The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation.
Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.
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Section 3599.01 | Bribery.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 199 - 114th General Assembly
(A) No person shall before, during, or after any primary, convention, or election: (1) Give, lend, offer, or procure or promise to give, lend, offer, or procure any money, office, position, place or employment, influence, or any other valuable consideration to or for a delegate, elector, or other person; (2) Attempt by intimidation, coercion, or other unlawful means to induce such delegate or elector to register or refrain from registering or to vote or refrain from voting at a primary, convention, or election for a particular person, question, or issue; (3) Advance, pay, or cause to be paid or procure or offer to procure money or other valuable thing to or for the use of another, with the intent that it or part thereof shall be used to induce such person to vote or to refrain from voting. (B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of bribery, a felony of the fourth degree; and if he is a candidate he shall forfeit the nomination he received, or if elected to any office he shall forfeit the office to which he was elected at the election with reference to which such offense was committed.
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Section 3599.02 | Bribery - offenses concerning voters or voting.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
No person shall before, during, or after any primary, general, or special election or convention solicit, request, demand, receive, or contract for any money, gift, loan, property, influence, position, employment, or other thing of value for that person or for another person for doing any of the following: (A) Registering or refraining from registering to vote; (B) Agreeing to register or to refrain from registering to vote; (C) Agreeing to vote or to refrain from voting; (D) Voting or refraining from voting at any primary, general, or special election or convention for a particular person, question, or issue; (E) Registering or voting, or refraining from registering or voting, or voting or refraining from voting for a particular person, question, or issue. Whoever violates this section is guilty of bribery, a felony of the fourth degree, and shall be disfranchised and excluded from holding any public office for five years immediately following such conviction.
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Section 3599.03 | Use of corporation and labor organization funds for political purposes.
Effective:
September 29, 2015
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly
(A)(1) Except to carry on activities specified in sections 3517.082, 3517.101, and 3517.1011, division (A)(2) of section 3517.1012, division (B) of section 3517.1013, division (C)(1) of section 3517.1014, and section 3599.031 of the Revised Code and except as provided in divisions (D), (E), and (F) of this section, no corporation, no nonprofit corporation, and no labor organization, directly or indirectly, shall pay or use, or offer, advise, consent, or agree to pay or use, the corporation's money or property, or the labor organization's money, including dues, initiation fees, or other assessments paid by members, or property, for or in aid of or opposition to a political party, a candidate for election or nomination to public office, a political action committee including a political action committee of the corporation or labor organization, a legislative campaign fund, or any organization that supports or opposes any such candidate, or for any partisan political purpose, shall violate any law requiring the filing of an affidavit or statement respecting such use of those funds, or shall pay or use the corporation's or labor organization's money for the expenses of a social fund-raising event for its political action committee if an employee's or labor organization member's right to attend such an event is predicated on the employee's or member's contribution to the corporation's or labor organization's political action committee. (2) Whoever violates division (A)(1) of this section shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand dollars. (B)(1) No officer, stockholder, attorney, or agent of a corporation or nonprofit corporation, no member, including an officer, attorney, or agent, of a labor organization, and no candidate, political party official, or other individual shall knowingly aid, advise, solicit, or receive money or other property in violation of division (A)(1) of this section. (2) Whoever violates division (B)(1) of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. (C) A corporation, a nonprofit corporation, or a labor organization may use its funds or property for or in aid of or opposition to a proposed or certified ballot issue. Such use of funds or property shall be reported on a form prescribed by the secretary of state. Reports of contributions in connection with statewide ballot issues shall be filed with the secretary of state. Reports of contributions in connection with local issues shall be filed with the board of elections of the most populous county of the district in which the issue is submitted or to be submitted to the electors. Reports made pursuant to this division shall be filed by the times specified in divisions (A)(1) and (2) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code. (D) A nonprofit corporation that is a membership association and that is exempt from taxation under subsection 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code may transfer contributions received as part of a regular dues payment from member partnerships and other unincorporated businesses as defined in division (I)(6) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code to its political action committee. Contributions received under this division shall be itemized and allocated to individuals subject to contribution limits. (E)(1) Any gift made pursuant to section 3517.101 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section or of any other section of the Revised Code. (2) Any gift made pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 3517.1012 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section. (3) Any gift made pursuant to division (B) of section 3517.1013 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section. (4) Any donation made pursuant to division (C)(1) of section 3517.1014 of the Revised Code does not constitute a violation of this section. (F) Any compensation or fees paid by a financial institution to a state political party for services rendered pursuant to division (B) of section 3517.19 of the Revised Code do not constitute a violation of this section or of any other section of the Revised Code. (G)(1) The use by a nonprofit corporation of its money or property for communicating information for a purpose specified in division (A) of this section is not a violation of that division if the stockholders, members, donors, trustees, or officers of the nonprofit corporation are the predominant recipients of the communication. (2) The placement of a campaign sign on the property of a corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor organization is not a use of property in violation of division (A) of this section by that corporation, nonprofit corporation, or labor organization. (3) The use by a corporation or labor organization of its money or property for communicating information for a purpose specified in division (A) of this section is not a violation of that division if it is not a communication made by mass broadcast such as radio or television or made by advertising in a newspaper of general circulation but is a communication sent exclusively to members, employees, officers, or trustees of that labor organization or shareholders, employees, officers, or directors of that corporation or to members of the immediate families of any such individuals or if the communication intended to be so sent exclusively is unintentionally sent as well to a de minimis number of other individuals. (H) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting agreements between employee organizations and public employers, this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of agreements between labor organizations and public employers that are entered into on or after March 31, 2005, pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code. (I) As used in this section, "labor organization" has the same meaning as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.
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Section 3599.031 | Payroll deductions of political contributions - separate account.
Effective:
March 31, 2005
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 1SPECIALSESSION - 125th General Assembly
(A) Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code to the contrary and subject to division (C) of section 3517.09 of the Revised Code and division (B) of this section, any employer may deduct from the wages and salaries of its employees amounts for an account described in division (B) of this section, a separate segregated fund, a political action committee of the employer, a political action committee of a labor organization of the employer's employees, a political action committee of an association of which the employer is a member, a political party, a person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or a ballot issue that the employee by written authorization may designate and shall transmit any amounts so deducted as a separate written authorization described in division (B) of this section shall direct. Any authorization authorizing a deduction from an employee's wages or salary may be on a form that is used to apply for or authorize membership in or authorize payment of dues or fees to any organization, but the authorization for a deduction shall be stated and signed separately from the application for membership or the authorization for the payment of dues or fees. The employer either may deduct from the amount to be so transmitted a uniform amount determined by the employer to be necessary to defray the actual cost of making such deduction and transmittal, or may utilize its own funds in an amount it determines is necessary to defray the actual administrative cost, including making the deduction and transmittal. (B) If an employer establishes a separate account in the name of an employee for the purpose of depositing into the account amounts deducted from the wages and salary of the employee pursuant to division (A) of this section or amounts directly given by the employee to the employer for the support of a candidate, a separate segregated fund, a political action committee of the employer, a political action committee of a labor organization of the employer's employees, a political action committee of an association of which the employer is a member, a political party, a legislative campaign fund, a person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or a ballot issue, the employee shall sign a written authorization designating the recipient of a disbursement from that account. The written authorization required under this division is separate and distinct from a written authorization required under division (A) of this section. The authorization required under this division shall clearly identify and designate the candidate, separate segregated fund, political action committee of the employer, political action committee of a labor organization of the employer's employees, political action committee of an association of which the employer is a member, political party, legislative campaign fund, person making disbursements to pay the direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications, or ballot issue that is to receive any disbursement from the account established pursuant to this division. No person shall designate the recipient of a disbursement from the account except the employee from whose account the disbursement is made. No employer shall make a disbursement from the account of an employee established under this division unless the employer has received the written authorization required under this division. (C) An employer shall furnish the recipient of any amount transmitted pursuant to this section with the employer's full name and the full name of the labor organization of which the employee whose amount is being transmitted is a member, if any. An employer shall keep and maintain the authorization forms of all its employees from whose wages and salaries any amounts were deducted pursuant to division (A) of this section and the authorizations of disbursements from accounts established under division (B) of this section for a period of at least six years after the year in which the deductions and disbursements were made. (D) An employee who has made an authorization pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section may revoke that authorization at any time. A revocation of the authorization does not affect any deduction already made from an employee's wages and salary or any amounts already transmitted or disbursed under this section. (E) For purposes of this section and for the purpose of the information required to be filed under division (B)(4)(b)(iii) of section 3517.10 of the Revised Code: (1) If an employer is a corporation, each subsidiary of a parent corporation shall be considered an entity separate and distinct from any other subsidiary and separate and distinct from the parent corporation. (2) Each national, regional, state, and local affiliate of a labor organization shall be considered a distinct entity. (F) Whoever violates division (B) of this section shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars for each disbursement made in violation of that division. (G) In addition to the laws listed in division (A) of section 4117.10 of the Revised Code that prevail over conflicting agreements between employee organizations and public employers, this section prevails over any conflicting provisions of agreements between labor organizations and public employers that are entered into on or after the effective date of this amendment pursuant to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code. (H) As used in this section: (1) "Electioneering communication," "legislative campaign fund," "labor organization," "political action committee," and "separate segregated fund" have the same meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code. (2) "Public employer" means an employer that is the state or a state agency, authority, commission, or board, a political subdivision of the state, a school district or state institution of higher learning, a public or special district, or any other public employer. (3) "Employee" includes only an employee who is a resident of or is employed in this state.
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Section 3599.04 | Corrupt practices - contributions for illegal election purposes.
Effective:
October 1, 1953
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly
No person shall, directly or indirectly, in connection with any election, pay, lend, or contribute or offer or promise to pay, lend, or contribute any money or other valuable consideration in the election or defeat of any candidate or the adoption or defeat of any question or issue for any purposes other than those enumerated in sections 3517.08 and 3517.12 of the Revised Code. Whoever violates this section is guilty of corrupt practices and shall be fined not less than twenty-five nor more than five hundred dollars.
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Section 3599.05 | Corrupt practices - employer shall not influence political opinions or votes of employees.
Effective:
October 1, 1953
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly
No employer or his agent or a corporation shall print or authorize to be printed upon any pay envelopes any statements intended or calculated to influence the political action of his or its employees; or post or exhibit in the establishment or anywhere in or about the establishment any posters, placards, or hand bills containing any threat, notice, or information that if any particular candidate is elected or defeated work in the establishment will cease in whole or in part, or other threats expressed or implied, intended to influence the political opinions or votes of his or its employees. Whoever violates this section is guilty of corrupt practices, and shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars.
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Section 3599.06 | Employer shall not interfere with employee on election day.
Effective:
October 1, 1953
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly
No employer, his officer or agent , shall discharge or threaten to discharge an elector for taking a reasonable amount of time to vote on election day; or require or order an elector to accompany him to a voting place upon such day; or refuse to permit such elector to serve as an election official on any registration or election day; or indirectly use any force or restraint or threaten to inflict any injury, harm, or loss; or in any other manner practice intimidation in order to induce or compel such person to vote or refrain from voting for or against any person or question or issue submitted to the voters. Whoever violates this section shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars.
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Section 3599.07 | Unlawful possession or distribution of ballots.
Effective:
February 25, 2014
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 109 - 130th General Assembly
No precinct election official, observer, or police officer admitted into the polling rooms at the election, at any time while the polls are open, shall have in the individual's possession, distribute, or give out any ballot or ticket to any person on any pretense during the receiving, counting, or certifying of the votes, or have any ballot or ticket in the individual's possession or control, except in the proper discharge of the individual's official duty in receiving, counting, or canvassing the votes. This section does not prevent the lawful exercise by a precinct election official or observer of the individual right to vote at such election.
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Section 3599.08 | Corrupt practices - influencing candidates and voters by publications.
Effective:
October 1, 1953
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly
No owner, editor, writer, or employee of any newspaper, magazine, or other publication of any description, whether published regularly or irregularly, shall use the columns of any such publication for the printing of any threats, direct or implied, in the columns of any such publication for the purpose of controlling or intimidating candidates for public office. Such person shall not directly or indirectly solicit, receive, or accept any payment, promise, or compensation for influencing or attempting to influence votes through any printing matter, except through matter inserted in such publication as "paid advertisement" and so designated. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a corrupt practice and shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars.
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Section 3599.09 | Seeking nomination or election to more than one prohibited office at same election.
Effective:
December 23, 2002
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 445 - 124th General Assembly
Whoever knowingly violates division (A) of section 3513.052 is guilty of seeking nomination or election to more than one prohibited office at the same election and shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
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Section 3599.10 | Corrupt practices - candidate for general assembly shall not be asked to pledge vote.
Effective:
October 1, 1953
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly
No person, firm, or corporation shall demand of any candidate for the general assembly any pledge concerning his vote on any legislation, question, or proposition that may come before the general assembly; provided that this shall not be understood to prohibit a reasonable inquiry as to such candidate's views on such question or legislation. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a corrupt practice and shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars.
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Section 3599.11 | False voter registration - registration forms.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly
(A) No person shall knowingly register or make application or attempt to register in a precinct in which the person is not a qualified voter; or knowingly aid or abet any person to so register; or attempt to register or knowingly induce or attempt to induce any person to so register; or knowingly impersonate another or write or assume the name of another, real or fictitious, in registering or attempting to register; or by false statement or other unlawful means procure, aid, or attempt to procure the erasure or striking out on the register or duplicate list of the name of a qualified elector therein; or knowingly induce or attempt to induce a registrar or other election authority to refuse registration in a precinct to an elector thereof; or knowingly swear or affirm falsely upon a lawful examination by or before any registering officer; or make, print, or issue any false or counterfeit certificate of registration or knowingly alter any certificate of registration. No person shall knowingly register under more than one name or knowingly induce any person to so register. No person shall knowingly make any false statement on any form for registration or change of registration or upon any application or return envelope for an absent voter's ballot. Whoever violates this division is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree. (B)(1) No person who helps another person register outside an official voter registration place shall knowingly destroy, or knowingly help another person to destroy, any completed registration form. Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree. (2)(a) No person who helps another person register outside an official voter registration place shall knowingly fail to return any registration form entrusted to that person to any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state within ten days after that regsitration form is completed, or on or before the thirtieth day before the election, whichever day is earlier, unless the registration form is received by the person within twenty-four hours of the thirtieth day before the election, in which case the person shall return the registration form to any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state within ten days of its receipt. Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree, unless the person has not previously been convicted of a violation of division (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (C)(1), or (C)(2) of this section, the violation of this division does not cause any person to miss any voter registration deadline with regard to any election, and the number of voter registration forms that the violator has failed to properly return does not exceed forty-nine, in which case the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. (b) Subject to division (C)(2) of this section, no person who helps another person register outside an official registration place shall knowingly return any registration form entrusted to that person to any location other than any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state. Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree, unless the person has not previously been convicted of a violation of division (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (C)(1), or (C)(2) of this section, the violation of this division does not cause any person to miss any voter registration deadline with regard to any election, and the number of voter registration forms that the violator has failed to properly return does not exceed forty-nine, in which case the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. (C)(1) No person who receives compensation for registering a voter shall knowingly fail to return any registration form entrusted to that person to any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state within ten days after that voter registration form is completed, or on or before the thirtieth day before the election, whichever is earlier, unless the registration form is received by the person within twenty-four hours of the thirtieth day before the election, in which case the person shall return the registration form to any board of elections or the office of the secrtary of state within ten days of its receipt. Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree, unless the person has not previously been convicted of a violation of division (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (C)(1), or (C)(2) of this section, the violation of this division does not cause any person to miss any voter registration deadline with regard to any election, and the number of voter registration forms that the violator has failed to properly return does not exceed forty-nine, in which case the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. (2) No person who receives compensation for registering a voter shall knowingly return any registration form entrusted to that person to any location other than any board of elections or the office of the secretary of state. Whoever violates this division is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree, unless the person has not previously been convicted of a violation of division (B)(2)(a), (B)(2)(b), (C)(1), or (C)(2) of this section, the violation of this division does not cause any person to miss any voter registration deadline with regard to any election, and the number of voter registration forms that the violator has failed to properly return does not exceed forty-nine, in which case the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. (D) As used in division (C) of this section, "registering a voter" includes any effort, for compensation, to provide voter registration forms or to assist persons in completing or returning those forms.
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Section 3599.111 | Per signature or per volume voter registration compensation prohibited - penalty.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section, "registering a voter" or "registering voters" includes any effort, for compensation, to provide voter registration forms or to assist persons in completing or returning those forms. (B) No person shall receive compensation on a fee per signature or fee per volume basis for circulating any declaration of candidacy, nominating petition, initiative petition, referendum petition, recall petition, or any other election-related petition that is filed with or transmitted to a board of elections, the office of the secretary of state, or other appropriate public office. (C) No person shall receive compensation on a fee per registration or fee per volume basis for registering a voter. (D) No person shall pay any other person for collecting signatures on election-related petitions or for registering voters except on the basis of time worked. (E)(1) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of receiving improper compensation for circulating a petition, a felony of the fifth degree. (2) Whoever violates division (C) of this section is guilty of receiving improper compensation for registering a voter, a felony of the fifth degree. (3) Whoever violates division (D) of this section is guilty of paying improper compensation for circulating a petition or registering a voter, a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.12 | Illegal voting.
Effective:
January 27, 2006
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 234 - 126th General Assembly
(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.
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Section 3599.13 | Signing of petitions.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly
(A) No person shall do any of the following: (1) Sign an initiative, supplementary, referendum, recall, or nominating petition knowing that the person is not at the time qualified to sign it; (2) Knowingly sign such a petition more than once; (3) Except as otherwise provided in section 3501.382 of the Revised Code, sign a name other than the person's own on such a petition; (4) Accept anything of value for signing such a petition; (5) Seek by intimidation or threats to influence any person to sign or refrain from signing such a petition, or from circulating or abstaining from circulating such a petition; (6) Sign a declaration of candidacy and petition for a candidate of a party with which the person is not affiliated, as required by section 3513.05 of the Revised Code; (7) Make a false affidavit or statement concerning the signatures on any such petition. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section shall be fined not less than fifty or more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not less than three or more than six months, or both.
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Section 3599.14 | Prohibited acts concerning declarations or petitions.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly
(A) No person shall knowingly, directly or indirectly, do any of the following in connection with any declaration of candidacy and petition, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, nominating petition, or other petition presented to or filed with the secretary of state, a board of elections, or any other public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any elective office, including the office of a political party, for the purpose of submitting a question or issue to the electors at an election, or for the purpose of forming a political party: (1) Misrepresent the contents, purpose, or effect of the petition or declaration for the purpose of persuading a person to sign or refrain from signing the petition or declaration; (2) Pay or offer to pay anything of value for signing or refraining from signing the petition or declaration; (3) Promise to assist any person to obtain appointment to an office or position as a consideration for obtaining or preventing signatures to the petition or declaration; (4) Obtain or prevent signatures to the petition or declaration as a consideration for the assistance or promise of assistance of a person in securing appointment to an office or position; (5) Circulate or cause to be circulated the petition or declaration knowing it to contain false, forged, or fictitious names; (6) Except as otherwise provided in section 3501.382 of the Revised Code, add signatures or names except the person's own name on the petition or declaration; (7) Make a false certification or statement concerning the petition or declaration; (8) File with the election authorities the petition or declaration knowing it to contain false, forged, or fictitious names; (9) Fail to fill out truthfully and file all itemized statements required by law in connection with the petition or declaration. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.15 | Purchase, theft, sale, destruction, or mutilation of petitions.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly
No person shall purchase, steal, attempt to steal, sell, attempt to sell, or willfully destroy or mutilate any initiative, supplementary, referendum, recall, or nominating petition, or any part of a petition, that is being or has been lawfully circulated; provided that the words "purchase" and "sell" do not apply to persons paying or receiving pay for soliciting signatures to or circulating a petition or petition paper. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.16 | Misconduct of member, director, or employee of board of elections - dismissal.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 199 - 114th General Assembly
No member, director, or employee of a board of elections shall: (A) Willfully or negligently violate or neglect to perform any duty imposed upon him by law, or willfully perform or neglect to perform it in such a way as to hinder the objects of the law, or willfully disobey any law incumbent upon him so to do; (B) Willfully or knowingly report as genuine a false or fraudulent signature on a petition or registration form, or willfully or knowingly report as false or fraudulent any such genuine signature; (C) Willfully add to or subtract from the votes actually cast at an election in any official returns, or add to or take away or attempt to add to or take away any ballot from those legally polled at such election; (D) Carry away, destroy, or mutilate any registration cards or forms, pollbooks, or other records of any election; (E) Act as an election official in any capacity in an election, except as specifically authorized in his official capacity; (F) In any other way willfully and knowingly or unlawfully violate or seek to prevent the enforcement of any other provisions of the election laws. Whoever violates this section shall be dismissed from his position as a member or employee of the board and is guilty of a felony of the fourth degree.
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Section 3599.161 | Prohibiting inspection of election records.
Effective:
January 1, 1995
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 300 - 120th General Assembly
(A) The director of elections, deputy director of elections, or an employee of the board of elections designated by the director or deputy director shall be available during normal office hours to provide any person with access to the public records filed in the office of the board of elections. (B) No director of elections, deputy director of elections, or employee of the board of elections designated by the director or deputy director shall knowingly prevent or prohibit any person from inspecting, under reasonable regulations established and posted by the board of elections, the public records filed in the office of the board of elections. Records relating to the declination of a person to register to vote and to the identity of a voter registration agency through which any particular person registered to vote are not public records for purposes of this section. (C) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of prohibiting inspection of election records, a minor misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction, be dismissed from his position as director of elections, deputy director of elections, or employee of the board of elections.
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Section 3599.17 | Prohibitions concerning elections officials.
Effective:
February 25, 2014
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 109 - 130th General Assembly
(A) No elections official serving as a registrar or precinct election official shall do any of the following: (1) Fail to appear before the board of elections, or its representative, after notice has been served personally upon the official or left at the official's usual place of residence, for examination as to the official's qualifications; (2) Fail to appear at the polling place to which the official is assigned at the hour and during the hours set for the registration or election; (3) Fail to take the oath prescribed by section 3501.31 of the Revised Code, unless excused by such board; (4) Refuse or sanction the refusal of another registrar or precinct election official to administer an oath required by law; (5) Fail to send notice to the board of the appointment of a precinct election official to fill a vacancy; (6) Act as registrar or precinct election official without having been appointed and having received a certificate of appointment, except a precinct election official appointed to fill a vacancy caused by absence or removal; (7) Fail in any other way to perform any duty imposed by law. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.18 | Prohibitions concerning registration of electors.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
(A) No election official, person assisting in the registration of electors, or police officer shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Refuse, neglect, or unnecessarily delay, hinder, or prevent the registration of a qualified elector, who in a lawful manner applies for registration; (2) Enter or consent to the entry of a fictitious name on a voter registration list; (3) Alter the name on or remove or destroy the registration card or form of any qualified elector; (4) Neglect, unlawfully execute, or fail to execute any duty enjoined upon that person as an election official, person assisting in the registration of electors, or police officer. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.19 | Prohibitions concerning precinct election officials.
Effective:
February 25, 2014
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 109 - 130th General Assembly
(A) No precinct election official shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Unlawfully open or permit to be opened the sealed package containing registration lists, ballots, blanks, pollbooks, and other papers and material to be used in an election; (2) Unlawfully misplace, carry away, negligently lose or permit to be taken from the precinct election official, fail to deliver, or destroy any such packages, papers, or material; (3) Receive or sanction the reception of a ballot from a person not a qualified elector or from a person who refused to answer a question in accordance with the election law; (4) Refuse to receive or sanction the rejection of a ballot from a person, knowing that person to be a qualified elector; (5) Permit a fraudulent ballot to be placed in the ballot box; (6) Place or permit to be placed in any ballot box any ballot known by the precinct election official to be improperly or falsely marked; (7) Count or permit to be counted any illegal or fraudulent ballot; (8) Mislead an elector who is physically unable to prepare the elector's ballot, mark a ballot for such elector otherwise than as directed by that elector, or disclose to any person, except when legally required to do so, how such elector voted; (9) Alter or mark or permit any alteration or marking on any ballot when counting the ballots; (10) Unlawfully count or tally or sanction the wrongful counting or tallying of votes; (11) After the counting of votes commences, as required by law, postpone or sanction the postponement of the counting of votes, adjourn at any time or to any place, or remove the ballot box from the place of voting, or from the custody or presence of all the precinct election officials; (12) Permit any ballot to remain or to be in the ballot box at the opening of the polls, or to be put in the box during the counting of the ballots, or to be left in the box without being counted; (13) Admit or sanction the admission to the polling room at an election during the receiving, counting, and certifying of votes of any person not qualified by law to be so admitted; (14) Refuse to admit or sanction the refusal to admit any person, upon lawful request for admission, who is legally qualified to be present; (15) Permit or sanction the counting of the ballots contrary to the manner prescribed by law; (16) Neglect or unlawfully execute any duty enjoined upon the precinct election official by law. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.20 | Prohibitions concerning ballots generally.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
No person shall attempt to induce an elector to show how the elector marked the elector's ballot at an election; or, being an elector, allow the elector's ballot to be seen by another, except as provided by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code, with the apparent intention of letting it be known how the elector is about to vote; or make a false statement as to the elector's ability to mark the ballot; or knowingly mark the ballot so it may be identified after it has been cast; or attempt to interfere with an elector in the voting booth when marking the elector's ballot; or knowingly destroy or mutilate a lawful ballot; or remove from the polling place or be found in unlawful possession of a lawful ballot outside the enclosure provided for voting; or knowingly hinder or delay the delivery of a lawful ballot to a person entitled to receive it; or give to an elector a ballot printed or written contrary to law; or forge or falsely make an official indorsement on a ballot. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.21 | Prohibitions concerning absent voter's ballot.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 458 - 134th General Assembly
(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 who is authorized to do so under division (C)(1) 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.
Last updated January 24, 2023 at 4:10 PM
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Section 3599.22 | Prohibitions concerning printing of ballots.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
(A) No person employed to print or engage in printing the official ballots shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Print or cause or permit to be printed an official ballot other than the official ballot furnished by the board of elections; (2) Print or permit to be printed more ballots than are delivered to the board; (3) Appropriate, give, deliver, or knowingly permit to be taken away any of such ballots by a person other than the person authorized by law to do so; (4) Print such ballots on paper other than that provided in the contract with the board; (5) Package or deliver to the board fewer ballots than the number the board directed to be printed. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.23 | Prohibitions concerning election materials or papers.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
(A) No printer or other person entrusted with the printing, custody, or delivery of registration cards or forms, ballots, blanks, pollbooks, cards of instruction, or other required papers shall do any of the following: (1) Knowingly and unlawfully open or permit to be opened a sealed package containing ballots or other printed forms; (2) Knowingly give or deliver to another not lawfully entitled to them, or unlawfully misplace or carry away, or knowingly fail to deliver, or knowingly destroy any such forms or packages of ballots, or a ballot, pollbooks, cards of instruction, or other required papers; (3) Negligently lose or permit to be taken from the printer or other entrusted person any of the materials described in division (A)(2) of this section. (B) No person entrusted with the preparation, custody, or delivery of marking devices shall do either of the following: (1) Unlawfully open or permit to be opened a sealed package containing marking devices, or give or deliver to another not lawfully entitled to them any such marking devices; (2) Unlawfully or carelessly use or negligently lose or permit to be taken from the printer or other entrusted person and fail to deliver or destroy any such marking devices. (C) Whoever violates division (A)(1) or (2) or (B) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Whoever violates division (A)(3) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree.
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Section 3599.24 | Interference with conduct of election.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly
(A) No person shall do any of the following: (1) By force, fraud, or other improper means, obtain or attempt to obtain possession of the ballots, ballot boxes, or pollbooks; (2) Recklessly destroy any property used in the conduct of elections; (3) Attempt to intimidate an election officer, or prevent an election official from performing the official's duties; (4) Knowingly tear down, remove, or destroy any of the registration lists or sample ballots furnished by the board of elections at the polling place; (5) Loiter in or about a registration or polling place during registration or the casting and counting of ballots so as to hinder, delay, or interfere with the conduct of the registration or election; (6) Remove from the voting place the pencils, cards of instruction, supplies, or other conveniences furnished to enable the voter to mark the voter's ballot. (B) Whoever violates division (A)(1) or (2) of this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree. Whoever violates division (A)(3), (4), (5), or (6) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.25 | Inducing illegal voting.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
(A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Counsel or advise another to vote at an election, knowing that the person is not a qualified voter; (2) Advise, aid, or assist another person to go or come into a precinct for the purpose of voting in it, knowing that such person is not qualified to vote in it; (3) Counsel, advise, or attempt to induce an election officer to permit a person to vote, knowing such person is not a qualified elector. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a felony of the fourth degree.
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Section 3599.26 | Tampering with ballots.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly
No person shall fraudulently put a ballot or ticket into a ballot box; or knowingly and willfully vote a ballot other than an official ballot lawfully obtained by the person from the precinct election authorities; or fraudulently or deceitfully change a ballot of an elector, by which such elector is prevented from voting for such candidates or on an issue as the elector intends to do; or mark a ballot of an elector except as authorized by section 3505.24 of the Revised Code; or hand a marked ballot to an elector to vote, with intent to ascertain how the elector voted; or furnish a ballot to an elector who cannot read, knowingly informing the elector that it contains a name different from the one that is printed or written thereon, to induce the elector to vote contrary to the elector's intentions; or unduly delay or hinder an elector from applying for registration, registering, or from attempting to vote or voting; or knowingly print or distribute a ballot contrary to law. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.27 | Possession of or tampering with voting machine, automatic tabulating equipment, or marking device prohibited.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly
No unauthorized person shall have in the person's possession any voting machine that may be owned or leased by any county or any of the parts or the keys thereof. No person shall tamper or attempt to tamper with, deface, impair the use of, destroy, or otherwise injure in any manner any voting machine. No unauthorized person shall have in the person's possession any marking device, automatic tabulating equipment, or any of the parts, appurtenances, or accessories thereof. No person shall tamper or attempt to tamper with, deface, impair the use of, destroy, or otherwise change or injure in any manner any marking device, automatic tabulating equipment, or any appurtenances or accessories thereof. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.28 | False signatures.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly
No person, with intent to defraud or deceive, shall write or sign the name of another person to any document, petition, registration card, or other book or record authorized or required by Title XXXV of the Revised Code. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.29 | Possession of false records.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly
No person shall have in the person's possession a falsely made, altered, forged, or counterfeited registration card, form, or list, pollbook, tally sheet, or list of election returns of an election, knowing it to be such, with intent to hinder, defeat, or prevent a fair expression of the popular will at such election. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.31 | Failure of officer of law to assist election officers.
Effective:
February 25, 2014
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 109 - 130th General Assembly
No officer of the law shall fail to obey forthwith an order of the voting location manager and aid in enforcing a lawful order of the voting location manager at an election, against persons unlawfully congregating or loitering within one hundred feet of a polling place, hindering or delaying an elector from reaching or leaving the polling place, soliciting or attempting, within one hundred feet of the polling place, to influence an elector in casting the elector's vote, or interfering with the registration of voters or casting and counting of the ballots. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.32 | General prohibition concerning election officials.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
No official upon whom a duty is imposed by an election law for the violation of which no penalty is otherwise provided shall knowingly disobey such election law. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.33 | Fraudulent marking or altering ballots or election records.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly
No person, from the time ballots are cast or counted until the time has expired for using them as evidence in a recount or contest of election, shall willfully and with fraudulent intent make any mark or alteration on any ballot; or inscribe, write, or cause to be inscribed or written in or upon a registration form or list, pollbook, tally sheet, or list, lawfully made or kept at an election, or in or upon a book or paper purporting to be such, or upon an election return, or upon a book or paper containing such return the name of a person not entitled to vote at such election or not voting thereat, or a fictitious name, or, within such time, wrongfully change, alter, erase, or tamper with a name, word, or figure contained in such pollbook, tally sheet, list, book, or paper; or falsify, mark, or write thereon with intent to defeat, hinder, or prevent a fair expression of the will of the people at such election. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.34 | Prohibitions concerning destruction of election records.
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 2 - 121st General Assembly
No person, from the time ballots are cast or voted until the time has expired for using them in a recount or as evidence in a contest of election, shall unlawfully destroy or attempt to destroy the ballots, or permit such ballots or a ballot box or pollbook used at an election to be destroyed; or destroy, falsify, mark, or write in a name on any such ballot that has been voted. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
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Section 3599.35 | Proxies not to be given by party representatives - impersonation of representatives.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
No party committeeperson or party delegate or alternate chosen at an election, or a delegate or alternate appointed to a convention provided by law, shall give or issue a proxy or authority to another person to act or vote in that person's stead. No person shall knowingly or fraudulently act or vote or attempt to impersonate, act, or vote in place of that committeeperson, delegate, or alternate. Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.36 | Election falsification.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
No person, either orally or in writing, on oath lawfully administered or in a statement made under penalty of election falsification, shall knowingly state a falsehood as to a material matter relating to an election in a proceeding before a court, tribunal, or election official, or in a matter in relation to which an oath or statement under penalty of election falsification is authorized by law, including a statement required for verifying or filing any declaration of candidacy, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, nominating petition, or other petition presented to or filed with the secretary of state, a board of elections, or any other public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any elective office, including the office of a political party, for the purpose of submitting a question or issue to the electors at an election, or for the purpose of forming a political party. Whoever violates this section is guilty of election falsification, a felony of the fifth degree. Every paper, card, or other document relating to any election matter that calls for a statement to be made under penalty of election falsification shall be accompanied by the following statement in bold face capital letters: "Whoever commits election falsification is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree."
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Section 3599.37 | Disobedience of subpoena concerning violation of election laws.
Effective:
September 29, 2007
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 119 - 127th General Assembly
(A) No person having been subpoenaed or ordered to appear before a grand jury, court, board, or officer in a proceeding or prosecution upon a complaint, information, affidavit, or indictment for an offense under an election law shall do either of the following: (1) Fail to appear or, having appeared, refuse to answer a question pertinent to the matter under inquiry or investigation; (2) Refuse to produce, upon reasonable notice, any material, books, papers, documents, or records in that person's possession or under that person's control. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section, unless the violator personally appears before the grand jury, court, board, or officer and asserts the protection of the violator's constitutional rights, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.38 | Illegally influencing voters while performing election duties.
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 3 - 126th General Assembly
(A) No election official, observer, deputy sheriff, special deputy sheriff, or police officer, while performing that person's duties related to the casting of votes, shall do either of the following: (1) Wear any badge, sign, or other insignia or thing indicating that person's preference for any candidate or for any question submitted at an election; (2) Influence or attempt to influence any voter to cast the voter's ballot for or against any candidate or issue submitted at an election. (B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.39 | Second conviction under election laws.
Effective:
December 9, 1997
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 116 - 122nd General Assembly
Any person convicted of a violation of any provision of Title XXXV of the Revised Code, who is again convicted of a violation of any such provision, whether such conviction is for the same offense or not, is on such second conviction guilty of a felony of the fourth degree, and in addition, shall be disfranchised.
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Section 3599.40 | General penalty.
Effective:
September 5, 2012
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 326 - 129th General Assembly
Except as otherwise provided in section 3599.39 of the Revised Code, whoever violates any provision of Title XXXV of the Revised Code, unless otherwise provided in such title, and whoever violates division (D) of section 9.03 of the Revised Code, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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Section 3599.41 | Person violating election laws may testify against other violators.
Effective:
October 1, 1953
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly
A person violating any provision of Title XXXV of the Revised Code is a competent witness against another person so offending, and may attend and testify at a trial, hearing, or investigation thereof.
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Section 3599.42 | Prima-facie case of fraud.
Effective:
October 1, 1953
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly
A violation of any provision of Title XXXV of the Revised Code constitutes a prima-facie case of fraud within the purview of such title.
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Section 3599.43 | Prohibitions concerning communication purporting to be from board of elections.
Effective:
September 16, 1963
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 709 - 105th General Assembly
No person, not authorized by a board of elections, shall send or transmit to any other person any written or oral communication which purports to be a communication from a board of elections, or which reasonably construed appears to be a communication from such a board and which was intended to be so construed. Whoever violates this section shall be fined not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than six months or both.
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Section 3599.45 | Candidates prohibited from accepting contributions from medicaid providers.
Effective:
September 29, 2013
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 59 - 130th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section: "Candidate," "campaign committee," and "contribution" have the same meanings as in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code. "Medicaid provider" has the same meaning as in section 5164.01 of the Revised Code. (B) No candidate for the office of attorney general or county prosecutor or such a candidate's campaign committee shall knowingly accept any contribution from a medicaid provider or from any person having an ownership interest in the medicaid provider. (C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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