The bill amends various sections of the Revised Code to require that state and school district board members be nominated through primary elections, with candidates appearing on the ballot alongside their party designations. Key modifications include the repeal of sections related to the nominating petition requirement for educational service center governing board candidates, streamlining the election process for educational governance. The legislation aims to enhance candidate visibility and accountability by aligning the nomination process with established political party frameworks.

Additionally, the bill introduces new regulations regarding the candidacy process, including the validation of signatures on petitions and the filing of protests against candidates. It establishes guidelines to prevent individuals from seeking nomination for multiple offices simultaneously and outlines disqualification procedures for candidates who violate this rule. The bill also clarifies the process for challenging a person's right to vote in primary elections and specifies that the changes will first apply to the nomination of candidates for the State Board of Education in the next primary election held at least 120 days after the bill's effective date.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3311.053, 3501.01, 3505.03, 3505.04, 3513.04, 3513.05, 3513.052, 3513.19, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, 3513.259