Chapter 3506 | Voting And Tabulating Equipment

Section 3506.01 | Voting and tabulation equipment definitions.

• Effective: September 29, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly

As used in this chapter and Chapters 3501., 3503., 3505., 3509., 3511., 3513., 3515., 3517., 3519., 3521., 3523., and 3599. of the Revised Code:

(A) "Marking device" means an apparatus operated by a voter to record the voter's choices through the marking of ballots enabling them to be examined and counted by automatic tabulating equipment.

(B) "Ballot" means the official election presentation of offices and candidates, including write-in candidates, and of questions and issues, and the means by which votes are recorded.

(C) "Automatic tabulating equipment" means a machine or electronic device, or interconnected or interrelated machines or electronic devices, that will automatically examine and count votes recorded on ballots. Automatic tabulating equipment may allow for the voter's selections to be indicated by marks made on a paper record by an electronic marking device.

(D) "Central counting station" means a location, or one of a number of locations, designated by the board of elections for the automatic examining, sorting, or counting of ballots.

(E) "Voting machines" means mechanical or electronic equipment for the direct recording and tabulation of votes.

(F) "Direct recording electronic voting machine" means a voting machine that records votes by means of a ballot display provided with mechanical or electro-optical components that can be actuated by the voter, that processes the data by means of a computer program, and that records voting data and ballot images in internal or external memory components. A "direct recording electronic voting machine" produces a tabulation of the voting data stored in a removable memory component and in printed copy. "Direct recording electronic voting machine" does not include a voting machine that captures votes by means of a ballot display but that transfers those votes onto an optical scan ballot or other paper record for tabulation.

(G) "Help America Vote Act of 2002" means the "Help America Vote Act of 2002," Pub. L. No. 107-252, 116 Stat. 1666.

(H) "Voter verified paper audit trail" means a physical paper printout on which the voter's ballot choices, as registered by a direct recording electronic voting machine, are recorded. The voter shall be permitted to visually or audibly inspect the contents of the physical paper printout. The physical paper printout shall be securely retained at the polling place until the close of the polls on the day of the election; the secretary of state shall adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code specifying the manner of storing the physical paper printout at the polling place. After the physical paper printout is produced, but before the voter's ballot is recorded, the voter shall have an opportunity to accept or reject the contents of the printout as matching the voter's ballot choices. If a voter rejects the contents of the physical paper printout, the system that produces the voter verified paper audit trail shall invalidate the printout and permit the voter to recast the voter's ballot. On and after the first federal election that occurs after January 1, 2006, unless required sooner by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, any system that produces a voter verified paper audit trail shall be accessible to disabled voters, including visually impaired voters, in the same manner as the direct recording electronic voting machine that produces it.

Section 3506.02 | Manner of adopting voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment.

• Effective: July 2, 2010
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 48 - 128th General Assembly

Voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment may be adopted for use in elections in any county in the following manner:

(A) By the board of elections;

(B) By the board of county commissioners of such county on the recommendation of the board of elections;

(C) By the affirmative vote of a majority of the electors of such county voting upon the question of the adoption of such equipment in such county.

If a petition signed by electors equal in number to two per cent of the total votes cast in the county for the office of governor at the most recent general election for that office is filed with the board of elections, such board shall submit to the electors of such county at the next general election occurring not less than ninety days thereafter the question "Shall voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment be adopted in the county of ________________________?" Upon the filing of such petition, the board of elections shall forthwith notify the board of county commissioners, and the board of county commissioners shall forthwith determine whether it would prefer to purchase or lease such equipment in whole or in part for cash and if so whether it will be necessary or advisable to issue bonds to provide funds for the purchase of such equipment, if adopted. If the board of county commissioners determines that it is necessary or advisable to issue bonds therefor, it shall by resolution provide for the submission on the same ballot, but as a separate issue, the question of issuing such bonds. The question of issuing such bonds shall be submitted as required by division (A) of section 3506.03 of the Revised Code.

Section 3506.021 | Use of electronic pollbook.

• Effective: February 25, 2014
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 109 - 130th General Assembly

(A) A board of elections may adopt the use of any electronic pollbook that has been certified for use in this state in accordance with section 3506.05 of the Revised Code, instead of using poll lists or signature pollbooks. A board of elections that opts to use electronic pollbooks shall notify the secretary of state of that decision.

(B) The secretary of state shall provide each board of elections that adopts the use of electronic pollbooks under division (A) of this section with rules, instructions, directives, and advisories regarding the examination, testing, and use of electronic pollbooks, including rules regarding the sealing of the information in those pollbooks as required under section 3505.31 of the Revised Code.

(C) As used in this section, "electronic pollbook" has the same meaning as in section 3506.05 of the Revised Code.

Section 3506.03 | Acquisition of equipment.

• Effective: July 22, 1994
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 143 - 120th General Assembly

Upon the adoption of voting machines, marking devices, and automatic tabulating equipment either by the action of the board of elections or by the board of county commissioners, on the recommendation of the board of elections or by the affirmative vote of a majority of the electors voting on the question of the adoption of such equipment, such board of county commissioners shall acquire the equipment by any one or by any combination of the following methods:

(A) By purchasing in whole or in part such equipment and paying the purchase price therefor in cash; or out of the proceeds of the issuance and sale of bonds, provided the question of issuing bonds for such purpose was submitted to the vote of the electors of the county pursuant to section 133.18 of the Revised Code and provided the issuance of such bonds was approved;

(B) By purchasing in whole or in part such equipment and paying the purchase price in a series of consecutive annual approximately equal installments the number of which shall not exceed the estimated number of years of usefulness of such equipment, as determined by the fiscal officer of the county and by issuing to the seller negotiable promissory notes of the county, evidencing the annual installments to become due, specifying the terms of purchase, and bearing interest at a rate not exceeding the rate determined as provided in section 9.95 of the Revised Code, which notes shall be public obligations as defined in division (GG)(2) of section 133.01 of the Revised Code and shall not be subject to Chapter 133. of the Revised Code, provided the legislation authorizing the issuance of such notes shall make provision for levying and collecting annually by taxation amounts sufficient to pay the interest on such notes and to provide for the payment of the principal thereof when due, and provided that the amounts of such tax so levied each year may be reduced by the amount by which revenues available for appropriation for the payment of the expenses of conducting elections are appropriated for, and applied to, the payment of such interest and principal of such notes;

(C) By leasing such equipment in whole or in part under contract of lease which shall provide for the rental, and also may provide for an option to purchase them or parts of them at a fixed price with the rentals paid to be applied to the purchase price, and payments under such contracts of lease may be made by the county out of funds of the county not otherwise appropriated; or which may be appropriated by the board of county commissioners, out of funds appropriated by the board of county commissioners to the board of elections for the costs and expenses of elections, with the approval of the board of elections; or out of the funds the board of county commissioners is authorized to provide by a levy and collection thereof annually by taxation.

Section 3506.04 | Acquisition of equipment in stages.

• Effective: August 22, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 99 - 121st General Assembly

(A) If it is impracticable to supply each election precinct with voting machines or marking devices for use at the next election following the adoption of such equipment, as many shall be supplied for that election and the succeeding elections as it is practicable to procure either by purchase or lease, or by a combination of both, and such equipment may be used in election precincts within the county as the board of elections directs until such time as it is practicable to provide the total number of voting machines or marking devices necessary to supply all precincts within the county, provided that the total number of voting machines or marking devices necessary to supply all precincts shall be procured by purchase or lease, or by a combination of both as soon as practicable after their adoption.

(B) The board of elections shall be charged with the custody of all equipment acquired by the county, and shall see that all such equipment is kept in proper working order and in good repair. The board of county commissioners of any county or the board of elections, upon recommendation of the board of elections, may, prior to the adoption of such equipment, acquire by purchase or lease or by loan, for the experimental use in a limited number of precincts, such equipment, and such experimental use shall be valid for all purposes as if such equipment had been formally adopted, provided that such equipment has been approved by the board of voting machine examiners for experimental use.

(C) All equipment acquired by any county by any of the methods provided for in this section shall be exempt from levy and taxation.

Section 3506.05 | Certification of voting and tabulating equipment.

• Effective: September 13, 2016
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 63 - 131st General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Electronic pollbook" means an electronic list of registered voters for a particular precinct or polling location that may be transported to a polling location.

(2) Except when used as part of the phrase "tabulating equipment" or "automatic tabulating equipment," "equipment" means a voting machine, marking device, automatic tabulating equipment, software, or an electronic pollbook.

(3) "Vendor" means the person that owns, manufactures, distributes, or has the legal right to control the use of equipment, or the person's agent.

(B) No voting machine, marking device, automatic tabulating equipment, or software for the purpose of casting or tabulating votes or for communications among systems involved in the tabulation, storage, or casting of votes, and no electronic pollbook, shall be purchased, leased, put in use, or continued to be used, except for experimental use as provided in division (B) of section 3506.04 of the Revised Code, unless it, a manual of procedures governing its use, and training materials, service, and other support arrangements have been certified by the secretary of state and unless the board of elections of each county where the equipment will be used has assured that a demonstration of the use of the equipment has been made available to all interested electors. The secretary of state shall appoint a board of voting machine examiners to examine and approve equipment and its related manuals and support arrangements. The board shall consist of four members, who shall be appointed as follows:

(1) Two members appointed by the secretary of state.

(2) One member appointed by either the speaker of the house of representatives or the minority leader of the house of representatives, whichever is a member of the opposite political party from the one to which the secretary of state belongs.

(3) One member appointed by either the president of the senate or the minority leader of the senate, whichever is a member of the opposite political party from the one to which the secretary of state belongs.

In all cases of a tie vote or a disagreement in the board, if no decision can be arrived at, the board shall submit the matter in controversy to the secretary of state, who shall summarily decide the question, and the secretary of state's decision shall be final. Each member of the board shall be a competent and experienced election officer or a person who is knowledgeable about the operation of voting equipment and shall serve during the secretary of state's term. Any vacancy on the board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. The secretary of state shall provide staffing assistance to the board, at the board's request.

For the member's service, each member of the board shall receive three hundred dollars per day for each combination of marking device, tabulating equipment, voting machine, or electronic pollbook examined and reported, but in no event shall a member receive more than six hundred dollars to examine and report on any one marking device, item of tabulating equipment, voting machine, or electronic pollbook. Each member of the board shall be reimbursed for expenses the member incurs during an examination or during the performance of any related duties that may be required by the secretary of state. Reimbursement of these expenses shall be made in accordance with, and shall not exceed, the rates provided for under section 126.31 of the Revised Code.

Neither the secretary of state nor the board, nor any public officer who participates in the authorization, examination, testing, or purchase of equipment, shall have any pecuniary interest in the equipment or any affiliation with the vendor.

(C)(1) A vendor who desires to have the secretary of state certify equipment shall first submit the equipment, all current related procedural manuals, and a current description of all related support arrangements to the board of voting machine examiners for examination, testing, and approval. The submission shall be accompanied by a fee of two thousand four hundred dollars and a detailed explanation of the construction and method of operation of the equipment, a full statement of its advantages, and a list of the patents and copyrights used in operations essential to the processes of vote recording and tabulating, vote storage, system security, pollbook storage and security, and other crucial operations of the equipment as may be determined by the board. An additional fee, in an amount to be set by rules promulgated by the board, may be imposed to pay for the costs of alternative testing or testing by persons other than board members, record-keeping, and other extraordinary costs incurred in the examination process. Moneys not used shall be returned to the person or entity submitting the equipment for examination.

(2) Fees collected by the secretary of state under this section shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the board of voting machine examiners fund, which is hereby created. All moneys credited to this fund shall be used solely for the purpose of paying for the services and expenses of each member of the board or for other expenses incurred relating to the examination, testing, reporting, or certification of equipment, the performance of any related duties as required by the secretary of state, or the reimbursement of any person submitting an examination fee as provided in this chapter.

(D) Within sixty days after the submission of the equipment and payment of the fee, or as soon thereafter as is reasonably practicable, but in any event within not more than ninety days after the submission and payment, the board of voting machine examiners shall examine the equipment and file with the secretary of state a written report on the equipment with its recommendations and, if applicable, its determination or condition of approval regarding whether the equipment, manual, and other related materials or arrangements meet the criteria set forth in sections 3506.07 and 3506.10 of the Revised Code and can be safely used by the voters at elections under the conditions prescribed in Title XXXV of the Revised Code, or a written statement of reasons for which testing requires a longer period. The board may grant temporary approval for the purpose of allowing experimental use of equipment. If the board finds that the equipment meets any applicable criteria set forth in sections 3506.06, 3506.07, and 3506.10 of the Revised Code, can be used safely and, if applicable, can be depended upon to record and count accurately and continuously the votes of electors, and has the capacity to be warranted, maintained, and serviced, it shall approve the equipment and recommend that the secretary of state certify the equipment. The secretary of state shall notify all boards of elections of any such certification. Equipment of the same model and make, if it operates in an identical manner, may then be adopted for use at elections.

(E) The vendor shall notify the secretary of state, who shall then notify the board of voting machine examiners, of any enhancement and any significant adjustment to the hardware or software that could result in a patent or copyright change or that significantly alters the methods of recording voter intent, system security, voter privacy, retention of the vote, communication of records, and connections between the system and other systems. The vendor shall provide the secretary of state with an updated operations manual for the equipment, and the secretary of state shall forward the manual to the board. Upon receiving such a notification and manual, the board may require the vendor to submit the equipment to an examination and test in order for the equipment to remain certified. The board or the secretary of state shall periodically examine, test, and inspect certified equipment to determine continued compliance with the requirements of this chapter and the initial certification. Any examination, test, or inspection conducted for the purpose of continuing certification of any equipment in which a significant problem has been uncovered or in which a record of continuing problems exists shall be performed pursuant to divisions (C) and (D) of this section, in the same manner as the examination, test, or inspection is performed for initial approval and certification.

(F) If, at any time after the certification of equipment, the board of voting machine examiners or the secretary of state is notified by a board of elections of any significant problem with the equipment or determines that the equipment fails to meet the requirements necessary for approval or continued compliance with the requirements of this chapter, or if the board of voting machine examiners determines that there are significant enhancements or adjustments to the hardware or software, or if notice of such enhancements or adjustments has not been given as required by division (E) of this section, the secretary of state shall notify the users and vendors of that equipment that certification of the equipment may be withdrawn.

(G)(1) The notice given by the secretary of state under division (F) of this section shall be in writing and shall specify both of the following:

(a) The reasons why the certification may be withdrawn;

(b) The date on which certification will be withdrawn unless the vendor takes satisfactory corrective measures or explains why there are no problems with the equipment or why the enhancements or adjustments to the equipment are not significant.

(2) A vendor who receives a notice under division (F) of this section shall, within thirty days after receiving it, submit to the board of voting machine examiners in writing a description of the corrective measures taken and the date on which they were taken, or the explanation required under division (G)(1)(b) of this section.

(3) Not later than fifteen days after receiving a written description or explanation under division (G)(2) of this section from a vendor, the board shall determine whether the corrective measures taken or the explanation is satisfactory to allow continued certification of the equipment, and the secretary of state shall send the vendor a written notice of the board's determination, specifying the reasons for it. If the board has determined that the measures taken or the explanation given is unsatisfactory, the notice shall include the effective date of withdrawal of the certification. This date may be different from the date originally specified in division (G)(1)(b) of this section.

(4) A vendor who receives a notice under division (G)(3) of this section indicating a decision to withdraw certification may, within thirty days after receiving it, request in writing that the board hold a hearing to reconsider its decision. Any interested party shall be given the opportunity to submit testimony or documentation in support of or in opposition to the board's recommendation to withdraw certification. Failure of the vendor to take appropriate steps as described in division (G)(1)(b) or to comply with division (G)(2) of this section results in a waiver of the vendor's rights under division (G)(4) of this section.

(H)(1) The secretary of state, in consultation with the board of voting machine examiners, shall establish, by rule, guidelines for the approval, certification, and continued certification of the voting machines, marking devices, tabulating equipment, and electronic pollbooks to be used under Title XXXV of the Revised Code. The guidelines shall establish procedures requiring vendors or computer software developers to place in escrow with an independent escrow agent approved by the secretary of state a copy of all source code and related documentation, together with periodic updates as they become known or available. The secretary of state shall require that the documentation include a system configuration and that the source code include all relevant program statements in low- or high-level languages. As used in this division, "source code" does not include variable codes created for specific elections.

(2) Nothing in any rule adopted under division (H) of this section shall be construed to limit the ability of the secretary of state to follow or adopt, or to preclude the secretary of state from following or adopting, any guidelines proposed by the federal election commission, any entity authorized by the federal election commission to propose guidelines, the election assistance commission, or any entity authorized by the election assistance commission to propose guidelines.

(3)(a) Before the initial certification of any direct recording electronic voting machine with a voter verified paper audit trail, and as a condition for the continued certification and use of those machines, the secretary of state shall establish, by rule, standards for the certification of those machines. Those standards shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(i) A definition of a voter verified paper audit trail as a paper record of the voter's choices that is verified by the voter prior to the casting of the voter's ballot and that is securely retained by the board of elections;

(ii) Requirements that the voter verified paper audit trail shall not be retained by any voter and shall not contain individual voter information;

(iii) A prohibition against the production by any direct recording electronic voting machine of anything that legally could be removed by the voter from the polling place, such as a receipt or voter confirmation;

(iv) A requirement that paper used in producing a voter verified paper audit trail be sturdy, clean, and resistant to degradation;

(v) A requirement that the voter verified paper audit trail shall be capable of being optically scanned for the purpose of conducting a recount or other audit of the voting machine and shall be readable in a manner that makes the voter's ballot choices obvious to the voter without the use of computer or electronic codes;

(vi) A requirement, for office-type ballots, that the voter verified paper audit trail include the name of each candidate selected by the voter;

(vii) A requirement, for questions and issues ballots, that the voter verified paper audit trail include the title of the question or issue, the name of the entity that placed the question or issue on the ballot, and the voter's ballot selection on that question or issue, but not the entire text of the question or issue.

(b) The secretary of state, by rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, may waive the requirement under division (H)(3)(a)(v) of this section, if the secretary of state determines that the requirement is cost prohibitive.

(4)(a) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (H)(4)(b) and (c) of this section, any voting machine, marking device, or automatic tabulating equipment used in this state shall meet, as a condition of continued certification and use, the voting system standards adopted by the federal election commission in 2002 or the voluntary voting system guidelines most recently adopted by the federal election assistance commission. A voting machine, marking device, or automatic tabulating equipment initially certified or acquired on or after December 1, 2008, also shall have the most recent federal certification number issued by the election assistance commission.

(b) Division (H)(4)(a) of this section does not apply to any voting machine, marking device, or automatic tabulating equipment that the federal election assistance commission does not certify as part of its testing and certification program.

(c) A county that acquires additional voting machines, marking devices, or automatic tabulating equipment on or after December 1, 2008, shall not be considered to have acquired those machines, devices, or equipment on or after December 1, 2008, for the purpose of division (H)(4)(a) of this section if all of the following apply:

(i) The voting machines, marking devices, or automatic tabulating equipment acquired are the same as the machines, devices, or equipment currently used in that county.

(ii) The acquisition of the voting machines, marking devices, or automatic tabulating equipment does not replace or change the primary voting system used in that county.

(iii) The acquisition of the voting machines, marking devices, or automatic tabulating equipment is for the purpose of replacing inoperable machines, devices, or equipment or for the purpose providing additional machines, devices, or equipment required to meet the allocation requirements established pursuant to division (I) of section 3501.11 of the Revised Code.

Section 3506.06 | Marking device specifications.

• Effective: September 29, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly

No marking device shall be approved by the board of voting machine examiners or certified by the secretary of state, or be purchased, rented, or otherwise acquired, or used, unless it fulfills the following requirements:

(A) It shall permit and require voting in absolute secrecy, and shall be so constructed that no person can see or know for whom any other elector has voted or is voting, except an elector who is assisting a voter as prescribed by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code.

(B) It shall permit each elector to vote at any election for all persons and offices for whom and for which the elector is lawfully entitled to vote, whether or not the name of any such person appears on a ballot as a candidate; to vote for as many persons for an office as the elector is entitled to vote for; and to vote for or against any question upon which the elector is entitled to vote.

(C) It shall permit each elector to write in the names of persons for whom the elector desires to vote, whose names do not appear upon the ballot, if such write-in candidates are permitted by law.

(D) It shall permit each elector, at all presidential elections, by one mark to vote for candidates of one party for president, vice president, and presidential electors.

(E) It shall be durably constructed of material of good quality in a neat and workerlike manner, and in form that shall make it safely transportable.

(F) It shall be so constructed that a voter may readily learn the method of operating it and may expeditiously cast the voter's vote for all candidates of the voter's choice.

(G) It shall not provide to a voter any type of receipt or voter confirmation that the voter legally may retain after leaving the polling place.

Section 3506.07 | Automatic tabulating equipment.

• Effective: September 29, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly

No automatic tabulating equipment shall be approved by the board of voting machine examiners or certified by the secretary of state, or be purchased, rented, or otherwise acquired, or used, unless it has been or is capable of being manufactured for use and distribution beyond a prototype and can be set by election officials, to examine ballots and to count votes accurately for each candidate, question, and issue, excluding any ballots marked contrary to the instructions printed on such ballots, provided that such equipment shall not be required to count write-in votes or the votes on any ballots that have been voted other than at the regular polling place on election day.

Section 3506.08 | Printed ballot card specifications.

• Effective: August 22, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 99 - 121st General Assembly

When a marking device designed for use with printed ballot cards has been approved by the secretary of state pursuant to section 3506.05 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall for each election prescribe specifications for the printing of such ballot cards that will present to voters the same information with respect to candidates, offices, questions, and issues obtainable from paper ballots for the same election prepared pursuant to Chapter 3505. of the Revised Code.

Each ballot card shall have attached two stubs, each of the width of the ballot and each at least one-half inch in length, except that, if the board of elections has an alternate method to account for the ballots that the secretary of state has authorized, each ballot card may have only one stub that shall be the width of the ballot and not less than one-half inch in length. In the case of ballot cards with two stubs, the stubs shall be separated from the ballot card and from each other by perforated lines. One stub shall be known as Stub A and shall have printed on its face "Stub A" and "Consecutive Number _____" The other stub shall be known as Stub B and shall have printed on its face "Stub B" and "Consecutive Number _____" and the instructions to the voter which shall be printed in upper and lower case ten point type. Each ballot card of each kind of ballot provided for use in each precinct shall be numbered consecutively by printing such number upon both of the stubs attached thereto. The board of elections may order the ballot type, part, rotation series, and the precinct designation printed and pre-punched at the top of each ballot card. This information shall be separated from the remaining portion of the ballot card.

The secretary of state shall further prescribe the supplementary means, whether paper ballots, ballot envelopes, or other, by which a voter may write in the names of candidates whose names do not appear on the ballot.

Section 3506.09 | Marking devices designed for use with electronic data processing cards.

• Effective: August 22, 1995
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 99 - 121st General Assembly

Where a marking device designed for use with electronic data processing cards has been approved by the secretary of state pursuant to section 3506.05 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall for each election prescribe for use with such marking device ballot labels that will present to voters the same information with respect to candidates, offices, questions, and issues obtainable from paper ballots for the same election prepared pursuant to Chapter 3505. of the Revised Code.

Each ballot card shall have attached two stubs, each of the width of the ballot and each at least one-half inch in length, except that, if the board of elections has an alternate method to account for the ballots that the secretary of state has authorized, each ballot card may have only one stub that shall be the width of the ballot and not less than one-half inch in length. In the case of ballot cards with two stubs, the stubs shall be separated from the ballot card and from each other by perforated lines. One stub shall be known as Stub A and shall have printed on its face "Stub A" and "Consecutive Number _____" The other stub shall be known as Stub B and shall have printed on its face "Stub B" and "Consecutive Number _____" and the instructions to the voter which shall be printed in upper and lower case ten point type. Each ballot card of each kind of ballot provided for use in each precinct shall be numbered consecutively by printing such number upon both of the stubs attached thereto. The board of elections may order the ballot type, part, rotation series, and the precinct designation printed and pre-punched at the top of each ballot card. This information shall be separated from the remaining portion of the ballot card.

The secretary of state shall further prescribe the supplementary means, whether paper ballots, ballot envelopes, or other, by which a voter may write in the names of candidates whose names do not appear on the ballot.

Section 3506.10 | Requirements for approval or certification of voting machines.

• Effective: May 7, 2004
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 262 - 125th General Assembly

No voting machine shall be approved by the board of voting machine examiners or certified by the secretary of state, or be purchased, rented, or otherwise acquired, or used, except when specifically allowed for experimental use, as provided in section 3506.04 of the Revised Code, unless it fulfills the following requirements:

(A) It shall permit and require voting in absolute secrecy, and shall be so constructed that no person can see or know for whom any other elector has voted or is voting, except an elector who is assisting a voter as prescribed by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code.

(B) It shall permit each elector to vote at any election for all persons and offices for whom and for which the elector is lawfully entitled to vote, whether or not the name of any such person appears on a ballot label as a candidate; to vote for as many persons for an office as the elector is entitled to vote for; and to vote for or against any question upon which the elector is entitled to vote.

(C) It shall preclude each elector from voting for any candidate or upon any question for whom or upon which the elector is not entitled to vote, from voting for more persons for any office than the elector is entitled to vote for, and from voting for any candidates for the same office or upon any question more than once.

(D) It shall permit each voter to deposit, write in, or affix, upon devices provided for that purpose, ballots containing the names of persons for whom the voter desires to vote, whose names do not appear upon the voting machine. Those devices shall be susceptible of identification as to party affiliations when used at a primary election.

(E) It shall permit each elector to change the elector's vote for any candidate or upon any question appearing upon the ballot labels, up to the time the elector starts to register the elector's vote.

(F) It shall permit each elector, at all presidential elections, by one device to vote for candidates of one party for president, vice-president, and presidential electors.

(G) It shall be capable of adjustment by election officers so as to permit each elector, at a primary election, to vote only for the candidates of the party with which the elector has declared the elector's affiliation and shall preclude the elector from voting for any candidate seeking nomination by any other political party; and to vote for the candidates for nonpartisan nomination or election.

(H) It shall have separate voting devices for candidates and questions, which shall be arranged in separate rows or columns. It shall be so arranged that one or more adjacent rows or columns may be assigned to the candidates of each political party at primary elections.

(I) It shall have a counter, or other device, the register of which is visible from the outside of the machine, and which will show at any time during the voting the total number of electors who have voted; and also a protective counter, or other device, the register of which cannot be reset, which will record the cumulative total number of movements of the internal counters.

(J) It shall be provided with locks and seals by the use of which, immediately after the polls are closed or the operation of the machine for an election is completed, no further changes to the internal counters can be allowed.

(K) It shall have the capacity to contain the names of candidates constituting the tickets of at least five political parties, and independent groups and such number of questions not exceeding fifteen as the secretary of state shall specify.

(L) It shall be durably constructed of material of good quality in a neat and workerlike manner, and in form that shall make it safely transportable.

(M) It shall be so constructed that a voter may readily learn the method of operating it, may expeditiously cast a vote for all candidates of the voter's choice, and when operated properly shall register and record correctly and accurately every vote cast.

(N) It shall be provided with a screen, hood, or curtain, which will conceal the voter while voting. During the voting, it shall preclude every person from seeing or knowing the number of votes registered for any candidate or question and from tampering with any of the internal counters.

(O) It shall not provide to a voter any type of receipt or voter confirmation that the voter legally may retain after leaving the polling place.

(P) On and after the first federal election that occurs after January 1, 2006, unless required sooner by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, if the voting machine is a direct recording electronic voting machine, it shall include a voter verified paper audit trail.

Before any voting machine is purchased, rented, or otherwise acquired, or used, the person or corporation owning or manufacturing that machine or having the legal right to control the use of that machine shall give an adequate guarantee in writing and post a bond in an amount sufficient to cover the cost of any recount or new election resulting from or directly related to the use or malfunction of the equipment, accompanied by satisfactory surety, all as determined by the secretary of state, with the board of county commissioners, guaranteeing and securing that those machines have been and continue to be certified by the secretary of state in accordance with section 3506.05 of the Revised Code, comply fully with the requirements of this section, and will correctly, accurately, and continuously register and record every vote cast, and further guaranteeing those machines against defects in workership and materials for a period of five years from the date of their acquisition.

Section 3506.11 | Rotation of candidates' names.

• Effective: February 5, 2014
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 193 - 130th General Assembly

The names of all candidates for an office shall be arranged in a group under the title of the office and printed on labels so that they may be rotated on the voting machine as provided in section 3505.03 of the Revised Code. Under the name of each candidate nominated at a primary election, nominated by petition under section 3517.012 of the Revised Code, or certified by a party committee to fill a vacancy under section 3513.31 of the Revised Code, the name of the political party that nominated or certified the candidate shall be printed in less prominent typeface than that in which the candidate's name is printed.

Section 3506.12 | County board to combine, rearrange or enlarge precincts - counting stations.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly

In counties where marking devices, automatic tabulating equipment, voting machines, or any combination of these are in use or are to be used, the board of elections:

(A) May combine, rearrange, and enlarge precincts; but the board shall arrange for a sufficient number of these devices to accommodate the number of electors in each precinct as determined by the number of votes cast in that precinct at the most recent election for the office of governor, taking into consideration the size and location of each selected polling place, available parking, accessibility for persons with disabilities and other accessibility to the polling place, and the number of candidates and issues to be voted on. Notwithstanding section 3501.22 of the Revised Code, the board may appoint more than four precinct officers to each precinct if this is made necessary by the number of voting machines to be used in that precinct.

(B) Except as otherwise provided in this division, shall establish one or more counting stations to receive voted ballots and other precinct election supplies after the polling precincts are closed. Those stations shall be under the supervision and direction of the board of elections. Processing and counting of voted ballots, and the preparation of summary sheets, shall be done in the presence of observers approved by the board. A certified copy of the summary sheet for the precinct shall be posted at each counting station immediately after completion of the summary sheet.

Last updated March 10, 2023 at 12:13 PM

Section 3506.13 | Challengers and witnesses in precincts where marking devices, automatic tabulating equipment, voting machines, or any combination of these are used.

• Effective: June 1, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly

In precincts where marking devices, automatic tabulating equipment, voting machines, or any combination of these are used, observers may be appointed as prescribed in section 3505.21 of the Revised Code. The duties and privileges of observers in such precincts during the hours the polls are open shall be as provided in section 3505.21 of the Revised Code.

Observers shall be allowed to remain in the polling place after the polls close and may observe the processing of the ballots and the sealing and signing of the envelopes or containers or both containing the voted ballots.

Section 3506.14 | Testing and auditing of voting equipment.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

(A) Prior to each election, the board of elections shall do both of the following as instructed by the secretary of state:

(1) Test and audit the variable codes applicable to that election to verify the accuracy of any computer program that will be used for tallying the ballot cards for each precinct in which an election will be held;

(2) Conduct systematic logic and accuracy testing of every component of every voting machine, marking device, or piece of automatic tabulating equipment with every ballot style to be used in the election to ascertain that the ballots are accurate and that the machines, devices, and equipment will accurately record, mark, or count the votes cast for all offices and on all questions and issues, as applicable. The test shall be conducted by processing a pre-audited group of ballots so marked as to record a predetermined number of valid votes for each candidate and on each question and issue, and shall include for each office one or more ballots that have votes in excess of the number allowed by law in order to test the ability of the automatic tabulating equipment to reject those votes. In that test a different number of valid votes shall be assigned to each candidate for an office, and for and against each question and issue. If an error is detected, the cause for the error shall be ascertained and corrected and an errorless count shall be made and certified to by the board before the count is started.

(B) All automatic tabulating equipment to be used in an election shall pass the same testing described in division (A)(2) of this section at the beginning and conclusion of the election day count before the election returns are approved as official.

(C) The board shall give public notice of the time and place of all testing to be conducted under this section by proclamation or posting as in the case of notice of elections. All testing under this section shall be conducted by bipartisan teams of election officials.

(D) No voting machine, marking device, or piece of automatic tabulating equipment shall be used in an election in this state without undergoing successful testing under this section.

(E) On completion of the election day count, the programs, test materials, and ballots shall be sealed and retained as provided for paper ballots in section 3505.31 of the Revised Code.

Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:01 PM

Section 3506.15 | Secretary of state to promulgate rules for equipment and conduct of elections.

• Effective: February 25, 2014
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 109 - 130th General Assembly

The secretary of state shall provide each board of elections with rules, instructions, directives, and advisories regarding the examination, testing, and use of the voting machine and tabulating equipment, the assignment of duties of booth officials, the procedure for casting a vote on the machine, and how the vote shall be tallied and reported to the board, and with other rules, instructions, directives, and advisories the secretary of state finds necessary to ensure the adequate care and custody of voting equipment, and the accurate registering, counting, and canvassing of the votes as required by this chapter. The boards of elections shall be charged with the responsibility of providing for the adequate instruction of voters and election officials in the proper use of the voting machine and marking devices.

The secretary of state's rules, instructions, directives, and advisories provided under this section shall comply, insofar as practicable, with this chapter. The provisions of Title XXXV of the Revised Code, not inconsistent with the provisions relating to voting machines, apply in any county using a voting machine.

Section 3506.18 | Electronic voting machine - verified paper audit trail as official ballot in recount.

• Effective: May 2, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly

(A) For any recount of an election in which ballots are cast using a direct recording electronic voting machine with a voter verified paper audit trail, the voter verified paper audit trail shall serve as the official ballot to be recounted.

(B) Voter verified paper audit trails shall be preserved in the same manner and for the same time period as paper ballots are preserved under section 3505.31 of the Revised Code.

(C) A voter verified paper audit trail shall be treated as are other ballots for purposes of section 149.43 of the Revised Code and shall be retained in accordance with the county records retention schedule established under section 149.38 of the Revised Code after the relevant time period prescribed for its preservation in section 3505.31 of the Revised Code, or as ordered by the secretary of state or a court of competent jurisdiction.

(D) If a voter verified paper audit trail is made available to the public, any information on that voter verified paper audit trail that identifies the particular direct recording electronic voting machine that produced it shall be redacted.

Section 3506.19 | Disability-accessible electronic voting machine to be required at each polling place.

• Effective: April 6, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 281 - 134th General Assembly

On and after the first federal election that occurs after January 1, 2006, unless required sooner by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, each polling location shall have available for use at all elections at least one direct recording electronic voting machine or marking device that is accessible for individuals with disabilities, including nonvisual accessibility for persons who are blind and visually impaired, in a manner that provides the same opportunity for access and participation, including privacy and independence, as for other voters.

Last updated March 10, 2023 at 12:13 PM

Section 3506.20 | Tracking number required for ballots on demand system.

• Effective: May 2, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "ballots on demand voting system" means a system that utilizes ballots printed as needed by election officials at the board of elections for distribution to electors, either in person or by mail.

(B) No board of elections shall use a ballots on demand voting system unless each ballot printed by the system includes a tracking number.

Section 3506.21 | Optical scan ballot marking requirements.

• Effective: February 27, 2008
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 286 - 127th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "optical scan ballot" means a ballot that is marked by using a specified writing instrument to fill in a designated position to record a voter's candidate, question, or issue choice and that can be scanned and electronically read in order to tabulate the vote.

(B)(1) In addition to marks that can be scanned and electronically read by automatic tabulating equipment, any of the following marks, if a majority of those marks are made in a consistent manner throughout an optical scan ballot, shall be counted as a valid vote:

(a) A candidate, question, or issue choice that has been circled by the voter;

(b) An oval beside the candidate, question, or issue choice that has been circled by the voter;

(c) An oval beside the candidate, question, or issue choice that has been marked by the voter with an "x," a check mark, or other recognizable mark;

(d) A candidate, question, or issue choice that has been marked with a writing instrument that cannot be recognized by automatic tabulating equipment.

(2) Marks made on an optical scan ballot in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section shall be counted as valid votes only if that optical scan ballot contains no marks that can be scanned and electronically read by automatic tabulating equipment.

(3) If automatic tabulating equipment detects that more marks were made on an optical scan ballot for a particular office, question, or issue than the number of selections that a voter is allowed by law to make for that office, question, or issue, the voter's ballot shall be invalidated for that office, question, or issue. The ballot shall not be invalidated for any other office, question, or issue for which the automatic tabulating equipment detects a vote to have been cast, in accordance with the law.

(C) The secretary of state may adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to authorize additional types of optical scan ballots and to specify the types of marks on those ballots that shall be counted as a valid vote to ensure consistency in the counting of ballots throughout the state.

(D)(1) A board of elections of a county that uses optical scan ballots and automatic tabulating equipment as the primary voting system for the county shall not tabulate the unofficial results of optical scan ballots voted on election day at a central location.

(2) A board of elections that provides for the tabulation at each precinct of voted ballots, and then, at a central location, combines those precinct ballot totals with ballot totals from other precincts, including optical scan ballots voted by absent voters, shall not be considered to be tabulating the unofficial results of optical scan ballots at a central location for the purpose of division (D)(1) of this section.

Section 3506.22 | Direct recording electronic voting machines after 2012.

• Effective: March 20, 2014
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 200 - 130th General Assembly

(A) Beginning in the year 2013 and thereafter, a county that selects direct recording electronic voting machines as the primary voting system to be used in the county and not only for accessibility for individuals with disabilities as required under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and section 3506.19 of the Revised Code shall acquire, if needed, sufficient direct recording electronic voting machines to meet the minimum number of direct recording electronic voting machines required to be established by the secretary of state under division (B) of this section.

(B) Beginning in the year 2013 and every eight years thereafter, the secretary of state shall establish, for each county, a minimum number of direct recording electronic voting machines that the county shall be required to have if it elects to use direct recording electronic voting machines as the primary voting system in the county. The minimum number for each county shall be calculated as follows:

(1) The total number of registered voters in the county as of the October deadline for voter registration for the last presidential election or the average of the total number of registered voters in the county as of the October deadline for voter registration for the last two presidential elections, whichever number is higher, minus the total number of absent voter's ballots cast and counted at the last presidential election, shall be determined.

(2) The number resulting from the determination under division (B)(1) of this section shall be divided by one hundred seventy-five.

(3) Any fraction resulting from the calculation under division (B)(2) of this section shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

(C) A county that selects direct recording electronic voting machines as the primary voting system to be used in the county and not only for accessibility for individuals with disabilities as required under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and section 3506.19 of the Revised Code after May 2, 2006, but before the year 2013 shall do so in accordance with the formula set forth in Section 514.03 of Am. Sub. H.B. 66 of the 126th general assembly.

Section 3506.23 | Voting machines not to be connected to internet.

• Effective: May 2, 2006
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly

A voting machine shall not be connected to the internet.

Section 3506.24 | Elected official ownership interest in voting system manufacturer.

• Effective: April 7, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Elected official" means an elected officer of the state, any political subdivision, or the United States, other than a member of a central committee of a political party.

(2) "Voter registration system" means software and any related equipment used by a board of elections or the secretary of state to process, store, organize, maintain, or retrieve voter registration records.

(B)(1) No voter registration system, voting machine, marking device, or automatic tabulating equipment shall be used for the purpose of conducting elections in this state if an elected official or the spouse of an elected official is a partner, owner, or member of the person or entity that manufactured, assembled, or otherwise made the system, machine, device, or equipment or of the person or entity from which the system, machine, device, or equipment is acquired.

(2) For purposes of division (B)(1) of this section, an elected official or the spouse of an elected official is not considered an owner of a publicly traded person or entity if the elected official's and the spouse's combined ownership interest in the person or entity is less than ten per cent.

Last updated January 31, 2023 at 4:49 PM