(A) Elections shall be conducted by the
Ohio soil and water conservation commission or its officially designated agents
in accordance with procedures set forth by such commission.
(1) Eligible voters may
cast in-person ballots at the dates, times, and locations indicated on the
notice. At a minimum, voting will be made available to eligible voters during
regular business hours of the soil and water conservation district over a
fourteen day period.
(2) Eligible voters may
cast absentee ballots by submitting the ballot and ballot application to the
district office. Absentee ballots will be provided to interested individuals
based on the number of eligible voters located within the household or at the
registered address.
(B) Ballots shall be counted and
considered valid if the following apply:
(1) The ballot
application is complete and indicates that the prospective voter is eligible to
vote as described in rule 901:13-3-02 of the Administrative Code.
(2) The ballot is
complete and unambiguously demonstrates the chosen candidate(s).
(3) In the case of
absentee ballots, the envelope is postmarked and received by the dates listed
in the notice as described in rule 901:13-3-03 of the Administrative
Code.
(C) Results of elections of successors shall be entered
upon the election result form prescribed by the Ohio soil and water
conservation commission which is available on the Ohio department of
agriculture's website www.agri.ohio.gov.
(1) The form shall
provide a tally of votes cast for each eligible candidate, total number of
ballot applications, designation of successful candidates, and certification by
the Ohio soil and water conservation commission or its officially designated
agent as recorded on the election result form.
(2) All ballots and
ballot applications shall be delivered to the commission by the
officially-designated agent after the election has concluded and will be held
for at least sixty days after the election has concluded. After such time, the
ballots and ballot applications may be destroyed provided a challenge of the
election has not been filed with the Ohio soil and water conservation
commission.
(D) The breaking of a tie, resulting from two or more
candidates receiving an equal number of votes for one of the expired terms,
shall be accomplished by a flip of a coin. The Ohio soil and water conservation
commission or its designated agent shall break the tie in the presence of the
affected candidates. The result shall be certified by the commission or its
designated agent.
(E) A candidate may request a recount of the votes cast by
so informing the Ohio soil and water conservation commission or its designated
agent no later than ten days following the announcement of the election
results. The commission or its designated agent shall set a time and place for
conducting such a recount and so inform the concerned parties. Recounts shall
be open to public observance. Recount notice does not require giving a due
notice. Recount results will be utilized by the commission in the determination
of the official election results and the commission's determination shall
be final.
