The bill amends various sections of the Revised Code to enhance the candidacy process for political nominations in Ohio. It introduces a new section, 3513.053, allowing any qualified elector, regardless of party affiliation, to file a written protest against a candidate's declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, which must be submitted by a specified deadline. The board of elections is tasked with conducting a hearing to assess the validity of such protests, ensuring candidates meet necessary qualifications. Additionally, the bill mandates that candidates who have changed their names within the last five years disclose their former names on their candidacy declarations and petitions, with penalties for non-compliance.

Furthermore, the bill clarifies the procedures for filing declarations of candidacy and nominating petitions, requiring candidates to affirm their qualifications under penalty of election falsification. It specifies that nominating petitions can consist of multiple papers with signatures from electors of only one county on each paper and outlines the filing procedures based on election jurisdiction. The bill also repeals several existing sections of the Revised Code, indicating a significant restructuring of the legal framework governing candidate eligibility and election procedures, while making the language more gender-neutral by replacing "his" with "the person's." Overall, the bill aims to broaden electoral participation while maintaining the integrity of candidate qualifications.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3513.041, 3513.05, 3513.06, 3513.07, 3513.261, 3513.271