following:

(a)
The applicant's registration;

(b)
The precinct in which the applicant is to vote;

(c)
In bold type as follows:

"Voters
must bring 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.

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

(1)
An option for the voter to provide the voter's former residence
address or addresses, if the voter is currently registered to vote at
another address;

(2)
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)

(a)

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)

(b)

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

(3)

(c)

I
am a United States citizen.

(4)

(d)

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

(5)

(e)

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

(6)

(f)

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.

(g)
I understand that if I am registered to vote at any other address,
the election officials will be notified of my change of address.

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

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.
3503.201.
(A)(1)
When the board of elections receives a voter registration application
or a notice of change of address or change of name, if the form is
complete and the board is satisfied as to the truth of the statements
made in the form, the board shall register the applicant or update
the applicant's registration.

(2)
If the form is incomplete, the board promptly shall send the
applicant a notice that specifies the information necessary to
complete or update the applicant's registration.

(3)
If the board determines that the applicant appears not to be eligible
to vote, the board shall reject the form and refer the matter to the
prosecuting attorney of the county for investigation.

(B)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this
section, upon registering an elector or updating an elector's
registration, the board shall mark the elector's registration record,
the official registration list, and the poll list or signature
pollbook to indicate that the elector must vote by provisional ballot
because the applicant's citizenship has not been verified.

(2)
Division (B)(1) of this section does not apply to an elector if the
statewide voter registration database indicates that the elector's
citizenship has been verified.

(3)
Division (B)(1) of this section does not prohibit a uniformed
services or overseas absent voter from voting in a general election
for federal office using a federal write-in absentee ballot as
permitted under division (C) of section 3511.14 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1)
The board shall register an applicant or update the applicant's
registration under division (A)(1) of this section 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, and promptly shall send the applicant an
acknowledgment notice.

(2)
The acknowledgment notice shall include all of the following
information:

(a)
The fact that the elector has been registered to vote or has had the
elector's registration updated, as applicable;

(b)
The precinct in which the elector is to vote;

(c)
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."

(d)
Whether the elector's United States citizenship has been verified;

(e)
If the elector's United States citizenship has not been verified, the
fact that the elector will be required to provide proof of
citizenship to the board in order to cast a regular ballot and the
manner in which the elector may do so under section 3503.202 of the
Revised Code.

(3)
The board shall send the acknowledgment notice by nonforwardable
mail. If the acknowledgment notice is returned to the board as
undeliverable, it shall investigate and cause the acknowledgment
notice to be delivered to the correct address.

(4)
If, after investigating as required under division (C)(3) of this
section, the board is unable to verify the elector's correct address,
it shall proceed under section 3503.202 of the Revised Code.

(D)
Upon receiving a report from the secretary of state under section
3503.152 of the Revised Code, indicating that the secretary of state
has verified that the applicant is a United States citizen, the board
shall do all of the following:

(1)
Indicate in the elector's registration record that the elector's
United States citizenship has been verified;

(2)
Remove the indication that the elector must vote by provisional
ballot. If the board receives the report during the period beginning
on the forty-sixth day before an election and ending on the day
before the day of the election, the board shall remove the indication
as soon as possible after receiving the report.

(3)
Notify the elector, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state,
that the elector's United States citizenship has been verified. The
notice required under this division may be included in the
acknowledgment notice described under division (C) of this section if
the board has not yet sent the elector an acknowledgment notice.

Sec.
3503.202.
(A)(1)
When any of the following occur, the board of elections shall send
the elector a confirmation notice and, if the board's records are not
already so marked, shall mark the elector's registration record, the
official registration list, and the poll list or signature pollbook
to indicate that the elector must vote by provisional ballot and the
reason the elector must do so:

(a)
The board determines that it is unable to verify an elector's
residence address, as described in division (C)(4) of section
3503.201 of the Revised Code.

(b)
The board receives a report from the secretary of state under
division (E) of section 3503.151 of the Revised Code indicating that
the board must verify the elector's residence address, unless it is
apparent to the board that the elector is a participant in the
address confidentiality program described in sections 111.41 to
111.99 of the Revised Code or is a designated public service worker
as described in section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

Upon
receiving notice in a subsequent report under this division that an
elector's residence address in the records of the bureau of motor
vehicles has been updated to match the elector's residence address in
the voter registration record, the board shall remove the indication
that the elector must vote by provisional ballot under this division
and shall notify the elector, on a form prescribed by the secretary
of state, that the elector's residence address has been verified.

(c)
The board receives a report from the secretary of state under
division (E) of section 3503.151 of the Revised Code indicating that
the board must verify the elector's Ohio driver's license or state
identification card number.

(d)
The board receives a report from the secretary of state under
division (E) of section 3503.151 of the Revised Code indicating that
the board must verify the last four digits of the elector's social
security number.

(e)
The board receives a report from the secretary of state under section
3503.152 of the Revised Code indicating that the board must verify
the elector's United States citizenship. If, within fourteen days
after the confirmation notice is sent, the elector does not provide
valid proof of citizenship to the board under division (B) or (D) of
this section or cancel the elector's registration, the board shall
send the elector a second confirmation notice. Upon receiving notice
in a subsequent report under section 3503.152 of the Revised Code
that the secretary of state has verified that the elector is a United
States citizen, the board shall do all of the following:

(i)
Indicate in the elector's registration record that the elector's
United States citizenship has been verified;

(ii)
Remove the indication that the elector must vote by provisional
ballot under division (A)(1)(e) of this section;

(iii)
Notify the elector, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state,
that the elector's United States citizenship has been verified.

(2)
A confirmation notice sent to an elector under division (A)(1) of
this section shall include all of the following:

(a)
The information the board must verify;

(b)
The manner in which the elector may provide the required information
to the board before the elector next appears to vote, as described in
division (B) of this section, or when casting a provisional ballot,
as described in division (D) of this section;

(c)
The date by which the elector must provide the required information
to the board in order to avoid having the elector's registration
canceled under division (C)(2) of section 3503.152 or division (A)(7)
of section 3503.21 of the Revised Code, as applicable.

(B)
An elector whose registration record has been marked under division
(A) of this section or division (B)(1) of section 3503.201 of the
Revised Code to indicate that the elector must cast a provisional
ballot is not required to cast a provisional ballot if, before the
elector next appears to vote, the elector does the following, as
applicable:

(1)
Provides a valid residence address to the board, if the board must
verify the elector's residence address;

(2)
Provides one of the following to the board, if the board must verify
the elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card
number:

(a)
An Ohio driver's license or state identification card number that
exists in the records of the bureau of motor vehicles and is
associated with the elector's first name, last name, and date of
birth, as confirmed by the secretary of state;

(b)
A correction to the elector's first name, last name, or date of birth
in the elector's registration record such that the number in the
elector's registration record meets the requirements of division
(B)(2)(a) of this section, as confirmed by the secretary of state.

(3)
Provides one of the following to the board, if the board must verify
the last four digits of the elector's social security number:

(a)
The last four digits of a social security number that exists in the
records of the United States social security administration and is
associated with the elector's first name, last name, and date of
birth, as confirmed by the secretary of state;

(b)
A correction to the elector's first name, last name, or date of birth
in the elector's registration record such that the last four digits
of the elector's social security number in the elector's registration
record meets the requirements of division (B)(3)(a) of this section,
as confirmed by the secretary of state.

(4)
Provides proof of citizenship to the board, if the board must verify
the elector's United States citizenship. The board shall transmit an
electronic copy of the elector's proof of citizenship to the
secretary of state in a secure manner prescribed by the secretary of
state, and the secretary of state shall confirm whether the elector's
proof of citizenship is valid.

(C)
When the board has verified all of the information the board is
required to verify concerning an elector under division (B) of this
section, the board shall correct or update the elector's
registration, as applicable, and shall remove the indication that the
elector must vote by provisional ballot.

(D)(1)(a)
Except as otherwise provided in divisions (B) and (D)(1)(b) of this
section, at the first election at which an elector whose registration
record is marked to indicate that the elector must vote by
provisional ballot under this section or section 3503.201 of the
Revised Code appears to vote, the elector shall vote by provisional
ballot.

(b)
Division (D)(1)(a) of this section does not prohibit a uniformed
services or overseas absent voter who is required to cast a
provisional ballot under division (B)(1) of section 3503.201 of the
Revised Code, but for no other reason, from voting in a general
election for federal office using a federal write-in absentee ballot
as permitted under division (C) of section 3511.14 of the Revised
Code.

(2)
In order for the elector's provisional ballot to be eligible to be
counted, in addition to meeting all other requirements described in
division (B)(3) of section 3505.183 of the Revised Code, the elector
shall provide the applicable required information as described in
division (B) of this section on or attached to the provisional ballot
affirmation, or shall appear in person at the office of the board
within four days after the day of the election and provide that
information.

(3)
If the elector's provisional ballot is counted pursuant to division
(B)(3) of section 3505.183 of the Revised Code and division (D)(2) of
this section, the board shall correct or update the elector's
registration, as applicable, and shall remove the indication that the
elector must vote by provisional ballot.

(4)
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 or
division (D)(2) of this section, the board shall cancel the elector's
registration and shall notify the elector by United States mail of
the cancellation. The notice shall inform the elector that the
elector may again register to vote if the elector is eligible to do
so.

Sec.
3503.21.
(A)
The registration of a registered elector shall be canceled upon the
occurrence of any of the following:

(1)
The filing by a registered elector of a written request with a board
of elections or the secretary of state, on a form prescribed by the
secretary of state and signed by the elector, that the registration
be canceled. The filing of such a request does not prohibit an
otherwise qualified elector from reregistering to vote at any time.

(2)
The filing of a notice of the death of a registered elector as
provided in section 3503.18 of the Revised Code;

(3)
The filing with the board of elections of a certified copy of the
death certificate of a registered elector by the deceased elector's
spouse, parent, or child, by the administrator of the deceased
elector's estate, or by the executor of the deceased elector's will;

(4)
The conviction of the registered elector of a felony under the laws
of this state, any other state, or the United States as provided in
section 2961.01 of the Revised Code;

(5)
The adjudication of incompetency of the registered elector for the
purpose of voting as provided in section 5122.301 of the Revised
Code;

(6)
The change of residence of the registered elector to a location
outside the county of registration in accordance with division (B) of
this section

or as described in section 3503.33 of the Revised Code
;

(7)
The failure of the registered elector, after having been mailed a
confirmation notice, to do either of the following:

(a)
Respond to such a notice and vote at least once during a period of
four consecutive years, which period shall include two general
federal elections;

(b)
Update the elector's registration and vote at least once during a
period of four consecutive years, which period shall include two
general federal elections.

(8)
The receipt by the board of elections of a cancellation notice or
request pursuant to section 111.44 of the Revised Code
;

(9)
The circumstances described in division (C)(2) of section 3503.152 of
the Revised Code;

(10)
The circumstances described in division (D)(4) of section 3503.202 of
the Revised Code
.

(B)(1)
The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to
transfer
a registrant's voter registration information when the registrant
moves from one county to another within this state and updates the
registrant's voter registration, as described in section 3503.33 of
the Revised Code, and to
identify
and cancel the registration in a prior county of residence of any
registrant who changes the registrant's voting residence to a
location outside the registrant's current county of registration

without updating the registrant's voter registration
.
Any procedures prescribed in this division shall be uniform and
nondiscriminatory, and shall comply with the Voting Rights Act of
1965. The secretary of state may prescribe procedures under this
division that include the use of the national change of address
service provided by the United States postal system through its
licensees. Any program so prescribed shall be completed not later
than ninety days prior to the date of any primary or general election
for federal office.

(2)
The registration of any elector identified as having changed the
elector's voting residence to a location outside the elector's
current county of registration
without
updating the elector's registration
shall
not be canceled unless the registrant is sent a confirmation notice
on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and the registrant
fails to respond to the confirmation notice or otherwise update the
registration and fails to vote in any election during the period of
two federal elections subsequent to the mailing of the confirmation
notice.

(C)
The registration of a registered elector shall not be canceled except
as provided in this section, section 111.44
or
3503.33
of
the Revised Code
,

or

division (Q) of section 3501.05

of the Revised Code
,

division
(C)(2) of section 3503.152,
division

(C)(2)

(D)(4)

of
section

3503.19 of the Revised Code

3503.202
,
or division (C) of section 3503.24 of the Revised Code.

(D)
Boards of elections shall send their voter registration information
to the secretary of state as required under section 3503.15 of the
Revised Code. The secretary of state may prescribe by rule adopted
pursuant to section 111.15 of the Revised Code the format in which
the boards of elections must send that information to the secretary
of state. In the first quarter of each year, the secretary of state
shall send the information to the national change of address service
described in division (B) of this section and request that service to
provide the secretary of state with a list of any voters sent by the
secretary of state who have moved within the last twelve months. The
secretary of state shall transmit to each appropriate board of
elections whatever lists the secretary of state receives from that
service. The board shall send a notice to each person on the list
transmitted by the secretary of state requesting confirmation of the
person's change of address, together with a postage prepaid,
preaddressed return envelope containing a form on which the voter may
verify or correct the change of address information.

(E)
The registration of a registered elector described in division (A)(7)
or (B)(2) of this section shall be canceled not later than one
hundred twenty days after the date of the second general federal
election in which the elector fails to vote or not later than one
hundred twenty days after the expiration of the four-year period in
which the elector fails to vote or respond to a confirmation notice,
whichever is later.

(F)(1)
When a registration is canceled pursuant to division (A)(2) or (3) of
this section, the applicable board of elections shall send a written
notice, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, to the
address at which the elector was registered, informing the recipient
that the elector's registration has been canceled, of the reason for
the cancellation, and that if the cancellation was made in error, the
elector may contact the board of elections to correct the error.

(2)
If the elector's registration is canceled pursuant to division (A)(2)
or (3) of this section in error, it shall be restored and treated as
though it were never canceled.

Sec.
3503.33.
If
an elector applying for registration is already registered in another
state or in another county within this state, the elector shall

declare
this fact to the registration officer and shall
sign
an authorization to cancel
or
transfer
the

elector's

previous
registration on a form prescribed by the secretary of state
.
If the elector does not sign such an authorization, the elector's
registration application authorizes the transfer of the elector's
previous registration from one county to another within this state or
the cancellation of the elector's registration in the elector's
previous state of residence, as applicable
.

The

In
the case of an elector who moves from one county to another within
this state, the
director
of the board of elections shall
mail
all such authorizations
transmit
a copy of the elector's new registration form and any accompanying
authorization form
to
the board of elections
or
comparable agency
of
the
proper
state and
county

of the elector's former registration
.
Upon the receipt of
this
authorization
the
registration form and any accompanying authorization form
from
the forwarding county, the director of
a

the

board
of elections

in Ohio
,
upon a comparison of the elector's signature with the elector's
signature as it appears on the registration files, shall remove the
elector's
former

registration
from the files,
transfer
the information in it to the board of elections of the elector's new
county,
and
place it with the
cancellation
authorization
new
registration form and any accompanying authorization form
in
a separate file which shall be kept for a period of two calendar
years.
The
board shall notify the elector at the present address as shown on the
cancellation authorization that his registration has been canceled.

In
the case of an elector who moves into this state, the director of the
board of elections shall transmit a copy of the elector's new
registration form and any accompanying authorization form to the
chief election official of the state of the elector's former
registration.

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

3503.201
or 3503.202
of
the Revised Code
,
except as otherwise provided in division (C) of section 3511.14 of
the Revised Code
;

(5)
An individual who has been successfully challenged under section
3505.20 or 3513.20 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
within
a county
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
as
described in
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.
3505.182.
Each
individual who casts a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of
the Revised Code shall execute a written affirmation. The form of the
written affirmation shall be printed upon the face of the provisional
ballot envelope and shall be as follows:

"Provisional
Ballot Affirmation

(A)
Clearly print your full name: ___________________

(B)
Write your date of birth: _______________________

(C)(1)
Write your current address: __________________

_____________________________________________________

(2)
Have you moved without updating your voter registration?:

Yes
______ No ______

If
yes, write your former address: __________________

_____________________________________________________

Failure
to provide your former address will not cause your provisional ballot
to be rejected.

(D)(1)
You must show photo identification to the election official that
includes your name and photograph and is not expired. Check the type
of photo identification you provided:

______
An Ohio driver's license or state identification card or an interim
identification form issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. If you
showed your Ohio driver's license or state identification card or an
interim identification form, write your full driver's license or
state identification card number: ________________________

______
A United States passport or passport card;

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

(2)
If you do not have photo identification because you have a religious
objection to being photographed, complete an affidavit of religious
objection. The precinct election official will attach it to the
provisional ballot envelope.

(3)
If you did not show photo identification to the election official or
complete an affidavit of religious objection, you must appear at the
office of the board of elections during the four days after the
election and provide photo identification or complete an affidavit of
religious objection for your vote to be eligible to be counted.

(4)

If

Complete
this section if
you
need to update your voter registration
,
you may provide additional information below. This information will
not be used for ballot counting purposes

or if you need to verify the identification you used to register to
vote
.

If you need to verify your identification and you do not provide the
needed information on this form, you must provide the information to
the board of elections on or before the fourth day following this
election in order for your ballot to be eligible to be counted.

Write
your full Ohio driver's license or state identification card number:
________________________

Write
the last four digits of your Social Security number: _______________

(5)
If you are casting a provisional ballot because you need to provide
proof of citizenship, either write your full Ohio driver's license or
state identification card number above or attach proof of citizenship
to the outside of this envelope. If you do not provide proof of
citizenship at this time, you must provide proof of citizenship to
the board of elections on or before the fourth day following this
election in order for your ballot to be eligible to be counted.

"Proof
of citizenship" means evidence that you are a United States
citizen, in the form of one of the following:

(a)
The number of your current or expired Ohio driver's license or state
identification card or a copy of the front and back of your current
or expired Ohio driver's license, state identification card, or
interim identification form, if you have submitted documentation to
the bureau of motor vehicles indicating that you are a United States
citizen;

(b)
A copy of the front and back of a current or expired driver's license
or nondriver identification card issued by another state within the
United States, if the issuing agency indicates on the license or card
that you are a United States citizen;

(c)
A copy of a birth certificate, certification of report of birth, or
consular report of birth abroad;

(d)
A copy of the identification page of a current or expired United
States passport;

(e)
A copy of the front and back of a United States passport card;

(f)
A copy of a certificate of naturalization or certificate of
citizenship.

If
the name on your proof of citizenship is different from your current
legal name, you must also provide proof of your change of name, such
as a copy of a marriage license or court order.

(E)
If your right to vote has been challenged, you must provide any
required additional information to the board of elections on or
before the
seventh

fourth

day
following this election.

(F)
Sign and date the following statement:

I
solemnly swear or affirm that I am a citizen of the United States;
that I will be at least 18 years of age at the time of the general
election; that I have lived in this state for 30 days immediately
preceding this election in which I am voting this ballot; that I am a
registered voter in the precinct in which I am voting this
provisional ballot;
and

that
I am eligible to vote in the election in which I am voting this
provisional ballot
;
and that I will not vote or attempt to vote at any other location or
in any other manner for this particular election
.

I
understand that, if the information I provide on this provisional
ballot affirmation is not fully completed and correct, if the board
of elections determines that I am not registered to vote, a resident
of this precinct, or eligible to vote in this election, or if the
board of elections determines that I have already voted in this
election, my provisional ballot will not be counted. I understand
that, if I am not currently registered to vote or if I am not
registered at my current address or under my current name, this form
will serve as an application to register to vote or update my
registration for future elections, as long as I provide all of the
information required to register to vote or update my registration. I
further understand that knowingly providing false information is a
violation of law and subjects me to possible criminal prosecution.

I
hereby declare, under penalty of election falsification, that the
above statements are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and
belief.

________________________

Signature
of Voter

________________________

Date

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

In
addition to any information required to be included on the written
affirmation, an individual casting a provisional ballot may provide
additional information to the election official to assist the board
of elections in determining the individual's eligibility to vote in
that election, including the date and location at which the
individual registered to vote, if known.

If
the individual provided all of the information required under section
3503.14 of the Revised Code to register to vote or to update the
individual's registration on the provisional ballot affirmation, the
board of elections shall consider the individual's provisional ballot
affirmation to also serve as a notice of change of name, change of
residence, or both, or as a voter registration form, as applicable,
for that individual only for the purposes of future elections.

Sec.
3505.183.
(A)
When the ballot boxes are delivered to the board of elections from
the precincts, the board shall separate the provisional ballot
envelopes from the rest of the ballots. Teams of employees of the
board consisting of one member of each major political party shall
place the sealed provisional ballot envelopes in a secure location
within the office of the board. The sealed provisional ballot
envelopes shall remain in that secure location until the validity of
those ballots is determined under division (B) of this section. While
the provisional ballot is stored in that secure location, and prior
to the counting of the provisional ballots, if the board receives
information regarding the validity of a specific provisional ballot
under division (B) of this section, the board may note, on the sealed
provisional ballot envelope for that ballot, whether the ballot is
valid and entitled to be counted.

(B)(1)
To determine whether a provisional ballot is valid and entitled to be
counted, the board shall examine its records and determine whether
the individual who cast the provisional ballot is registered and
eligible to vote in the applicable election. The board shall examine
the information contained in the written affirmation executed by the
individual who cast the provisional ballot under division (B)(2) of
section 3505.181 of the Revised Code

or under section 3511.052 of the Revised Code, as applicable
.
The following information shall be included in the written
affirmation in order for the provisional ballot to be eligible to be
counted:

(a)
The individual's printed name, signature, date of birth, and current
address;

(b)
A statement that the individual is a registered voter in the precinct
in which the provisional ballot is being voted;

(c)
A statement that the individual is eligible to vote in the election
in which the provisional ballot is being voted.

(2)
In addition to the information required to be included in an
affirmation under division (B)(1) of this section, in determining
whether a provisional ballot is valid and entitled to be counted, the
board also shall examine any additional information for determining
ballot validity provided by the provisional voter on the affirmation,
provided by the provisional voter to an election official under
section 3505.182

or 3511.052

of the Revised Code, or provided to the board of elections during the
four days after the day of the election under
division
(B)(7) or (8) of
section
3505.181
or
3511.052
of
the Revised Code, to assist the board in determining the individual's
eligibility to vote.

(3)
If, in examining a provisional ballot affirmation and additional
information under divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section and
comparing the information required under division (B)(1) of this
section with the individual's information in the statewide voter
registration database, the board determines that all of the following
apply, the provisional ballot envelope shall be opened, and the
ballot shall be placed in a ballot box to be counted:

(a)
The individual named on the affirmation is properly registered to
vote.

(b)
The individual named on the affirmation is eligible to cast a ballot
in the precinct and for the election in which the individual cast the
provisional ballot.

(c)
The individual provided all of the information required under
division (B)(1) of this section in the affirmation that the
individual executed at the time the individual cast the provisional
ballot.

(d)
One of the following applies:

(i)
The individual
provided

showed

photo
identification
to
the election officials
at
the time of casting the provisional ballot or appeared at the office
of the board within four days after the day of the election and
provided photo identification

or, in the case of a provisional uniformed services or overseas
absent voter's ballot cast under section 3511.052 of the Revised
Code, the individual provided a copy of the individual's photo
identification with the provisional ballot or provided that copy to
the board of elections within four days after the day of the
election
.
If the individual
provided

showed

the
individual's Ohio driver's license or state identification card or an
interim identification form

to the election officials
,
the individual provided the individual's driver's license number or
state identification card number and the number is not different from
the individual's driver's license number or state identification card
number contained in the statewide voter registration database.

(ii)
The individual completed an affidavit of religious objection under
section 3505.19 of the Revised Code at the time of casting the
provisional ballot or at the office of the board within four days
after the day of the election and the affidavit is valid under that
section.

(e)
Except as otherwise provided in this division, the month and day of
the individual's date of birth are not different from the day and
month of the individual's date of birth contained in the statewide
voter registration database.

This
division does not apply to an individual's provisional ballot if
either of the following is true:

(i)
The individual's date of birth contained in the statewide voter
registration database is January 1, 1800.

(ii)
The board of elections has found, by a vote of at least three of its
members, that the individual has met all other requirements of
division (B)(3) of this section.

(f)
The individual's current address is not different from the
individual's address contained in the statewide voter registration
database, unless the individual indicated that the individual is
casting a provisional ballot because the individual has moved and has
not submitted a notice of change of address, as described in division
(A)(6) of section 3505.181 of the Revised Code.

(g)
If applicable, the individual provided any additional information
required under division (B)(8) of section 3505.181 of the Revised
Code within four days after the day of the election.

(h)
If applicable, the individual provided the information required under
division (D)(2) of section 3503.202 of the Revised Code on the
provisional ballot affirmation or within four days after the day of
the election.

(4)(a)
Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, if, in
examining a provisional ballot affirmation and additional information
under divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section and comparing the
information required under division (B)(1) of this section with the
individual's information in the statewide voter registration
database, the board determines that any of the following applies, the
provisional ballot envelope shall not be opened, and the ballot shall
not be counted:

(i)
The individual named on the affirmation is not qualified or is not
properly registered to vote.

(ii)
The individual named on the affirmation is not eligible to cast a
ballot in the precinct or for the election in which the individual
cast the provisional ballot.

(iii)
The individual did not provide all of the information required under
division (B)(1) of this section in the affirmation that the
individual executed at the time the individual cast the provisional
ballot.

(iv)
The individual has already cast a ballot for the election in which
the individual cast the provisional ballot.

(v)
If applicable, the individual did not provide any additional
information required under division (B)(8) of section 3505.181 of the
Revised Code within four days after the day of the election.

(vi)
The individual failed to
provide

show

photo
identification,
failed

to
provide the individual's driver's license or state identification
card number if the individual
provided

showed

photo
identification in the form of an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card or an interim identification form,
failed
to provide a copy of the individual's photo identification with the
individual's provisional uniformed services or overseas absent
voter's ballot or to provide that copy to the board of elections
within four days after the day of the election,
or

failed

to complete an affidavit of religious objection.

(vii)
The individual failed to execute an affirmation under division (B) of
section 3505.181 of the Revised Code.

(viii)
The individual
provided

showed

photo
identification in the form of an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card or an interim identification form and the
driver's license number or state identification card number the
individual provided is different from the individual's driver's
license number or state identification card number contained in the
statewide voter registration database.

(ix)
The individual completed an affidavit of religious objection under
section 3505.19 of the Revised Code, but the affidavit is not valid
under that section.

(x)
Except as otherwise provided in this division, the month and day of
the individual's date of birth are different from the day and month
of the individual's date of birth contained in the statewide voter
registration database.

This
division does not apply to an individual's provisional ballot if
either of the following is true:

(I)
The individual's date of birth contained in the statewide voter
registration database is January 1, 1800.

(II)
The board of elections has found, by a vote of at least three of its
members, that the individual has met all of the requirements of
division (B)(3) of this section, other than the requirements of
division (B)(3)(e) of this section.

(xi)
The individual's current address is different from the individual's
address contained in the statewide voter registration database,
unless the individual indicated that the individual is casting a
provisional ballot because the individual has moved and has not
submitted a notice of change of address, as described in division
(A)(6) of section 3505.181 of the Revised Code.

(xii)
If applicable, the individual did not provide the information
required under division (D)(2) of section 3503.202 of the Revised
Code on the provisional ballot affirmation or within four days after
the day of the election.

(b)
If, in examining a provisional ballot affirmation and additional
information under divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section and
comparing the information required under division (B)(1) of this
section with the individual's information in the statewide voter
registration database, the board is unable to determine either of the
following, the provisional ballot envelope shall not be opened, and
the ballot shall not be counted:

(i)
Whether the individual named on the affirmation is qualified or
properly registered to vote;

(ii)
Whether the individual named on the affirmation is eligible to cast a
ballot in the precinct or for the election in which the individual
cast the provisional ballot.

(C)
For each provisional ballot rejected under division (B)(4) of this
section, the board shall record the name of the provisional voter who
cast the ballot, the identification number of the provisional ballot
envelope, the names of the election officials who determined the
validity of that ballot, the date and time that the determination was
made, and the reason that the ballot was not counted, unless the
board has already recorded that information in another database.

(D)(1)
If an individual cast a provisional ballot in a precinct in which the
individual is not registered and eligible to vote, but in the correct
polling location for the precinct in which the individual is
registered and eligible to vote, and the election official failed to
direct the individual to the correct precinct, the individual's
ballot shall be remade under division (D)(2) of this section. The
election official shall be deemed to have directed the individual to
the correct precinct if the election official correctly completed the
form described in division (C)(2) of section 3505.181 of the Revised
Code.

(2)
A board of elections that remakes a provisional ballot under division
(D)(1) of this section shall remake the provisional ballot on a
ballot for the appropriate precinct to reflect the offices,
questions, and issues for which the individual was eligible to cast a
ballot and for which the individual attempted to cast a provisional
ballot. The remade ballot shall be counted for each office, question,
and issue for which the individual was eligible to vote.

(3)
If an individual cast a provisional ballot in a precinct in which the
individual is not registered and eligible to vote and in the
incorrect polling location for the precinct in which the individual
is registered and eligible to vote, the provisional ballot envelope
shall not be opened, and the ballot shall not be counted.

(E)
Provisional ballots that are rejected under division (B)(4) of this
section shall not be counted but shall be preserved in their
provisional ballot envelopes unopened until the time provided by
section 3505.31 of the Revised Code for the destruction of all other
ballots used at the election for which ballots were provided, at
which time they shall be destroyed.

(F)
Provisional ballots that the board determines are eligible to be
counted under division (B)(3) or (D) of this section shall be counted
in the same manner as provided for other ballots under section
3505.27 of the Revised Code. No provisional ballots shall be counted
in a particular county until the board determines the eligibility to
be counted of all provisional ballots cast in that county under
division (B) of this section for that election. Observers, as
provided in section 3505.21 of the Revised Code, may be present at
all times that the board is determining the eligibility of
provisional ballots to be counted and counting those provisional
ballots determined to be eligible. No person shall recklessly
disclose the count or any portion of the count of provisional ballots
in such a manner as to jeopardize the secrecy of any individual
ballot.

(G)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (G)(2) of this section,
nothing in this section shall prevent a board of elections from
examining provisional ballot affirmations and additional information
under divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section to determine the
eligibility of provisional ballots to be counted during the seven
days after the day of an election.

(2)
A board of elections shall not examine the provisional ballot
affirmation and additional information under divisions (B)(1) and (2)
of this section of any provisional ballot cast by an individual who
must provide photo identification, complete an affidavit of religious
objection, or provide additional information to the board of
elections under
division
(B)(7) or (8) of
section
3505.181
or
3511.052
of
the Revised Code for the board to determine the individual's
eligibility until the individual does so or until the eighth day
after the day of the election, whichever is earlier.

Sec.
3505.20.
Any
person offering to vote may be challenged at the polling place by any
precinct election official. If the board of elections has ruled on
the question presented by a challenge prior to election day, its
finding and decision shall be final, and the voting location manager
shall be notified in writing. If the board has not ruled, the
question shall be determined as set forth in this section. If any
person is so challenged as unqualified to vote, the voting location
manager shall tender the person the following oath: "You do
swear or affirm under penalty of election falsification that you will
fully and truly answer all of the following questions put to you
concerning your qualifications as an elector at this election."

(A)
If the person is challenged as unqualified on the ground that the
person is not a
United
States
citizen,
the precinct election officials shall put the following questions:

(1)
Are you a citizen of the United States?

(2)

Are
you a native or naturalized citizen?

(3)
Where were you born?

(4)
What official documentation do
Do

you
possess
to
prove
proof
of
your

United
States
citizenship?
Please provide that documentation.

If
the person offering to vote
claims
to be a naturalized citizen of the United States, the person shall,
before the vote is received, produce
produces
proof of citizenship
for
inspection of the precinct election officials

a certificate of naturalization
,
other than the number of the person's Ohio driver's license or state
identification card,
and

declare

declares

under
oath that the person is
the
identical person named in the certificate. If the person states under
oath that, by reason of the naturalization of the person's parents or
one of them, the person has become
a
citizen of the United States,
and
when or where the person's parents were naturalized, the certificate
of naturalization need not be produced
the
person shall be permitted to cast a regular ballot
.
If the person is unable to provide
a
certificate of naturalization
proof
of citizenship, other than the number of the person's Ohio driver's
license or state identification card,
on
the day of the election, the precinct election officials shall
provide to the person, and the person may vote, a provisional ballot
under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The provisional ballot
shall not be counted unless it is properly completed and the board of
elections determines that the voter is properly registered and
eligible to vote in the election.

(B)
If the person is challenged as unqualified on the ground that the
person has not resided in this state for thirty days immediately
preceding the election, the precinct election officials shall put the
following questions:

(1)
Have you resided in this state for thirty days immediately preceding
this election? If so, where have you resided?

(2)
Did you properly register to vote?

(3)
Can you provide some form of identification containing your current
mailing address in this precinct? Please provide that identification.

(4)
Have you voted or attempted to vote at any other location in this or
in any other state at this election?

(5)
Have you applied for an absent voter's ballot in any state for this
election?

If
the precinct election officials are unable to verify the person's
eligibility to cast a ballot in the election, the precinct election
officials shall provide to the person, and the person may vote, a
provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The
provisional ballot shall not be counted unless it is properly
completed and the board of elections determines that the voter is
properly registered and eligible to vote in the election.

(C)
If the person is challenged as unqualified on the ground that the
person is not a resident of the precinct where the person offers to
vote, the precinct election officials shall put the following
questions:

(1)
Do you reside in this precinct?

(2)
When did you move into this precinct?

(3)
When you came into this precinct, did you come for a temporary
purpose merely or for the purpose of making it your home?

(4)
What is your current mailing address?

(5)
Do you have some official identification containing your current
address in this precinct? Please provide that identification.

(6)
Have you voted or attempted to vote at any other location in this or
in any other state at this election?

(7)
Have you applied for any absent voter's ballot in any state for this
election?

The
precinct election officials shall direct an individual who is not in
the appropriate polling place to the appropriate polling place. If
the individual refuses to go to the appropriate polling place, or if
the precinct election officials are unable to verify the person's
eligibility to cast a ballot in the election, the precinct election
officials shall provide to the person, and the person may vote, a
provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The
provisional ballot shall not be counted unless it is properly
completed and the board of elections determines that the voter is
properly registered and eligible to vote in the election.

(D)
If the person is challenged as unqualified on the ground that the
person is not of legal voting age, the precinct election officials
shall put the following questions:

(1)
Are you eighteen years of age or more?

(2)
What is your date of birth?

(3)
Do you have some official identification verifying your age? Please
provide that identification.

If
the precinct election officials are unable to verify the person's age
and eligibility to cast a ballot in the election, the precinct
election officials shall provide to the person, and the person may
vote, a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised
Code. The provisional ballot shall not be counted unless it is
properly completed and the board of elections determines that the
voter is properly registered and eligible to vote in the election.

The
voting location manager shall put such other questions to the person
challenged as are necessary to determine the person's qualifications
as an elector at the election. If a person challenged refuses to
answer fully any question put to the person, is unable to answer the
questions as they were answered on the registration form by the
person under whose name the person offers to vote, or refuses to sign
the person's name or make the person's mark, or if for any other
reason a majority of the precinct election officials believes the
person is not entitled to vote, the precinct election officials shall
provide to the person, and the person may vote, a provisional ballot
under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. The provisional ballot
shall not be counted unless it is properly completed and the board of
elections determines that the voter is properly registered and
eligible to vote in the election.

A
qualified citizen who has certified the citizen's intention to vote
for president and vice-president as provided by Chapter 3504. of the
Revised Code shall be eligible to receive only the ballot containing
presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

However,
not later than the thirtieth day before the day of an election and in
accordance with section 3503.24 of the Revised Code, any person
qualified to vote may challenge the right of any other person to be
registered as a voter, or the right to cast an absent voter's ballot,
or to make application for such ballot. Such challenge shall be made
in accordance with section 3503.24 of the Revised Code, and the board
of elections of the county in which the voting residence of the
challenged voter is situated shall make a final determination
relative to the legality of such registration or application.

Sec.
3509.02.
(A)
Any qualified elector may
vote
by
cast

absent
voter's ballots
by
mail
at
an election
,
unless the elector is required to cast a provisional ballot under
section 3505.181 of the Revised Code
.

(B)

Any
qualified elector who is required to cast a provisional ballot under
section 3505.181 of the Revised Code may cast a provisional ballot in
person at the office of the board of elections during the time for
in-person absent voting under section 3509.051 of the Revised Code.

(C)

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

who is located in the county in which the elector resides and would
be eligible to cast absent voter's ballots with the assistance of two
election officials under section 3509.08 of the Revised Code, but is
required to cast a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the
Revised Code,
may

vote
by absent voter's ballots in that election
cast
a provisional ballot
as
specified in division
(G)

(E)

of
section
3503.16

3509.08

of
the Revised Code.

Sec.
3509.03.
(A)
Except as otherwise provided in sections 3509.051, 3511.02, and
3511.021 of the Revised Code, any qualified elector desiring to vote
absent voter's ballots at an election shall deliver a written
application for those ballots, either in person or by mail, to the
board of elections of the county in which the elector's voting
residence is located.

(B)
Except as otherwise permitted under section 3511.02 of the Revised
Code and under division (C) of this section, the application shall be
on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall contain all
of the following:

(1)
The elector's name;

(2)
The elector's signature;

(3)
The address at which the elector is registered to vote;

(4)
The elector's date of birth;

(5)

One
of the following:

(a)

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

(b)
The

or, if the elector does not have an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card, the
last
four digits of the elector's social security number
;

(c)
A

or a
copy
of the elector's photo identification
.
;

(6)
A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots
are requested;

(7)
A statement that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified
elector;

(8)
If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party
affiliation;

(9)
If the elector desires ballots to be mailed to the elector, the
address to which those ballots shall be mailed.

(C)
If the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as
described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the elector may
provide the elector's program participant identification number
instead of the address at which the elector is registered to vote.

(D)
Except as otherwise provided in division (A) of section 3509.051 and
in division (B) of section 3509.08 of the Revised Code, an
application to receive absent voter's ballots shall be delivered to
the office of the board not earlier than the first day of January of
the year of the elections for which the absent voter's ballots are
requested or not earlier than ninety days before the day of the
election at which the ballots are to be voted, whichever is earlier,
and not later than the close of business on the seventh day before
the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted.

(E)
Except as permitted under section 111.31 of the Revised Code, no
public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an
official capacity, shall do either of the following:

(1)
Prepay the return postage for an application for absent voter's
ballots;

(2)
Mail or otherwise deliver an unsolicited application for absent
voter's ballots to any person.

(F)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(2) of this section and
in sections 3505.24 and 3509.08 of the Revised Code, no person shall
preprint or fill out any portion of an application for absent voter's
ballots on behalf of an applicant.

(2)
The secretary of state or a board of elections may preprint only an
applicant's name and address on an application for absent voter's
ballots before mailing that application to the applicant, except that
if the applicant has a confidential voter registration record, the
secretary of state or a board of elections shall not preprint the
applicant's address on the application.

(3)
A completed application for absent voter's ballots is not valid if
any portion of it has been completed by any person other than the
applicant in violation of division (F) of this section.

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) 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).

(If
the voter does not have an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card, the voter must provide one of the following:)

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."

(C)(1)

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.

(2)
The board shall include on the return envelope a bar code associated
with the intelligent mail bar code tracing service offered by the
United States postal service, or a marking associated with a
successor mail tracing service offered by the United States postal
service, that permits the board to perform origin tracing on the
return envelope to determine when the return envelope was submitted
to the United States postal service for mailing. The board shall
obtain any necessary equipment or software needed to perform origin
tracing under division (E)(2) of section 3509.05 of the Revised Code.

(D)

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.

(E)

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.
3509.05.
(A)
When an elector receives an absent voter's ballot pursuant to the
elector's application or request, the elector shall, before placing
any marks on the ballot, note whether there are any voting marks on
it. If there are any voting marks, the ballot shall be returned
immediately to the board of elections; otherwise, the elector shall
cause the ballot to be marked, folded in a manner that the stub on it
and the indorsements and facsimile signatures of the members of the
board of elections on the back of it are visible, and placed and
sealed within the identification envelope received from the board of
elections for that purpose. Then, the elector shall cause the
statement of voter on the outside of the identification envelope to
be completed and signed, under penalty of election falsification.

(B)
The elector shall provide one of the following:

(1)
The elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card
number on the statement of voter on the identification envelope;

(2)
The last four digits of the elector's social security number on the
statement of voter on the identification envelope;

(3)
A copy of the elector's photo identification in the return envelope
with the identification envelope.

(C)(1)
The elector shall mail the identification envelope to the office of
the board of elections in the return envelope, postage prepaid, or
the elector
or
the elector's assistant
may
personally deliver
it

the
identification envelope in the return envelope
to
the office of the board
,
or the spouse of the elector, the father, mother, father-in-law,
mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the
whole or half blood, or the son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted
child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of the
elector may deliver it to the office of the board

in accordance with division (D) of this section
.
The return envelope shall be returned by no other person, in no other
manner, and to no other location, except as otherwise provided in
section 3509.08 of the Revised Code.

(2)
If the board maintains multiple offices in the county, as permitted
under division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code, the board
may designate any of its offices for the return of absent voter's
ballots under this section, provided that the board shall designate
only one office to which absent voter's ballots shall be returned
under this section.

(3)(a)
The board of elections may place not more than one secure receptacle
outside the office of the board, on the property on which the office
of the board is located, for the purpose of receiving absent voter's
ballots under this section.

(b)
A secure receptacle shall be open to receive ballots only during the
period beginning on the first day after the close of voter
registration before the election and ending at seven-thirty p.m. on
the day of the election. The receptacle shall be open to receive
ballots at all times during that period.

(c)
A secure receptacle shall be monitored by recorded video surveillance
at all times. The video recordings are a public record. The board
shall do one of the following:

(i)
Make the video recordings available for inspection upon request in
accordance with section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(ii)
Make each day's video recording available to the public on the
internet for streaming or download without charge within seventy-two
hours after the recording ends and make the video recordings
available to the public upon request in accordance with section
149.43 of the Revised Code.

(d)
Only a bipartisan team of election officials may open a secure
receptacle or handle its contents. A bipartisan team of election
officials shall collect the contents of each secure receptacle and
deliver them to the board for processing at least once each day and
at seven-thirty p.m. on the day of the election. If, at seven-thirty
p.m. on the day of the election, there are persons waiting in line to
deposit absent voter's ballots in a receptacle, those persons shall
be permitted to deposit the ballots.

(4)(a)
During the period beginning on the forty-fifth day before election
day and ending on the day after election day, on each day the office
of the board of elections is open for business, the board shall
report to the secretary of state all of the following information
concerning the previous business day:

(i)
The number of return envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's
ballots or uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots the
board received by personal delivery, other than to a receptacle
described in division (C)(3) of this section;

(ii)
If the board has placed a secure receptacle outside the office of the
board under division (C)(3) of this section, the number of return
envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots or uniformed
services or overseas absent voter's ballots the board received in the
receptacle.

(b)
As soon as practicable after receiving a report under division
(C)(4)(a) of this section, the secretary of state shall make the
information in the report available to the public on the secretary of
state's official web site.

(D)(1)

An
elector may personally deliver the elector's marked absent voter's
ballots to the office of the board by hand-delivering the ballots to
the election officials at the office of the board or at a designated
location on, or adjacent to, the property on which the office of the
board is located.

(2)
An elector's assistant may personally deliver the elector's marked
absent voter's ballots to the office of the board by hand-delivering
the ballots to the election officials at the office of the board or
at a designated location on, or adjacent to, the property on which
the office of the board is located. Except as otherwise permitted
under division (D)(3) of this section, the assistant shall be the
elector's spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law,
grandfather, grandmother, brother or sister of the whole or half
blood, son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent,
stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece. The assistant shall
complete a delivery attestation, which the election officials shall
attach to the ballot return envelope. The attestation shall be made
under penalty of election falsification, on a form prescribed by the
secretary of state, and shall include all of the following:

(a)
The assistant's name;

(b)
The elector's name;

(c)
An affirmation that the assistant is delivering the elector's ballots
at the elector's request;

(d)
An affirmation that the assistant is the elector's spouse, father,
mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother,
brother or sister of the whole or half blood, son, daughter, adopting
parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or
niece;

(e)
The assistant's signature;

(f)
The date the assistant delivers the ballots.

(3)
If an elector requires assistance to vote by reason of a disability,
the elector's assistant instead may be any person of the elector's
choice, other than the elector's employer, an agent of the elector's
employer, or an officer or agent of the elector's union. If an
elector's assistant described in this division delivers the elector's
ballots, the assistant shall complete a delivery attestation under
this division instead of division (D)(2) of this section, and the
election officials shall attach the attestation to the ballot return
envelope. The attestation shall be made under penalty of election
falsification, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, and
shall include all of the following:

(a)
The assistant's name;

(b)
The elector's name;

(c)
An affirmation that the assistant is delivering the elector's ballots
at the elector's request;

(d)
An affirmation that the elector requires assistance to vote by reason
of a disability;

(e)
An affirmation that the assistant is not the elector's employer, an
agent of the elector's employer, or an officer or agent of the
elector's union;

(f)
The assistant's signature;

(g)
The date the assistant delivers the ballots.

(4)
The election officials shall not accept any marked absent voter's
ballots that are returned to the board by personal delivery, except
as permitted under divisions (D)(1) to (3) of this section. The board
shall not accept absent voter's ballots returned by personal delivery
to an unattended receptacle.

(E)(1)

Except
as otherwise provided in division
(D)(2)

(E)(2)

of
this section, all envelopes containing marked absent voter's ballots
shall be delivered to the office of the board not later than the
close of the polls on the day of an election.
Absent
voter's ballots delivered to the office of the board later than the
times specified shall not be counted, but shall be kept by the board
in the sealed identification envelopes in which they are delivered,
until the time provided by section 3505.31 of the Revised Code for
the destruction of all other ballots used at the election for which
ballots were provided, at which time they shall be destroyed.

(2)(a)
Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(2)(b) of this section,
any return envelope that is postmarked prior to the day of the
election shall be delivered to the director prior to the fifth day
after the election.
(2)

Ballots

delivered
in envelopes postmarked prior to the day of the election
that
are received
at
the office of the board by mail
after
the close of the polls on election day through the fourth day
thereafter shall be counted on the fifth day at the board of
elections in the manner provided in divisions (C) and (D) of section
3509.06 of the Revised Code or in the manner provided in division (E)
of that section, as applicable
,
if either of the following apply:

(a)
The return envelope is postmarked prior to the day of the election.
This division does not apply to a return envelope that is postmarked
using a postage evidencing system, including a postage meter, as
defined in 39 C.F.R. 501.1.

(b)
Origin tracing information obtained from the United States postal
service, as described in division (C)(2) of section 3509.04 of the
Revised Code, indicates that the return envelope was submitted to the
United States postal service for mailing prior to the day of the
election. The board shall attempt to obtain origin tracing
information regarding each return envelope received by mail during
the period described in division (E)(2) of this section that has no
legible postmark, is postmarked on or after the day of the election,
or is postmarked using a postage evidencing system
.

Any
such

(3)
The following
ballots

that
are received by the director later than the fourth day following the
election
shall
not be counted, but shall be kept by the board in the sealed
identification envelopes

as provided in division (A) of this section.

(b)
Division (D)(2)(a) of this section shall not apply to any mail that
is postmarked using a postage evidencing system, including a postage
meter, as defined in 39 C.F.R. 501.1.

in which they are delivered, until the time provided by section
3505.31 of the Revised Code for the destruction of all other ballots
used at the election for which ballots were provided, at which time
they shall be destroyed:

(a)
Absent voter's ballots delivered to the office of the board after the
close of the polls on election day other than by mail;

(b)
Absent voter's ballots delivered to the office of the board by mail
after the close of the polls on election day, but by the fourth day
after election day, that are ineligible to be counted under division
(E)(2) of this section;

(c)
Absent voter's ballots delivered to the office of the board by mail
later than the fourth day after election day.

Sec.
3509.051.
An
elector may appear at the office of the board of elections to cast
absent voter's ballots in person instead of applying for those
ballots under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding
section 3509.05 or any other provision of the Revised Code to the
contrary, all of the following shall apply to the casting of absent
voter's ballots in person:

(A)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section,
in-person absent voting shall be permitted only during the period
beginning on the first day after the close of voter registration
before the election and ending at five p.m. on the Sunday before the
day of the election.

(2)
If, at the time for the close of in-person absent voting on a
particular day, there are voters waiting in line to cast their
ballots, the in-person absent voting location shall be kept open
until such waiting voters have cast their absent voter's ballots.

(B)
An in-person absent voter shall provide photo identification to the
election officials, sign a poll list or signature pollbook, and cast
a ballot in the same manner as a voter who casts a ballot in person
on the day of an election under section 3505.18 of the Revised Code.

The
absent voter shall not be required to complete a written application
for absent voter's ballots or a statement of voter on an absent
voter's ballot identification envelope.

(C)
No person other than an election official shall be permitted to
challenge the right to vote of an absent voter who is casting a
ballot in person. An election official may challenge the right to
vote of an absent voter who is casting a ballot in person in the same
manner as a precinct election official may challenge the right to
vote of an elector on the day of an election under section 3505.20 or
3513.19 of the Revised Code.

(D)
An individual who appears to cast absent voter's ballots in person
and is eligible to cast a provisional ballot under section 3505.181
of the Revised Code shall be permitted to do so as though the
individual had appeared at a polling place on the day of the
election.

(E)
No absent voter may receive a replacement ballot after the voter's
absent voter's ballot has been scanned or entered into automatic
tabulating equipment.

(F)
Ballots cast under this section, other than provisional ballots, may
be recorded by a voting machine or scanned by automatic tabulating
equipment before the close of the polls on the day of the election,
but the board of elections shall not tabulate or count the votes on
those ballots before that time.

Special election officials, employees or members of the board of
elections, or observers shall not disclose the count or any portion
of the count of absent voter's ballots prior to the time of the
closing of the polling places. No person shall recklessly disclose
the count or any portion of the count of absent voter's ballots in
such a manner as to jeopardize the secrecy of any individual ballot.

Sec.
3509.06.
(A)
The board of elections shall determine whether absent voter's ballots
cast under section
3503.16,

3509.05,
3509.08, or 3511.09 of the Revised Code shall be processed and
counted in each precinct, at the office of the board, or at some
other location designated by the board, and shall proceed accordingly
under division (B), (C), or (E) of this section, as applicable.

This section does not apply to absent voter's ballots cast in person
under section 3509.051 or to provisional ballots cast under section
3509.051 or 3509.08 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, when
the board of elections determines that those absent voter's ballots
shall be processed and counted in each precinct, the board shall
deliver to the voting location manager of each precinct on election
day identification envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's
ballots of electors whose voting residence appears from the statement
of voter on the outside of each of those envelopes, to be located in
that manager's precinct, and which were received by the board not
later than the close of the polls on election day. The board shall
deliver to the voting location manager a list containing the name and
voting residence of each person whose voting residence is in such
precinct to whom absent voter's ballots were mailed.

(2)
The board shall not deliver to the voting location manager
identification envelopes cast by electors who provided a program
participant identification number instead of a residence address on
the identification envelope and shall not inform the voting location
manager of the names and voting residences of persons who have
confidential voter registration records. Those identification
envelopes shall be examined and processed as described in division
(E) of this section.

(C)
When the board of elections determines that those absent voter's
ballots shall be processed and counted at the office of the board of
elections or at another location designated by the board, special
election officials shall be appointed by the board for that purpose
having the same authority as is exercised by precinct election
officials. The votes so cast shall be added to the vote totals by the
board, and the absent voter's ballots shall be preserved separately
by the board, in the same manner and for the same length of time as
provided by section 3505.31 of the Revised Code.

(D)
Each of the identification envelopes purporting to contain absent
voter's ballots delivered to the voting location manager of the
precinct or the special election official appointed by the board of
elections shall be handled as follows:

(1)
The election officials shall compare the signature of the elector on
the outside of the identification envelope with the signature of that
elector on the elector's registration form and verify that the absent
voter's ballot is eligible to be counted under section 3509.07 of the
Revised Code.

(2)(a)
Any of the precinct officials may challenge the right of the elector
named on the identification envelope to vote the absent voter's
ballots upon the ground that the signature on the envelope is not the
same as the signature on the registration form, that the
identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete, or upon any
other of the grounds upon which the right of persons to vote may be
lawfully challenged.

(b)
If the elector's name does not appear in the pollbook or poll list or
signature pollbook, the precinct officials shall deliver the absent
voter's ballots to the director of the board of elections to be
examined and processed in the manner described in division (E) of
this section.

(3)(a)
An identification envelope statement of voter shall be considered
incomplete if it does not include all of the following:

(i)
The voter's name;

(ii)
The voter's residence address or, if the voter has a confidential
voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the
Revised Code, the voter's program participant identification number;

(iii)
The voter's date of birth. The requirements of this division are
satisfied if the voter provided a date of birth and any of the
following is true:

(I)
The month and day of the voter's date of birth on the identification
envelope statement of voter are not different from the month and day
of the voter's date of birth contained in the statewide voter
registration database.

(II)
The voter's date of birth contained in the statewide voter
registration database is January 1, 1800.

(III)
The board of elections has found, by a vote of at least three of its
members, that the voter has met the requirements of divisions
(D)(3)(a)(i), (ii), (iv), and (v) of this section.

(iv)
The voter's signature; and

(v)
One of the following forms of identification:

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

(II)
The last four digits of the voter's social security number; or

(III)
A copy of the voter's photo identification.

(b)
If the election officials find that the identification envelope
statement of voter is incomplete or that the information contained in
that statement does not conform to the information contained in the
statewide voter registration database concerning the voter, the
election officials shall mail a written notice to the voter,
informing the voter of the nature of the defect. The notice shall
inform the voter that in order for the voter's ballot to be counted,
the voter must provide the necessary information to the board of
elections in writing and on a form prescribed by the secretary of
state not later than the fourth day after the day of the election.
The voter may deliver the form to the office of the board in person
or by mail. If the voter provides the necessary information to the
board of elections not later than the fourth day after the day of the
election and the ballot is not successfully challenged on another
basis, the voter's ballot shall be processed and counted in
accordance with this section.

(4)
If no such challenge is made, or if such a challenge is made and not
sustained, the voting location manager shall open the envelope
without defacing the statement of voter and without mutilating the
ballots in it, and shall remove the ballots contained in it and
proceed to count them.

(5)(a)
Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(5)(b) of this section,
the name of each person voting who is entitled to vote only an absent
voter's presidential ballot shall be entered in a pollbook or poll
list or signature pollbook followed by the words "Absentee
Presidential Ballot." The name of each person voting an absent
voter's ballot, other than such persons entitled to vote only a
presidential ballot, shall be entered in the pollbook or poll list or
signature pollbook and the person's registration card marked to
indicate that the person has voted.

(b)
If the person voting has a confidential voter registration record,
the person's registration card shall be marked to indicate that the
person has voted, but the person's name shall not be entered in the
pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook.

(6)
The date of such election shall also be entered on the elector's
registration form. If any such challenge is made and sustained, the
identification envelope of such elector shall not be opened, shall be
endorsed "Not Counted" with the reasons the ballots were
not counted, and shall be delivered to the board.

(E)(1)
When the board of elections receives absent voter's ballots from an
elector who has provided a program participant identification number
instead of a residence address on the identification envelope
statement of voter, the director and the deputy director personally
shall examine and process the identification envelope statement of
voter in the manner prescribed in division (D) of this section.

(2)
If the director and the deputy director find that the identification
envelope statement of voter is incomplete or that the information
contained in that statement does not conform to the information
contained in the statewide voter registration database concerning the
voter or to the information contained in the voter's confidential
voter registration record, the director and the deputy director shall
mail a written notice to the voter informing the voter of the nature
of the defect. The notice shall inform the voter that in order for
the voter's ballot to be counted the voter must provide the necessary
information to the board of elections in writing and on a form
prescribed by the secretary of state not later than the fourth day
after the day of the election. The voter may deliver the form to the
office of the board in person or by mail. If the voter provides the
necessary information to the board of elections not later than the
fourth day after the day of the election and the ballot is not
successfully challenged on another basis, the voter's ballot shall be
counted in accordance with this section.

(3)
The director or the deputy director may challenge the ballot on the
ground that the signature on the envelope is not the same as the
signature on the registration form, that the identification envelope
statement of voter is incomplete, or upon any other of the grounds
upon which the right of persons to vote may be lawfully challenged.
If such a challenge is made, the board of elections shall decide
whether to sustain the challenge.

(4)
If neither the director nor the deputy director challenges the
ballot, or if such a challenge is made and not sustained, the
director and the deputy director shall open the envelope without
defacing the statement of voter and without mutilating the ballots in
it, shall remove the ballots contained in it, and shall transmit the
ballots to the election officials to be counted with other absent
voter's ballots from that precinct.

(F)
The board of elections shall process absent voter's ballots before
the time for counting those ballots, but the board shall not tabulate
or count the votes on those ballots before that time. As used in this
section and section 3511.11 of the Revised Code, processing an absent
voter's ballot means all of the following:

(1)
Examining the identification envelope statement of voter in order to
verify that the absent voter's ballot is eligible to be counted under
section 3509.07 of the Revised Code;

(2)
Opening the identification envelope, if the absent voter's ballot is
eligible to be counted;

(3)
Determining the validity of the absent voter's ballot under section
3509.07 of the Revised Code;

(4)
Preparing and sorting the absent voter's ballot for scanning by
automatic tabulating equipment;

(5)
Scanning the absent voter's ballot by automatic tabulating equipment,
if the equipment used by the board of elections permits an absent
voter's ballot to be scanned without tabulating or counting the votes
on the ballots scanned.

(G)
Special election officials, employees or members of the board of
elections, or observers shall not disclose the count or any portion
of the count of absent voter's ballots prior to the time of the
closing of the polling places. No person shall recklessly disclose
the count or any portion of the count of absent voter's ballots in
such a manner as to jeopardize the secrecy of any individual ballot.

(H)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of this section,
observers may be appointed under section 3505.21 of the Revised Code
to witness the examination and opening of identification envelopes
and the processing and counting of absent voters' ballots under this
section.

(2)
Observers shall not be permitted to witness the examination and
opening of identification envelopes returned by, and the processing
and counting of absent voter's ballots cast by, electors who have
confidential voter registration records in a manner that would permit
the observers to learn the identities or residence addresses of those
electors.

Sec.
3509.07.
(A)

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)

(1)

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)

(2)

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

(C)

(3)

The
applicant is not a qualified elector in the precinct;

(D)

(4)

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)

(5)

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

(F)

(6)

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

(B)

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.

(C)
This section does not apply to either of the following:

(1)
Absent voter's ballots cast in person under section 3509.051 of the
Revised Code. Any challenge to the right of an elector to cast absent
voter's ballots in person shall be brought under division (C) of that
section.

(2)
Provisional ballots cast under section 3509.051, 3509.08, or 3511.052
of the Revised Code, which shall be processed and counted under
section 3505.183 of the Revised Code.

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)
(2)(a)

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

(b)
The
applicant
may
also

request
that
a
member of the applicant's family, as listed
an
assistant described
in

division
(D)(2) or (3) of
section
3509.05 of the Revised Code,
as
applicable,
deliver
the absent voter's ballot to the applicant.

(c)

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

(d)
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
an
assistant
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
an
assistant
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) to (4) of section 3503.16 of the
Revised Code.

(C)

Any

Except
as otherwise provided in division (E) of this section, 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.

A board employee who delivers ballots to an elector or returns
ballots to the office of the board under this section is not
considered the elector's assistant for that purpose.

(E)
A qualified elector who is located in the county in which the elector
resides and who would be eligible to cast absent voter's ballots with
the assistance of two election officials under this section, but who
is required to cast a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of
the Revised Code, may cast a provisional ballot with the assistance
of two election officials under this section as though the individual
had appeared at a polling place on the day of the election.

Sec.
3509.09.
(A)
The poll list or signature pollbook for each precinct shall identify
each registered elector in that precinct who has requested an absent
voter's ballot for that election or cast absent voter's ballots in
person under section 3509.051 of the Revised Code, other than an
elector who has a confidential voter registration record, as
described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code.

(B)
If a registered elector appears to vote and that elector has
requested or cast an absent voter's ballot for that election, the
elector shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot under section
3505.181 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1)
In counting absent voter's ballots under section 3509.06 of the
Revised Code, the board of elections shall compare the signature of
each elector from whom the board has received a sealed identification
envelope purporting to contain that elector's voted absent voter's
ballots for that election to the signature on that elector's
registration form. Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3) of
this section, if the board of elections determines that the absent
voter's ballot in the sealed identification envelope is valid, it
shall be counted. If the board of elections determines that the
signature on the sealed identification envelope purporting to contain
the elector's voted absent voter's ballot does not match the
signature on the elector's registration form, the ballot shall be set
aside and the board shall examine, during the time prior to the
beginning of the official canvass, the poll list or signature
pollbook from the precinct in which the elector is registered to vote
to determine if the elector also cast a provisional ballot under
section 3505.181 of the Revised Code.

(2)
The board of elections shall count the provisional ballot, instead of
the absent voter's ballot, if both of the following apply:

(a)
The board of elections determines that the signature of the elector
on the outside of the identification envelope in which the absent
voter's ballots are enclosed does not match the signature of the
elector on the elector's registration form;

(b)
The elector cast a provisional ballot in the election.

(3)
If the board of elections does not receive the sealed identification
envelope purporting to contain the elector's voted absent voter's
ballot by the applicable deadline established under section 3509.05
of the Revised Code, the provisional ballot cast under section
3505.181 of the Revised Code shall be counted as valid, if that
provisional ballot is otherwise determined to be valid pursuant to
section 3505.183 of the Revised Code.

(D)
If the board of elections counts a provisional ballot under division
(C)(2) or (3) of this section, the returned identification envelope
of that elector shall not be opened, and the ballot within that
envelope shall not be counted. The identification envelope shall be
endorsed "Not Counted" with the reason the ballot was not
counted.

(E)
Division (C) of this section does not apply to absent voter's ballots
cast in person under section 3509.051 of the Revised Code. If an
elector casts absent voter's ballots in person and casts a
provisional ballot for the same election, the provisional ballot
shall not be counted.

Sec.
3511.02.
(A)
Notwithstanding any section of the Revised Code to the contrary,
whenever any person applies for registration as a voter on a form
adopted in accordance with federal regulations relating to the
"Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act," 100
Stat. 924, 52 U.S.C.A. 20301, this application shall be sufficient
for voter registration and as a request for an absent voter's ballot.
Uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots may be obtained
by any person meeting the requirements of section 3511.011 of the
Revised Code by applying electronically to the secretary of state or
to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting
residence is located in accordance with section 3511.021 of the
Revised Code or by applying to the board of elections of the county
in which the person's voting residence is located, in one of the
following ways:

(1)
That person may make written application for those ballots. The
person may personally deliver the application to the office of the
board or may mail it, send it by facsimile machine, send it by
electronic mail, send it through internet delivery if such delivery
is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, or
otherwise send it to the board. Except as otherwise provided in
division (B) of this section, the application shall be on a form
prescribed by the secretary of state and shall contain all of the
following information:

(a)
The elector's name;

(b)
The elector's signature;

(c)
The address at which the elector is registered to vote;

(d)
The elector's date of birth;

(e)

One
of the following:

(i)

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

(ii)
The
or,
if the elector does not have an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card, the
last
four digits of the elector's social security number
;

(iii)
A

or
a
copy
of the elector's photo identification
.
;

(f)
A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots
are requested;

(g)
A statement that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified
elector;

(h)
A statement that the elector is an absent uniformed services voter or
overseas voter as defined in 52 U.S.C. 20310;

(i)
A statement of the elector's length of residence in the state
immediately preceding the commencement of service, immediately
preceding the date of leaving to be with or near the service member,
or immediately preceding leaving the United States, or a statement
that the elector's parent or legal guardian resided in this state
long enough to establish residency for voting purposes immediately
preceding leaving the United States, whichever is applicable;

(j)
If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party
affiliation;

(k)
If the elector desires ballots to be mailed to the elector, the
address to which those ballots shall be mailed;

(l)
If the elector desires ballots to be sent to the elector by facsimile
machine, the telephone number to which they shall be so sent;

(m)
If the elector desires ballots to be sent to the elector by
electronic mail or, if offered by the board of elections or the
secretary of state, through internet delivery, the elector's
electronic mail address or other internet contact information.

(2)
A voter or any relative of a voter listed in division (A)(3) of this
section may use a single federal post card application to apply for
uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots for use at the
primary and general elections in a given year and any special
election to be held on the day in that year specified by division (E)
of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code for the holding of a primary
election, designated by the general assembly for the purpose of
submitting constitutional amendments proposed by the general assembly
to the voters of the state. A single federal postcard application
shall be processed by the board of elections pursuant to section
3511.04 of the Revised Code the same as if the voter had applied
separately for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots
for each election.

(3)
Application to have uniformed services or overseas absent voter's
ballots mailed or sent by facsimile machine to such a person may be
made by the spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law,
grandfather, grandmother, brother or sister of the whole blood or
half blood, son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child,
stepparent, stepchild, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, uncle, aunt,
nephew, or niece of such a person. The application shall be in
writing upon a blank form furnished only by the board or on a single
federal post card as provided in division (A)(2) of this section. The
form of the application shall be prescribed by the secretary of
state. The board shall furnish that blank form to any of the
relatives specified in this division desiring to make the
application, only upon the request of such a relative made in person
at the office of the board or upon the written request of such a
relative mailed to the office of the board. Except as otherwise
provided in division (B) of this section, the application, subscribed
and sworn to by the applicant, shall contain all of the following:

(a)
The full name of the elector for whom ballots are requested;

(b)
A statement that the elector is an absent uniformed services voter or
overseas voter as defined in 52 U.S.C. 20310;

(c)
The address at which the elector is registered to vote;

(d)
A statement identifying the elector's length of residence in the
state immediately preceding the commencement of service, immediately
preceding the date of leaving to be with or near a service member, or
immediately preceding leaving the United States, or a statement that
the elector's parent or legal guardian resided in this state long
enough to establish residency for voting purposes immediately
preceding leaving the United States, as the case may be;

(e)
The elector's date of birth;

(f)

One
of the following:

(i)

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

(ii)
The

or,
if the elector does not have an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card, the
last
four digits of the elector's social security number
;

(iii)
A

or
a
copy
of the elector's photo identification
.
;

(g)
A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots
are requested;

(h)
A statement that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified
elector;

(i)
If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party
affiliation;

(j)
A statement that the applicant bears a relationship to the elector as
specified in division (A)(3) of this section;

(k)
The address to which ballots shall be mailed, the telephone number to
which ballots shall be sent by facsimile machine, the electronic mail
address to which ballots shall be sent by electronic mail, or, if
internet delivery is offered by the board of elections or the
secretary of state, the internet contact information to which ballots
shall be sent through internet delivery;

(l)
The signature and address of the person making the application.

(B)
If the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as
described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the application may
include the elector's program participant identification number
instead of the address at which the elector is registered to vote.

(C)
Each application for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's
ballots shall be delivered to the office of the board not earlier
than the first day of January of the year of the elections for which
the uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots are
requested or not earlier than ninety days before the day of the
election at which the ballots are to be voted, whichever is earlier.
An application to receive uniformed services or overseas absent
voter's ballots by mail or by another method permitted under section
3511.021 of the Revised Code shall be delivered to the office of the
board not later than the close of business on the seventh day
preceding the day of the election.

(D)
If the voter for whom the application is made is entitled to vote for
presidential and vice-presidential electors only, the applicant shall
submit to the board, in addition to the requirements of division (A)
of this section, a statement to the effect that the voter is
qualified to vote for presidential and vice-presidential electors and
for no other offices.

(E)
Except as permitted under section 111.31 of the Revised Code, no
public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an
official capacity, shall do either of the following:

(1)
Prepay the return postage for an application for absent voter's
ballots;

(2)
Mail or otherwise deliver an unsolicited application for absent
voter's ballots to any person.

(F)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in divisions (A)(2) and (3) and (F)(2)
of this section and in sections 3505.24 and 3509.08 of the Revised
Code, no person shall fill out any portion of a federal post card
application or other application for absent voter's ballots on behalf
of an applicant.

(2)
The secretary of state or a board of elections may preprint only an
applicant's name and address on a federal post card application or
other application for absent voter's ballots before mailing that
application to the applicant, except that if the applicant has a
confidential voter registration record, the secretary of state or the
board of elections shall not preprint the applicant's address on the
application.

(3)
A completed application for absent voter's ballots is not valid if
any portion of it has been completed by any person other than the
applicant in violation of division (F) of this section.

Sec.
3511.04.
(A)
If a board of elections receives an application for uniformed
services or overseas absent voter's ballots that does not contain all
of the required information 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)
(B)(1)

Not later than the forty-sixth day before the day of each general or
primary election, and at the earliest possible time before the day of
a special election held on a day other than the day on which a
general or primary election is held, the board of elections shall
mail, send by facsimile machine, send by electronic mail, send
through internet delivery if such delivery is offered by the board of
elections or the secretary of state, or otherwise send uniformed
services or overseas absent voter's ballots then ready for use as
provided for in section 3511.03 of the Revised Code and for which the
board has received valid applications prior to that time. Thereafter,
and until the close of business on the seventh day preceding the day
of election, the board shall promptly, upon receipt of valid
applications for them, mail, send by facsimile machine, send by
electronic mail, send through internet delivery if such delivery is
offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, or
otherwise send to the proper persons all uniformed services or
overseas absent voter's ballots then ready for use.

(2)

If,
after the seventieth day before the day of a general or primary
election, any other question, issue, or candidacy is lawfully ordered
submitted to the electors voting at the general or primary election,
the board shall promptly provide a separate official issue, special
election, or other election ballot for submitting the question,
issue, or candidacy to those electors, and the board shall promptly
mail, send by facsimile machine, send by electronic mail, send
through internet delivery if such delivery is offered by the board of
elections or the secretary of state, or otherwise send each such
separate ballot to each person to whom the board has previously
mailed or sent other uniformed services or overseas absent voter's
ballots.

(C)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of this section, upon
receiving a valid application for uniformed services or overseas
absent voter's ballots from an elector who is required to cast a
provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code, the
board instead shall deliver to the elector a provisional uniformed or
overseas absent voter's ballot, as described in section 3511.052 of
the Revised Code. In all other respects, the board shall proceed as
described in division (B) of this section regarding the elector.

(2)
Division (C)(1) of this section does not apply to a uniformed
services or overseas absent voter who submits a valid federal
write-in absentee ballot in a general election for federal office as
permitted under division (C) of section 3511.14 of the Revised Code.

(D)

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. In mailing uniformed services or overseas absent
voter's ballots, the board shall use the fastest mail service
available, but the board shall not mail them by certified mail.

Sec.
3511.05.
(A)
The board of elections shall place uniformed services or overseas
absent voter's ballots sent by mail in an unsealed identification
envelope, gummed ready for sealing. The board shall include with
uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots sent
electronically, including by facsimile machine, an instruction sheet
for preparing a gummed envelope in which the ballots shall be
returned. The envelope for returning ballots sent by either means
shall have printed or written on its face 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).

(If
the voter does not have an Ohio driver's license or state
identification card, the voter must provide one of the following:)

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."

(B)
The board shall also mail with the ballots and the unsealed
identification envelope sent by mail an unsealed return envelope,
gummed, ready for sealing, for use by the voter in returning the
voter's marked ballots to the office of the board. The board shall
send with the ballots and the instruction sheet for preparing a
gummed envelope sent electronically, including by facsimile machine,
an instruction sheet for preparing a second gummed envelope as
described in this division, for use by the voter in returning that
voter's marked ballots to the board. The return envelope shall have
two parallel lines, each one quarter of an inch in width, printed
across its face paralleling the top, with an intervening space of one
quarter of an inch between such lines. The top line shall be one and
one-quarter inches from the top of the envelope. Between the parallel
lines shall be printed: "OFFICIAL ELECTION UNIFORMED SERVICES OR
OVERSEAS ABSENT VOTER'S BALLOTS -- VIA AIR MAIL." Three blank
lines shall be printed in the upper left corner on the face of the
envelope for the use by the voter in placing the voter's complete
military, naval, or mailing address on these lines. The post-office
address of the office of the board shall be printed on the face of
such envelope in the lower right portion below the bottom parallel
line.

(C)
On the back of each identification envelope and each return envelope
shall be printed the following:

"Instructions
to voter:

If
the flap on this envelope is so firmly stuck to the back of the
envelope when received by you as to require forcible opening in order
to use it, open the envelope in the manner least injurious to it,
and, after marking your ballots and enclosing same in the envelope
for mailing them to the board of elections, reclose the envelope in
the most practicable way, by sealing or otherwise, and sign the blank
form printed below.

The
flap on this envelope was firmly stuck to the back of the envelope
when received, and required forced opening before sealing and
mailing.

____________________

(Signature
of voter)"

(D)
Division (C) of this section does not apply when absent voter's
ballots are sent electronically, including by facsimile machine.

(E)
Except as otherwise provided in this division 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 or
electronically transmitting 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.
3511.052.
(A)
The identification envelope of a provisional uniformed services or
overseas absent voter's ballot sent to an elector under division
(C)(1) of section 3511.04 of the Revised Code shall have printed or
written on its face a form substantially as follows:

"Provisional
Uniformed Services or Overseas Absent Voter's Ballot Affirmation

(1)
Clearly print your full name: ___________________

(2)
Write your date of birth: _______________________

(3)(a)
Write your current address: __________________

_____________________________________________________

(b)
Have you moved without updating your voter registration?:

Yes
______ No ______

If
yes, write your former address: __________________

_____________________________________________________

Failure
to provide your former address will not cause your provisional ballot
to be rejected.

(4)
You must provide a copy of one of the following forms of photo
identification that includes your name and photograph and is not
expired. Place the copy in the return envelope along with this
envelope. Do not place the copy inside the ballot envelope.

(a)
An Ohio driver's license or state identification card or an interim
identification form issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles;

(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.

(5)
If you do not have photo identification because you have a religious
objection to being photographed, complete the enclosed affidavit of
religious objection and place it in the return envelope along with
this ballot envelope. Do not place the affidavit inside the ballot
envelope.

(6)
If you do not provide a copy of your photo identification or complete
an affidavit of religious objection, you must provide a copy of your
photo identification or a completed an affidavit of religious
objection to the board of elections by the fourth day after the
election for your ballot to be eligible to be counted.

(7)
Complete this section if you need to update your voter registration
or if you need to verify the identification you used to register to
vote. If you need to verify your identification and you do not
provide the needed information on this form, you must provide the
information to the board of elections by the fourth day after the
election for your ballot to be eligible to be counted.

Write
your full Ohio driver's license or state identification card number:
________________________

Write
the last four digits of your Social Security number: _______________

(8)
If you are casting a provisional ballot because you need to provide
proof of citizenship, either write your full Ohio driver's license or
state identification card number above or provide proof of
citizenship in the return envelope along with this envelope. Do not
place your proof of citizenship inside the ballot envelope. If you do
not provide proof of citizenship at this time, you must provide proof
of citizenship to the board of elections by the fourth day after the
election for your ballot to be eligible to be counted.

"Proof
of citizenship" means evidence that you are a United States
citizen, in the form of one of the following:

(a)
The number of your current or expired Ohio driver's license or state
identification card or a copy of the front and back of your current
or expired Ohio driver's license, state identification card, or
interim identification form, if you have submitted documentation to
the bureau of motor vehicles indicating that you are a United States
citizen;

(b)
A copy of the front and back of a current or expired driver's license
or nondriver identification card issued by another state within the
United States, if the issuing agency indicates on the license or card
that you are a United States citizen;

(c)
A copy of a birth certificate, certification of report of birth, or
consular report of birth abroad;

(d)
A copy of the identification page of a current or expired United
States passport;

(e)
A copy of the front and back of a United States passport card;

(f)
A copy of a certificate of naturalization or certificate of
citizenship.

If
the name on your proof of citizenship is different from your current
legal name, you must also provide proof of your change of name, such
as a copy of a marriage license or court order.

(9)
If your right to vote has been challenged, you must provide any
additional required documents in the return envelope along with this
envelope or provide them to the board of elections by the fourth day
after the election. Do not place those documents inside the ballot
envelope.

(10)
Sign and date the following statement:

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 this envelope, and sealed in this envelope.

I
solemnly swear or affirm that I am a citizen of the United States;
that I will be at least 18 years of age at the time of the general
election; that I have lived in this state for 30 days immediately
preceding this election in which I am voting this ballot; that I am a
registered voter in the precinct in which I am voting this
provisional ballot; that I am eligible to vote in the election in
which I am voting this provisional ballot; and that I will not vote
or attempt to vote at any other location or in any other manner for
this particular election.

I
understand that, if the information I provide on this provisional
ballot affirmation is not fully completed and correct, if the board
of elections determines that I am not registered to vote, a resident
of this precinct, or eligible to vote in this election, or if the
board of elections determines that I have already voted in this
election, my provisional ballot will not be counted. I understand
that, if I am not currently registered to vote or if I am not
registered at my current address or under my current name, this form
will serve as an application to register to vote or update my
registration for future elections, as long as I provide all of the
information required to register to vote or update my registration. I
further understand that knowingly providing false information is a
violation of law and subjects me to possible criminal prosecution.

I
hereby declare, under penalty of election falsification, that the
above statements are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and
belief.

________________________

Signature
of Voter

________________________

Date

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

(B)
The board of elections shall include both of the following with the
provisional uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot:

(1)
An explanation of the reason the voter is required to cast a
provisional ballot and the information or documentation the voter
must provide in order for the voter's ballot to be counted;

(2)
A blank copy of the affidavit of religious objection to being
photographed described in section 3505.19 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1)
In addition to any information required to be included on the written
affirmation, an individual casting a provisional uniformed services
or overseas absent voter's ballot may provide additional information
to the board of elections to assist the board in determining the
individual's eligibility to vote in that election, including the date
and location at which the individual registered to vote, if known.

(2)
If the individual provided all of the information required under
section 3503.14 of the Revised Code to register to vote or to update
the individual's registration on the provisional uniformed services
or overseas absent voter's ballot affirmation, the board of elections
shall consider the affirmation to also serve as a notice of change of
name, change of residence, or both, or as a voter registration form,
as applicable, for that individual only for the purposes of future
elections.

(D)
Upon receiving a completed provisional uniformed services or overseas
absent voter's ballot, the board of elections shall process the
ballot in accordance with section 3505.183 of the Revised Code in the
same manner as other provisional ballots.

(E)
In all other respects, except as otherwise provided in this chapter,
the provisions of this chapter that apply to a uniformed services or
overseas absent voter's ballot apply in the same manner to a
provisional uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot.

Sec.
3511.09.
(A)
Upon receiving uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots,
the elector shall cause the questions on the face of the
identification envelope to be answered, and, by writing the elector's
usual signature in the proper place on the identification envelope,
the elector shall declare under penalty of election falsification
that the answers to those questions are true and correct to the best
of the elector's knowledge and belief. Then, the elector shall note
whether there are any voting marks on the ballot. If there are any
voting marks, the ballot shall be returned immediately to the board
of elections; otherwise, the elector shall cause the ballot to be
marked, folded separately so as to conceal the markings on it,
deposited in the identification envelope, and securely sealed in the
identification envelope. The elector shall sign the identification
envelope not later than the close of the polls on the day of the
election. The elector then shall cause the identification envelope to
be placed within the return envelope, sealed in the return envelope,
and mailed to the board of elections to which it is addressed.

(B)
The
(B)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, the

elector
shall provide one of the following:

(1)

(a)

The
elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number
on the statement of voter on the identification envelope;

(2)

(b)

The
last four digits of the elector's social security number on the
statement of voter on the identification envelope;

(3)

(c)

A
copy of the elector's photo identification in the return envelope
with the identification envelope.

(2)
If the elector is casting a provisional uniformed services or
overseas absent voter's ballot, the elector shall provide the
applicable identification and other information required by the form
described in section 3511.052 of the Revised Code.

(C)
Every uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot
identification envelope shall be accompanied by the following
statement in boldface capital letters: WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION
FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE.

(D)
The elector shall cause the uniformed services or overseas absent
voter's ballots to be returned to the office of the board of
elections in a manner described in division (C) of section 3509.05 of
the Revised Code, provided that the elector shall not be required to
prepay the postage on the return envelope if, under 39 U.S.C. 3406,
no postage is required.

Sec.
3511.11.
(A)
Uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots delivered to
the office of the board of elections not later than the close of the
polls on election day shall be processed and counted in the manner
provided in section 3509.06 of the Revised Code

or in the manner provided in division (D) of section 3511.052 of the
Revised Code, as applicable
.

(B)
A return envelope is not required to be postmarked in order for a
uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot contained in it
to be valid. Except as otherwise provided in this division, whether
or not the return envelope containing the ballot is postmarked,
contains a late postmark, or contains an illegible postmark, a
uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot that is received
by mail after the close of the polls on election day through the
fourth day after the election day shall be processed and counted on
the fifth day after the election day at the office of the board of
elections in the manner provided in section 3509.06 of the Revised
Code if the voter signed the identification envelope by the close of
the polls on election day. However, if a return envelope containing a
uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot is so received,
but the identification envelope in it is signed after the close of
the polls on election day, the uniformed services or overseas absent
voter's ballot shall not be counted.

(C)
The following types of uniformed services or overseas absent voter's
ballots shall not be counted:

(1)
Uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots that are
received by the board of elections after the close of the polls on
the day of the election, and that contain an identification envelope
that is signed after the close of the polls on election day;

(2)
Uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots that are
received after the fourth day following the election.

The
uncounted ballots shall be preserved in their identification
envelopes unopened until the time provided by section 3505.31 of the
Revised Code for the destruction of all other ballots used at the
election for which ballots were provided, at which time they shall be
destroyed.

Sec.
3511.14.
(A)

A

Subject
to division (C) of this section, a
board
of elections shall accept and process federal write-in absentee
ballots
cast
under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52
U.S.C. 20302 and 20303,
for
all elections for office and for all ballot questions and issues

as required under "The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee
Voting Act," Pub. L. No. 99-410, 100 Stat. 924, 42 U.S.C.
1973ff, et seq., as amended
.

(B)
A uniformed services or overseas voter may use the declaration
accompanying a federal write-in absentee ballot to apply to register
to vote simultaneously with the submission of the federal write-in
absentee ballot, if the declaration is received not later than thirty
days before the day of the election. If the declaration is received
after that date, the declaration shall be considered an application
to register to vote for all subsequent elections.

(C)
A uniformed services or overseas absent voter who otherwise would be
required to cast a provisional ballot under division (B)(1) of
section 3503.201 of the Revised Code, but for no other reason, may
cast a federal write-in absentee ballot under the Uniformed and
Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. 20302 and 20303, in
a general election for federal office. The votes on such a voter's
ballot shall be counted only for federal candidates and not for any
state or local candidate or any ballot issue or question appearing on
the ballot at the election.

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 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
the _______________________________________ Party, hereby certify
that ____________________________ (Name of candidate) whose
declaration of candidacy is filed herewith, is a member of 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)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT
OF CIRCULATOR

I,

_______________________________________
(Name of circulator of petition),
declares

declare

under
penalty of election falsification that
the
circulator of the petition is a qualified elector of the state of
Ohio and resides
I
reside
at
the address appearing below
the

my

signature

of that circulator
;
that
the
circulator is
I
am
a
member of the ___________ Party; that
the
circulator is
I
am
the
circulator of the foregoing petition paper containing _____________
(Number) signatures; that
the
circulator
I

witnessed
the affixing of every signature; that all signers were to the best of

the
circulator's
my

knowledge
and belief qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best
of
the
circulator's
my

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.

(The circulator shall personally write the number of electors whose
signatures the petition paper contains.)

For
the purposes of any proceeding related to this petition, I submit to
the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Ohio, the Ohio
Secretary of State, and the board of elections of the county in which
I have circulated this petition. I understand that I may be required
to testify or to produce evidence in such a proceeding. I agree to
receive any service of process at the residence address I have
provided.

I
am compensated to circulate this petition by ______________________
(name and address). (The circulator shall complete the preceding
sentence as required by section 3501.38 of the Revised Code if the
circulator is being compensated to circulate the petition.)

_____________________________

(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 the same political party as the candidate.

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

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

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

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

Each
nominating petition shall contain a statement of candidacy that shall
be signed by the candidate or joint candidates named in it or by an
attorney in fact acting pursuant to section 3501.382 of the Revised
Code. Such statement of candidacy shall contain a declaration made
under penalty of election falsification that the candidate desires to
be a candidate for the office named in it, and that the candidate is
an elector qualified to vote for the office the candidate seeks.

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

"STATEMENT
OF CANDIDACY

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 post-office
address is ____________________________ (Street and Number, if any,
or Rural Route and Number) of the _______________________________
(City, Village, or post office) of ____________________, Ohio; and
that I am a qualified elector in the precinct in which my voting
residence is located. I hereby declare that I desire to be a
candidate for election to the office of ______________ in the
________________________ (State, District, County, City, Village,
Township, or School District) for the
______________________________________ (Full term or unexpired term
ending ________________) at the General Election to be held on the
___________ day of ___________, ____

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

___________________________

(Signature
of candidate)

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

I,
_________________________________, hereby constitute the persons
named below a committee to represent me:

Name

Residence

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

The
designated agent of the committee is _________________ (name). Notice
of all matters or proceedings pertaining to this petition may be
served on the agent at ________________________ (address).

NOMINATING
PETITION

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

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

A

Street

B

Address

C

or
R.F.D.

D

(Must
use

E

address
on

City,

F

file
with

Village

G

the
board of

or

Date
of

H

Signature

elections)

Township

Ward

Precinct

County

Signing

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

STATEMENT
OF CIRCULATOR

I,

___________________________,

declares

declare

under
penalty of election falsification that
such
person is a qualified elector of the state of Ohio and resides
I
reside
at
the address appearing below
such
person's
my

signature

hereto
;
that

such person is
I
am
the
circulator of the foregoing petition paper containing
________________ signatures; that
such
person
I

witnessed
the affixing of every signature; that all signers were to the best of

such
person's
my

knowledge
and belief qualified to sign; and that every signature is to the best
of
such
person's
my

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.

(The circulator shall personally write the number of electors whose
signatures the petition paper contains.)

For
the purposes of any proceeding related to this petition, I submit to
the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Ohio, the Ohio
Secretary of State, and the board of elections of the county in which
I have circulated this petition. I understand that I may be required
to testify or to produce evidence in such a proceeding. I agree to
receive any service of process at the residence address I have
provided.

I
am compensated to circulate this petition by ______________________
(name and address). (The circulator shall complete the preceding
sentence as required by section 3501.38 of the Revised Code if the
circulator is being compensated to circulate the petition.)

___________________________

(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 circulator

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 nominating petition for
a group of candidates for the office of member of a board of
education, township office, and offices of municipal corporations of
under two thousand population.

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

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

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

The
secretary of state or 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
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 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.

Sec.
3517.01.
(A)(1)
A political party within the meaning of Title XXXV of the Revised
Code is any group of voters that meets either of the following
requirements:

(a)
Except as otherwise provided in this division, at the most recent
regular state election, the group polled for its candidate for
governor in the state or nominees for presidential electors at least
three per cent of the entire vote cast for that office. A group that
meets the requirements of this division remains a political party for
a period of four years after meeting those requirements.

(b)
The group filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to its
failure to meet the requirements of division (A)(1)(a) of this
section, a party formation petition that meets all of the following
requirements:

(i)
The petition is signed by qualified electors equal in number to at
least one per cent of the total vote for governor or nominees for
presidential electors at the most recent election for such office.

(ii)
The petition is signed by not fewer than five hundred qualified
electors from each of at least a minimum of one-half of the
congressional districts in this state. If an odd number of
congressional districts exists in this state, the number of districts
that results from dividing the number of congressional districts by
two shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

(iii)
The petition declares the petitioners' intention of organizing a
political party, the name of which shall be stated in the
declaration, and of participating in the succeeding general election,
held in even-numbered years, that occurs more than one hundred
twenty-five days after the date of filing.

(iv)
The petition designates a committee of not less than three nor more
than five individuals of the petitioners, who shall represent the
petitioners in all matters relating to the petition. Notice of all
matters or proceedings pertaining to the petition may be served on
the

committee, or any of them

committee's agent designated under division (N)(1) of section 3501.38
of the Revised Code
,
either personally or by registered mail, or by leaving such notice at
the
agent's

usual
place of residence

of each of them
.

(2)
No such group of electors shall assume a name or designation that is
similar, in the opinion of the secretary of state, to that of an
existing political party as to confuse or mislead the voters at an
election.

(B)
A campaign committee shall be legally liable for any debts,
contracts, or expenditures incurred or executed in its name.

(C)
Notwithstanding the definitions found in section 3501.01 of the
Revised Code, as used in this section and sections 3517.08 to
3517.14, 3517.99, and 3517.992 of the Revised Code:

(1)
"Campaign committee" means a candidate or a combination of
two or more persons authorized by a candidate under section 3517.081
of the Revised Code to receive contributions and make expenditures.

(2)
"Campaign treasurer" means an individual appointed by a
candidate under section 3517.081 of the Revised Code.

(3)
"Candidate" has the same meaning as in division (H) of
section 3501.01 of the Revised Code and also includes any person who,
at any time before or after an election, receives contributions or
makes expenditures or other use of contributions, has given consent
for another to receive contributions or make expenditures or other
use of contributions, or appoints a campaign treasurer, for the
purpose of bringing about the person's nomination or election to
public office. When two persons jointly seek the offices of governor
and lieutenant governor, "candidate" means the pair of
candidates jointly. "Candidate" does not include candidates
for election to the offices of member of a county or state central
committee, presidential elector, and delegate to a national
convention or conference of a political party.

(4)
"Continuing association" means an association, other than a
campaign committee, political party, legislative campaign fund,
political contributing entity, or labor organization, that is
intended to be a permanent organization that has a primary purpose
other than supporting or opposing specific candidates, political
parties, or ballot issues, and that functions on a regular basis
throughout the year. "Continuing association" includes
organizations that are determined to be not organized for profit
under subsection 501 and that are described in subsection 501(c)(3),
501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(5)
"Contribution" means a loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of
indebtedness, donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or
anything of value, including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos
or testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any
person other than the person to whom the services are rendered for
the personal services of another person, which contribution is made,
received, or used for the purpose of influencing the results of an
election. Any loan, gift, deposit, forgiveness of indebtedness,
donation, advance, payment, or transfer of funds or of anything of
value, including a transfer of funds from an inter vivos or
testamentary trust or decedent's estate, and the payment by any
campaign committee, political action committee, legislative campaign
fund, political party, political contributing entity, or person other
than the person to whom the services are rendered for the personal
services of another person, that is made, received, or used by a
state or county political party, other than the moneys an entity may
receive under sections 3517.101, 3517.1012, and 3517.1013 of the
Revised Code, shall be considered to be a "contribution"
for the purpose of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code and shall be
included on a statement of contributions filed under that section.

"Contribution"
does not include any of the following:

(a)
Services provided without compensation by individuals volunteering a
portion or all of their time on behalf of a person;

(b)
Ordinary home hospitality;

(c)
The personal expenses of a volunteer paid for by that volunteer
campaign worker;

(d)
Any gift given to an entity pursuant to section 3517.101 of the
Revised Code;

(e)
Any contribution as defined in section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code
that is made, received, or used to pay the direct costs of producing
or airing an electioneering communication;

(f)
Any gift given to a state or county political party for the party's
restricted fund under division (A)(2) of section 3517.1012 of the
Revised Code;

(g)
Any gift given to a state political party for deposit in a Levin
account pursuant to section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code. As used in
this division, "Levin account" has the same meaning as in
that section.

(h)
Any donation given to a transition fund under section 3517.1014 of
the Revised Code.

(6)
"Expenditure" means the disbursement or use of a
contribution for the purpose of influencing the results of an
election or of making a charitable donation under division (G) of
section 3517.08 of the Revised Code. Any disbursement or use of a
contribution by a state or county political party is an expenditure
and shall be considered either to be made for the purpose of
influencing the results of an election or to be made as a charitable
donation under division (G) of section 3517.08 of the Revised Code
and shall be reported on a statement of expenditures filed under
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. During the thirty days preceding
a primary or general election, any disbursement to pay the direct
costs of producing or airing a broadcast, cable, or satellite
communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate shall be
considered to be made for the purpose of influencing the results of
that election and shall be reported as an expenditure or as an
independent expenditure under section 3517.10 or 3517.105 of the
Revised Code, as applicable, except that the information required to
be reported regarding contributors for those expenditures or
independent expenditures shall be the same as the information
required to be reported under divisions (D)(1) and (2) of section
3517.1011 of the Revised Code.

As
used in this division, "broadcast, cable, or satellite
communication" and "refers to a clearly identified
candidate" have the same meanings as in section 3517.1011 of the
Revised Code.

(7)
"Personal expenses" includes, but is not limited to,
ordinary expenses for accommodations, clothing, food, personal motor
vehicle or airplane, and home telephone.

(8)
"Political action committee" means a combination of two or
more persons, the primary or major purpose of which is to support or
oppose any candidate, political party, or issue, or to influence the
result of any election through express advocacy, and that is not a
political party, a campaign committee, a political contributing
entity, or a legislative campaign fund. "Political action
committee" does not include either of the following:

(a)
A continuing association that makes disbursements for the direct
costs of producing or airing electioneering communications and that
does not engage in express advocacy;

(b)
A political club that is formed primarily for social purposes and
that consists of one hundred members or less, has officers and
periodic meetings, has less than two thousand five hundred dollars in
its treasury at all times, and makes an aggregate total contribution
of one thousand dollars or less per calendar year.

(9)
"Public office" means any state, county, municipal,
township, or district office, except an office of a political party,
that is filled by an election and the offices of United States
senator and representative.

(10)
"Anything of value" has the same meaning as in section 1.03
of the Revised Code.

(11)
"Beneficiary of a campaign fund" means a candidate, a
public official or employee for whose benefit a campaign fund exists,
and any other person who has ever been a candidate or public official
or employee and for whose benefit a campaign fund exists.

(12)
"Campaign fund" means money or other property, including
contributions.

(13)
"Public official or employee" has the same meaning as in
section 102.01 of the Revised Code.

(14)
"Caucus" means all of the members of the house of
representatives or all of the members of the senate of the general
assembly who are members of the same political party.

(15)
"Legislative campaign fund" means a fund that is
established as an auxiliary of a state political party and associated
with one of the houses of the general assembly.

(16)
"In-kind contribution" means anything of value other than
money that is used to influence the results of an election or is
transferred to or used in support of or in opposition to a candidate,
campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party,
political action committee, or political contributing entity and that
is made with the consent of, in coordination, cooperation, or
consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of the benefited
candidate, committee, fund, party, or entity. The financing of the
dissemination, distribution, or republication, in whole or part, of
any broadcast or of any written, graphic, or other form of campaign
materials prepared by the candidate, the candidate's campaign
committee, or their authorized agents is an in-kind contribution to
the candidate and an expenditure by the candidate.

(17)
"Independent expenditure" means an expenditure by a person
advocating the election or defeat of an identified candidate or
candidates, that is not made with the consent of, in coordination,
cooperation, or consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of
any candidate or candidates or of the campaign committee or agent of
the candidate or candidates. As used in division (C)(17) of this
section:

(a)
"Person" means an individual, partnership, unincorporated
business organization or association, political action committee,
political contributing entity, separate segregated fund, association,
or other organization or group of persons, but not a labor
organization or a corporation unless the labor organization or
corporation is a political contributing entity.

(b)
"Advocating" means any communication containing a message
advocating election or defeat.

(c)
"Identified candidate" means that the name of the candidate
appears, a photograph or drawing of the candidate appears, or the
identity of the candidate is otherwise apparent by unambiguous
reference.

(d)
"Made in coordination, cooperation, or consultation with, or at
the request or suggestion of, any candidate or the campaign committee
or agent of the candidate" means made pursuant to any
arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the
candidate's campaign committee, or the candidate's agent prior to the
publication, distribution, display, or broadcast of the
communication. An expenditure is presumed to be so made when it is
any of the following:

(i)
Based on information about the candidate's plans, projects, or needs
provided to the person making the expenditure by the candidate, or by
the candidate's campaign committee or agent, with a view toward
having an expenditure made;

(ii)
Made by or through any person who is, or has been, authorized to
raise or expend funds, who is, or has been, an officer of the
candidate's campaign committee, or who is, or has been, receiving any
form of compensation or reimbursement from the candidate or the
candidate's campaign committee or agent;

(iii)
Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of section 3517.105 of
the Revised Code, made by a political party in support of a
candidate, unless the expenditure is made by a political party to
conduct voter registration or voter education efforts.

(e)
"Agent" means any person who has actual oral or written
authority, either express or implied, to make or to authorize the
making of expenditures on behalf of a candidate, or means any person
who has been placed in a position with the candidate's campaign
committee or organization such that it would reasonably appear that
in the ordinary course of campaign-related activities the person may
authorize expenditures.

(18)
"Labor organization" means a labor union; an employee
organization; a federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other
employee organizations; an auxiliary of a labor union, employee
organization, or federation of labor unions, groups, locals, or other
employee organizations; or any other bona fide organization in which
employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in
part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor
disputes, wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

(19)
"Separate segregated fund" means a separate segregated fund
established pursuant to the Federal Election Campaign Act.

(20)
"Federal Election Campaign Act" means the "Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971," 86 Stat. 11, 2 U.S.C.A. 431, et
seq., as amended.

(21)
"Restricted fund" means the fund a state or county
political party must establish under division (A)(1) of section
3517.1012 of the Revised Code.

(22)
"Electioneering communication" has the same meaning as in
section 3517.1011 of the Revised Code.

(23)
"Express advocacy" means a communication that contains
express words advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of a
candidate or that contains express words advocating the adoption or
defeat of a question or issue, as determined by a final judgment of a
court of competent jurisdiction.

(24)
"Political committee" has the same meaning as in section
3517.1011 of the Revised Code.

(25)
"Political contributing entity" means any entity, including
a corporation or labor organization, that may lawfully make
contributions and expenditures and that is not an individual or a
political action committee, continuing association, campaign
committee, political party, legislative campaign fund, designated
state campaign committee, or state candidate fund. For purposes of
this division, "lawfully" means not prohibited by any
section of the Revised Code, or authorized by a final judgment of a
court of competent jurisdiction.

(26)
"Internet identifier of record" has the same meaning as in
section 9.312 of the Revised Code.

Sec.
3517.12.
(A)
Prior to receiving a contribution or making an expenditure, the

circulator
or
committee
in charge of an initiative or referendum petition, or supplementary
petition for additional signatures, for the submission of a
constitutional amendment, proposed law, section, or item of any law
shall appoint a treasurer and
shall
file with the secretary of state, on a form prescribed by the
secretary of state,
include

a
designation of that appointment
,
including the full name and address of the treasurer and of the
circulator or committee

on the statement described in division (B) of section 3519.02 of the
Revised Code
.

(B)
The circulator or the committee in charge of an initiative or
referendum petition, or supplementary petition for additional
signatures, for the submission of a constitutional amendment,
proposed law, section, or item of any law shall, within thirty days
after those petition papers are filed, file with the secretary of
state, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, an itemized
statement, made under penalty of election falsification, showing in
detail the following:

(1)
All money or things of value paid, given, promised, or received for
circulating the petitions;

(2)
All appointments, promotions,
contracts,

or
increases in

salary

pay
,
in positions which were given, promised, or received, or to obtain
which assistance was given, promised, or received as a consideration
for work done in circulating petitions;

(3)
Full names and addresses, including street, city, and state, of all
persons to whom such payments or promises were made and of all
persons from whom such payments or promises were received;

(4)
Full names and addresses, including street, city, and state, of all
persons who contributed anything of value to be used in circulating
the petitions, and the amounts of those contributions;

(5)
Time spent and
salaries

pay

earned
while soliciting signatures to petitions by persons who were
regular
salaried
employees

or
contractors
of
some person or whom that employer authorized to solicit as part of
their regular duties.

If
no money or things of value were paid or received or if no promises
were made or received as a consideration for work done in circulating
a petition, the statement shall contain words to that effect.

(C)
The treasurer designated under division (A) of this section shall
file statements of contributions and expenditures in accordance with
section 3517.10 of the Revised Code regarding all contributions made
or received and all expenditures made by that treasurer or the
circulator or committee in connection with the initiative or
referendum petition, or supplementary petition for additional
signatures, for the submission of a constitutional amendment,
proposed law, section, or item of any law.

Sec.
3519.02.
The

(A)
As used in this section, "contribution" and "expenditure"
have the same meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.

(B)
Before circulating any initiative or referendum petition, including a
petition described in section 3519.01 of the Revised Code, and before
receiving a contribution or making an expenditure, the
petitioners
shall
designate
in any initiative, referendum, or supplementary petition and on each
of the several parts of such petition a
file
with the secretary of state, on a form prescribed by the secretary of
state, a statement containing all of the following information:

(1)
The full names and addresses of a
committee
of not less than three nor more than five of
their
number
the
petitioners,
who
shall represent them in all matters relating to such petitions
.
Notice
;

(2)
The full name and address of the committee's treasurer;

(3)
The full name and address of an agent upon whom notice
of
all matters or proceedings pertaining to such petitions may be served

on said committee, or any of them, either personally or by registered
mail, or by leaving such notice at the usual place of residence of
each of them
;

(4)
A designation of one or more members or agents of the committee who
consent to testify on behalf of the committee. The designation may
set out the matters on which each person designated may testify
.

(C)
The committee promptly shall update the statement described in
division (B) of this section with the secretary of state if the
information in the statement changes during the time that the
committee is circulating the petition. If the law, constitutional
amendment, or referendum is certified to appear on the ballot, the
committee promptly shall update that information if it changes at any
time before the day of the election.

(D)
Each part-petition shall include the names of the members of the
committee and the name and address of the committee's agent
designated under division (B)(3) of this section as they exist at the
time the part-petition is printed.

Sec.
3519.05.
(A)
If the measure to be submitted proposes a constitutional amendment,
the heading of each part of the petition shall be prepared in the
following form, and printed in capital letters in type of the
approximate size set forth:

"INITIATIVE
PETITION

Amendment
to the Constitution

Proposed
by Initiative Petition

To
be submitted directly to the electors"

"Amendment"
printed in fourteen-point boldface type shall precede the title,
which shall be briefly expressed and printed in eight-point type. The
summary shall then be set forth printed in ten-point type, and then
shall follow the certification of the attorney general, under proper
date, which shall also be printed in ten-point type. The petition
shall then set forth the names
and
addresses
of
the
members
of the petition
committee

of not less than three nor more than five to represent the
petitioners in all matters relating to the petition or its
circulation

designated under section 3519.02 of the Revised Code and the name and
address of the petition committee's agent designated under division
(B)(3) of that section
.

Immediately
above the heading of the place for signatures on each part of the
petition the following notice shall be printed in boldface type:

"NOTICE

Whoever
knowingly signs this petition more than once; except as provided in
section 3501.382 of the Revised Code, signs a name other than one's
own on this petition; or signs this petition when not a qualified
voter, is liable to prosecution."

The
heading of the place for signatures shall be substantially as
follows:

"(Sign
with ink. Your name, residence, and date of signing must be given.)

_______________________________________________________________

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

A

Rural
Route or

B

other
Post-

C

Signature

County

Township

office
Address

Month

Day

Year

_______________________________________________________________

(Voters
who do not live in a municipal corporation should fill in the
information called for by headings printed above.)

(Voters
who reside in municipal corporations should fill in the information
called for by headings printed below.)

_______________________________________________________________

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

A

City

Street

B

or

and

C

Signature

County

Village

Number

Ward

Precinct

Month

Day

Year"

_______________________________________________________________

The
text of the proposed amendment shall be printed in full, immediately
following the place for signatures, and shall be prefaced by "Be
it resolved by the people of the State of Ohio." Immediately
following the text of the proposed amendment must appear the
following form:

"I,
_________, declare under penalty of election falsification that I am
the circulator of the foregoing petition paper containing the
signatures of _________ electors, that the signatures appended hereto
were made and appended in my presence on the date set opposite each
respective name, and are the signatures of the persons whose names
they purport to be or of attorneys in fact acting pursuant to section
3501.382 of the Revised Code, and that the electors signing this
petition did so with knowledge of the contents of same.
I

(The
circulator shall personally write the number of electors whose
signatures the petition paper contains.)

For
the purposes of any proceeding related to this petition, I submit to
the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Ohio, the Ohio
Secretary of State, and the board of elections of the county in which
I have circulated this petition. I understand that I may be required
to testify or to produce evidence in such a proceeding. I agree to
receive any service of process at the residence address I have
provided.

I

am

employed

compensated

to
circulate this petition by ________________________________ (Name and
address

of employer
).
(The preceding sentence shall be completed as required by section
3501.38 of the Revised Code if the circulator is being
employed

compensated

to
circulate the petition.)

(Signed)
________________________

(Address
of circulator's permanent

residence

in this state
)

__________________________________

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

(B)
If the measure proposes a law, the heading of each part of the
petition shall be prepared as follows:

"INITIATIVE
PETITION

Law
proposed by initiative petition first to be submitted to the General
Assembly."

In
all other respects, the form shall be as provided for the submission
of a constitutional amendment, except that the text of the proposed
law shall be prefaced by "Be it enacted by the people of the
state of Ohio."

The
form for a supplementary initiative petition shall be the same as
that provided for an initiative petition, with the exception that
"supplementary" shall precede "initiative" in the
title thereof.

(C)
The general provisions set forth in this section relative to the form
and order of an initiative petition shall be, so far as practical,
applicable to a referendum petition, the heading of which shall be as
follows:

"REFERENDUM
PETITION

To
be submitted to the electors for their approval or rejection"

The
title, which follows the heading, shall contain a brief legislative
history of the law, section, or item of law to be referred. The text
of the law so referred shall be followed by the certification of the
secretary of state, in accordance with division (B)(2)(b) of section
3519.01 of the Revised Code, that it has been compared with the copy
of the enrolled act, on file in the secretary of state's office,
containing such law, section, or item of law, and found to be
correct.

(D)
The secretary of state shall prescribe a form for part petitions to
be submitted during the ten-day period beginning on the first day
following the date that the secretary of state notifies the

chairperson
of the committee interested in the
petition

committee's
agent
that
the petition has an insufficient number of valid signatures. The
secretary of state shall provide to each particular committee a
different form that contains a unique identifier and that is separate
from the forms prescribed in divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this
section. The secretary of state shall make the form available to the
committee only as described in division (F) of section 3519.16 of the
Revised Code. The form shall not be considered a public record until
after the secretary of state makes it available to the committee
under that division.

The
form shall comply with the requirements of Section 1g of Article II,
Ohio Constitution and, except as otherwise provided in this division,
with the requirements of divisions (A), (B), and (C) of this section.

Sec.
3519.16.
(A)
Pursuant to Section 1g of Article II, Ohio Constitution, the supreme
court of Ohio shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in all
challenges to initiative and referendum petitions.

(B)
The committee interested in a petition shall include upon each
part-petition filed with the secretary of state a designation of the
county in which the part-petition was circulated and a number for the
part-petition. In any county where part-petitions are circulated,
each part-petition shall be numbered sequentially. The committee
shall sort the part-petitions by county. Upon filing the petition
with the secretary of state, the committee also shall file the
following:

(1)
An electronic copy of the petition along with a verification that the
electronic copy is a true representation of the original filed paper
petition;

(2)
A summary of the number of part-petitions filed per county, and the
number of signatures on each part-petition;

(3)
An index of the electronic copy of the petition.

(C)
From the time the petition is initially filed with the secretary of
state and until the part-petitions are returned to the secretary of
state by the boards of elections after a determination of sufficiency
under section 3519.15 of the Revised Code, any request for the
inspection or copying of the original petition filed with the
secretary of state under Chapter 149. of the Revised Code is
fulfilled if the secretary of state permits the inspection of or
provides copies of the electronic copy of the petition filed by the
circulator.

(D)
Discrepancies between the electronic copy of a petition filed under
division (B)(1) of this section and the original paper petition filed
with the secretary of state shall not render the petition invalid.
Such discrepancies, if the product of fraud, shall be subject to
criminal penalties under section 3599.36 of the Revised Code.

(E)
The properly verified part-petitions, together with an electronic
copy of the part-petitions, shall be returned to the secretary of
state not less than one hundred ten days before the election,
provided that, in the case of an initiated law to be presented to the
general assembly, the boards shall promptly check and return the
petitions together with their report. The secretary of state shall
determine the sufficiency of the signatures not later than one
hundred five days before the election. The secretary of state
promptly shall notify the
chairperson
of the committee in charge of the circulation
petition
committee's agent
as
to the sufficiency or insufficiency of the petition and the extent of
the insufficiency.

(F)
If the petition is found insufficient because of an insufficient
number of valid signatures, the committee shall be allowed ten
additional days after the notification by the secretary of state for
the collection and filing of additional signatures to the petition.
When the secretary of state makes that notification, the secretary of
state simultaneously shall provide the
chairperson

petition
committee's agent
with
both a paper copy and an electronic copy of the unique petition form
described in division (D) of section 3519.05 of the Revised Code. At
that time, the secretary of state also shall make the form available
to the public on the secretary of state's official web site and shall
transmit the form electronically to the boards of elections. Upon
request, a board of elections shall provide a paper or electronic
copy of the form to any person.

No
additional signatures shall be collected or submitted to the
secretary of state by the committee interested in the petition, or by
any person acting on behalf of the committee, during the period
beginning on the date that the petition is initially submitted to the
secretary of state and ending on the date that the secretary of state
notifies the
chairperson
of the committee
petition
committee's agent
that
the petition has an insufficient number of valid signatures. If the
committee, or any person acting on behalf of the committee, submits
additional signatures, the signatures must be on the form provided by
the secretary of state under this division and only signatures that
were signed and collected during the ten-day period to collect and
submit additional signatures may be submitted.

If
additional signatures are filed, the secretary of state shall
determine the sufficiency of those additional signatures not later
than sixty-five days before the election. The part-petitions of the
supplementary petition that appear to the secretary of state to be
properly verified, upon their receipt by the secretary of state,
shall forthwith be forwarded to the boards of the several counties
together with the part-petitions of the original petition that have
been properly verified. They shall be immediately examined and passed
upon as to the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on them by
each of the boards and returned within eight days to the secretary of
state with the report of each board. No signature on a supplementary
part-petition that is the same as a signature on an original
part-petition shall be counted. The number of signatures in both the
original and supplementary petitions, properly verified, shall be
used by the secretary of state in determining the total number of
signatures to the petition that the secretary of state shall record
and announce. If they are sufficient, the amendment, proposed law, or
law shall be placed on the ballot as required by law. If the petition
is found insufficient, the secretary of state shall notify the
committee in charge of the circulation of the petition.

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) 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)
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.

Sec.
3599.21.
(A)
No person shall knowingly do any of the following:

(1)
Impersonate another, or make a false representation in order to
obtain an absent voter's ballot;

(2)
Aid or abet a person to vote an absent voter's ballot illegally;

(3)
If the person is an election official, open, destroy, steal, mark, or
mutilate any absent voter's ballot;

(4)
Aid or abet another person to open, destroy, steal, mark, or mutilate
any absent voter's ballot after the ballot has been voted;

(5)
Delay the delivery of any absent voter's ballot with a view to
preventing its arrival in time to be counted;

(6)
Hinder or attempt to hinder the delivery or counting of such absent
voter's ballot;

(7)
Fail to forward to the appropriate election official an absent
voter's ballot application entrusted to that person to so forward;

(8)
Fail to forward to the appropriate election official an absent
voter's ballot application entrusted to that person to so forward
within ten days after that application is completed or within such a
time period that the failure to so forward the application
disenfranchises the voter with respect to a particular election,
whichever is earlier;

(9)
Return the absent voter's ballot of another to the office of a board
of elections, unless either of the following apply:

(a)
The person is
a
relative
an
assistant
who
is authorized to do so under division
(C)(1)

(D)(2),
(3), or (4)
of
section 3509.05 of the Revised Code;

(b)
The person is, and is acting as, an employee or contractor of the
United States postal service or a private carrier.

(10)
Except as authorized under Chapters 3509. and 3511. of the Revised
Code, possess the absent voter's ballot of another.

(B)(1)
Subject to division (B)(2) of this section, no person who receives
compensation for soliciting persons to apply to vote by absent
voter's ballots shall fail to forward to the appropriate election
official an absent voter's ballot application entrusted to that
person to so forward within ten days after that application is
completed.

(2)
No person who receives compensation for soliciting persons to apply
to vote by absent voter's ballots shall fail to forward to the
appropriate election official an absent voter's ballot application
entrusted to that person to so forward within such a time period that
the failure to so forward the application disenfranchises the voter
with respect to a particular election.

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

(D)
As used in this section, "person who receives compensation for
soliciting persons to apply to vote by absent voter's ballots"
includes any effort, for compensation, to provide absent voter's
ballot applications or to assist persons in completing those
applications or returning them to the director of the board of
elections of the county in which the applicant's voting residence is
located.

Section
2.
That
existing sections 303.12, 303.59, 307.94, 3501.01, 3501.38, 3501.381,
3501.39, 3503.13
,
3503.14
,
3503.15, 3503.151, 3503.152, 3503.153
,
3503.16, 3503.19, 3503.20
,
3503.21
,
3503.33
,
3505.181, 3505.182, 3505.183, 3505.20
,
3509.02, 3509.03, 3509.04
,
3509.05, 3509.051, 3509.06, 3509.07, 3509.08, 3509.09
,
3511.02, 3511.04, 3511.05, 3511.09, 3511.11, 3511.14
,
3513.07, 3513.261, 3517.01, 3517.12, 3519.02, 3519.05, 3519.16
,
3599.12
,
and 3599.21 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section
3.
A
petition or part-petition described in section 3501.38 of the Revised
Code, as amended by this act, that is signed by one or more electors
before the effective date of this section is not invalid on the
ground that the petition or part-petition does not meet the
requirements of the Revised Code, as amended by this act, so long as
the petition or part-petition meets the requirements of the Revised
Code that were in effect on the day before the effective date of this
section.

Section
4.
The
General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of
section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized
if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the
following sections, presented in this act as composites of the
sections as amended by the acts indicated, are the resulting versions
of the sections in effect prior to the effective date of the sections
as presented in this act:

Section
3503.21 of the Revised Code as amended by both H.B. 359 and S.B. 63
of the 131st General Assembly.

Section
3505.183 of the Revised Code as amended by both H.B. 45 and H.B. 458
of the 134th General Assembly.