The bill amends the Revised Code to enhance the candidacy process for political nominations in Ohio by allowing non-party members to protest a candidate's nomination under specific conditions. It introduces a new section, 3513.053, which enables 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, with the board of elections responsible for determining the validity of such candidacies. The bill also mandates that candidates disclose any former names used in the last five years on their declaration of candidacy and petition, with penalties for non-compliance, including immediate suspension from office and liability for any salary received.

Furthermore, the bill clarifies the eligibility criteria for candidates, specifying that they must have previously complied with relevant election laws and have been elected to the respective office in the past. It also prescribes the form and content of candidacy declarations and nominating petitions, allowing for multiple papers with signatures from electors of only one county on each. The bill repeals several existing sections of the Revised Code, indicating a significant restructuring of the legal framework governing election candidacy, and updates the language to be more gender-neutral by replacing "his" with "the person's."

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