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SB 107
Ohio Senate•In Senate Committee
Summary
SB 107, “Include state, district school board members on partisan ballot”, was introduced in the Senate on Feb 18, 2025 by Sen. Andrew Brenner (R) with 4 co-sponsors. It was referred to General Government, and last saw action on Feb 19, 2025: Referred to committee: General Government.
Record
Text
SB 107 has 4 co-sponsors.
sb107/introduced.txtAs Introduced136th General AssemblyRegular Session S. B. No. 1072025-2026Senator BrennerCosponsors: Senators Cirino, Lang, Wilkin, O'BrienA BILLTo amend sections 3501.01, 3505.03, 3505.04, 13513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, and 3513.259 of 2the Revised Code to require state and school 3district board members to appear on the ballot 4with a party designation. 5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:Section 1. That sections 3501.01, 3505.03, 3505.04, 63513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, and 3513.259 of the Revised Code 7be amended to read as follows: 8Sec. 3501.01. As used in the sections of the Revised Code 9relating to elections and political communications: 10(A) "General election" means the election held on the 11first Tuesday after the first Monday in each November. 12(B) "Regular municipal election" means the election held 13on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each 14odd-numbered year. 15(C) "Regular state election" means the election held on 16the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each 17S. B. No. 107 Page 2As Introducedeven-numbered year. 18(D) "Special election" means any election other than those 19elections defined in other divisions of this section. A special 20election may be held only on the first Tuesday after the first 21Monday in May or November, on the first Tuesday after the first 22Monday in August in accordance with section 3501.022 of the 23Revised Code, or on the day authorized by a particular municipal 24or county charter for the holding of a primary election, except 25that in any year in which a presidential primary election is 26held, no special election shall be held in May, except as 27authorized by a municipal or county charter, but may be held on 28the third Tuesday after the first Monday in March. 29(E)(1) "Primary" or "primary election" means an election 30held for the purpose of nominating persons as candidates of 31political parties for election to offices, and for the purpose 32of electing persons as members of the controlling committees of 33political parties and as delegates and alternates to the 34conventions of political parties. Primary elections shall be 35held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each 36year except in years in which a presidential primary election is 37held. 38(2) "Presidential primary election" means a primary 39election as defined by division (E)(1) of this section at which 40an election is held for the purpose of choosing delegates and 41alternates to the national conventions of the major political 42parties pursuant to section 3513.12 of the Revised Code. Unless 43otherwise specified, presidential primary elections are included 44in references to primary elections. In years in which a 45presidential primary election is held, all primary elections 46shall be held on the third Tuesday after the first Monday in 47S. B. No. 107 Page 3As IntroducedMarch except as otherwise authorized by a municipal or county 48charter. 49(F) "Political party" means any group of voters meeting 50the requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised 51Code for the formation and existence of a political party. 52(1) "Major political party" means any political party 53organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for 54governor or nominees for presidential electors received not less 55than twenty per cent of the total vote cast for such office at 56the most recent regular state election. 57(2) "Minor political party" means any political party 58organized under the laws of this state that meets either of the 59following requirements: 60(a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, the 61political party's candidate for governor or nominees for 62presidential electors received less than twenty per cent but not 63less than three per cent of the total vote cast for such office 64at the most recent regular state election. A political party 65that meets the requirements of this division remains a political 66party for a period of four years after meeting those 67requirements. 68(b) The political party has filed with the secretary of 69state, subsequent to its failure to meet the requirements of 70division (F)(2)(a) of this section, a petition that meets the 71requirements of section 3517.01 of the Revised Code. 72A newly formed political party shall be known as a minor 73political party until the time of the first election for 74governor or president which occurs not less than twelve months 75subsequent to the formation of such party, after which election 76S. B. No. 107 Page 4As Introducedthe status of such party shall be determined by the vote for the 77office of governor or president. 78(G) "Dominant party in a precinct" or "dominant political 79party in a precinct" means that political party whose candidate 80for election to the office of governor at the most recent 81regular state election at which a governor was elected received 82more votes than any other person received for election to that 83office in such precinct at such election. 84(H) "Candidate" means any qualified person certified in 85accordance with the provisions of the Revised Code for placement 86on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special 87election to be held in this state, or any qualified person who 88claims to be a write-in candidate, or who knowingly assents to 89being represented as a write-in candidate by another at either a 90primary, general, or special election to be held in this state. 91(I) "Independent candidate" means any candidate who claims 92not to be affiliated with a political party, and whose name has 93been certified on the office-type ballot at a general or special 94election through the filing of a statement of candidacy and 95nominating petition, as prescribed in section 3513.257 of the 96Revised Code. 97(J) "Nonpartisan candidate" means any candidate whose name 98is required, pursuant to section 3505.04 of the Revised Code, to 99be listed on the nonpartisan ballot, including all candidates 100for judge of a municipal court, county court, or court of common 101pleas, for member of any board of education, for municipal or 102township offices in which primary elections are not held for 103nominating candidates by political parties, and for offices of 104municipal corporations having charters that provide for separate 105ballots for elections for these offices. 106S. B. No. 107 Page 5As Introduced(K) "Party candidate" means any candidate who claims to be 107a member of a political party and who has been certified to 108appear on the office-type ballot at a general or special 109election as the nominee of a political party because the 110candidate has won the primary election of the candidate's party 111for the public office the candidate seeks, has been nominated 112under section 3517.012, or is selected by party committee in 113accordance with section 3513.31 of the Revised Code. 114(L) "Officer of a political party" includes, but is not 115limited to, any member, elected or appointed, of a controlling 116committee, whether representing the territory of the state, a 117district therein, a county, township, a city, a ward, a 118precinct, or other territory, of a major or minor political 119party. 120(M) "Question or issue" means any question or issue 121certified in accordance with the Revised Code for placement on 122an official ballot at a general or special election to be held 123in this state. 124(N) "Elector" or "qualified elector" means a person having 125the qualifications provided by law to be entitled to vote. 126(O) "Voter" means an elector who votes at an election. 127(P) "Voting residence" means that place of residence of an 128elector which shall determine the precinct in which the elector 129may vote. 130(Q) "Precinct" means a district within a county 131established by the board of elections of such county within 132which all qualified electors having a voting residence therein 133may vote at the same polling place. 134(R) "Polling place" means that place provided for each 135S. B. No. 107 Page 6As Introducedprecinct at which the electors having a voting residence in such 136precinct may vote. 137(S) "Board" or "board of elections" means the board of 138elections appointed in a county pursuant to section 3501.06 of 139the Revised Code. 140(T) "Political subdivision" means a county, township, 141city, village, or school district. 142(U) "Election officer" or "election official" means any of 143the following: 144(1) Secretary of state; 145(2) Employees of the secretary of state serving the 146division of elections in the capacity of attorney, 147administrative officer, administrative assistant, elections 148administrator, office manager, or clerical supervisor; 149(3) Director of a board of elections; 150(4) Deputy director of a board of elections; 151(5) Member of a board of elections; 152(6) Employees of a board of elections; 153(7) Precinct election officials; 154(8) Employees appointed by the boards of elections on a 155temporary or part-time basis. 156(V) "Acknowledgment notice" means a notice sent by a board 157of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, 158informing a voter registration applicant or an applicant who 159wishes to change the applicant's residence or name of the status 160of the application; the information necessary to complete or 161update the application, if any; and if the application is 162S. B. No. 107 Page 7As Introducedcomplete, the precinct in which the applicant is to vote. 163(W) "Confirmation notice" means a notice sent by a board 164of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, to 165a registered elector to confirm the registered elector's current 166address. 167(X) "Designated agency" means an office or agency in the 168state that provides public assistance or that provides state- 169funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to 170persons with disabilities and that is required by the National 171Voter Registration Act of 1993 to implement a program designed 172and administered by the secretary of state for registering 173voters, or any other public or government office or agency that 174implements a program designed and administered by the secretary 175of state for registering voters, including the department of job 176and family services, the program administered under section 1773701.132 of the Revised Code by the department of health, the 178department of mental health and addiction services, the 179department of developmental disabilities, the opportunities for 180Ohioans with disabilities agency, and any other agency the 181secretary of state designates. "Designated agency" does not 182include public high schools and vocational schools, public 183libraries, or the office of a county treasurer. 184(Y) "National Voter Registration Act of 1993" means the 185"National Voter Registration Act of 1993," 107 Stat. 77, 42 186U.S.C.A. 1973gg. 187(Z) "Voting Rights Act of 1965" means the "Voting Rights 188Act of 1965," 79 Stat. 437, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973, as amended. 189(AA)(1) "Photo identification" means one of the following 190documents that includes the individual's name and photograph and 191S. B. No. 107 Page 8As Introducedis not expired: 192(a) An Ohio driver's license, state identification card, 193or interim identification form issued by the registrar of motor 194vehicles or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of 195the Revised Code; 196(b) A United States passport or passport card; 197(c) A United States military identification card, Ohio 198national guard identification card, or United States department 199of veterans affairs identification card. 200(2) A "copy" of an individual's photo identification means 201images of both the front and back of a document described in 202division (AA)(1) of this section, except that if the document is 203a United States passport, a copy of the photo identification 204means an image of the passport's identification page that 205includes the individual's name, photograph, and other 206identifying information and the passport's expiration date. 207(BB) "Driver's license" means a license or permit issued 208by the registrar or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 2094507. of the Revised Code that authorizes an individual to 210drive. "Driver's license" includes a driver's license, 211commercial driver's license, probationary license, restricted 212license, motorcycle operator's license, or temporary instruction 213permit identification card. "Driver's license" does not include 214a limited term license issued under section 4507.09 of the 215Revised Code. 216(CC) "State identification card" means a card issued by 217the registrar or a deputy registrar under sections 4507.50 to 2184507.52 of the Revised Code. 219(DD) "Interim identification form" means the document 220S. B. No. 107 Page 9As Introducedissued by the registrar or a deputy registrar to an applicant 221for a driver's license or state identification card that 222contains all of the information otherwise found on the license 223or card and that an applicant may use as a form of 224identification until the physical license or card arrives in the 225mail. 226Sec. 3505.03. (A) On the office type ballot shall be 227printed the names of all candidates for election to offices, 228except the office of judge of a municipal court, county court, 229or court of common pleas, who were nominated at the most recent 230primary election as candidates of a political party or who were 231nominated in accordance with section 3513.02 of the Revised 232Code, and the names of all candidates for election to offices 233who were nominated by nominating petitions, except candidates 234for the office of judge of a municipal court, county court, or 235court of common pleas, for member of the state board of 236education, for member of a board of education, for municipal 237offices, and for township offices. 238(B) The face of the ballot below the stub shall be 239substantially in the following form: 240"OFFICIAL OFFICE TYPE BALLOT 241(1) To vote for a candidate record your vote in the manner 242provided next to the name of such candidate. 243(2) If you tear, soil, deface, or erroneously mark this 244ballot, return it to the precinct election officers or, if you 245cannot return it, notify the precinct election officers, and 246obtain another ballot." 247(C) The order in which the offices shall be listed on the 248ballot shall be prescribed by, and certified to each board of 249S. B. No. 107 Page 10As Introducedelections by, the secretary of state; provided that for state, 250district, and county offices the order from top to bottom shall 251be as follows: governor and lieutenant governor, attorney 252general, auditor of state, secretary of state, treasurer of 253state, chief justice of the supreme court, justice of the 254supreme court, United States senator, representative to 255congress, state senator, state representative, judge of a court 256of appeals, member of the state board of education, member of a 257board of education, county commissioner, county auditor, 258prosecuting attorney, clerk of the court of common pleas, 259sheriff, county recorder, county treasurer, county engineer, and 260coroner. The offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall 261be printed on the ballot in a manner that requires a voter to 262cast one vote jointly for the candidates who have been nominated 263by the same political party or petition. 264(D) Within the rectangular space within which the title of 265each judicial office listed in division (C) of this section is 266printed on the ballot and immediately below the title shall be 267printed the date of the commencement of the term of the office, 268if it is a full term, as follows: "Full term commencing 269_______(Date)_______," or the date of the end of the term of the 270office, if it is an unexpired term, as follows: "Unexpired term 271ending _______(Date)________" 272(E)(1) The names of all candidates for an office shall be 273arranged in a group under the title of that office, and, except 274for absentee ballots or when the number of candidates for a 275particular office is the same as the number of candidates to be 276elected for that office, shall be rotated from one precinct to 277another. On absentee ballots, the names of all candidates for an 278office shall be arranged in a group under the title of that 279office and shall be so alternated that each name shall appear, 280S. B. No. 107 Page 11As Introducedinsofar as may be reasonably possible, substantially an equal 281number of times at the beginning, at the end, and in each 282intermediate place, if any, of the group in which such name 283belongs, unless the number of candidates for a particular office 284is the same as the number of candidates to be elected for that 285office. 286(2) The secretary of state shall prescribe the information 287and directions to the voter to be printed on the ballot within 288the rectangular space in which the title of office of member of 289the state board of education appears. 290(3) Within the rectangular space within which the title of 291each office for member of a board of education is printed on the 292ballot shall be printed "For Member of Board of Education," and 293the number to be elected, directions to the voter as to voting 294for one, two, or more, and, if the office to be voted for is 295member of a board of education of a city school district, words 296shall be printed in said space on the ballot to indicate whether 297candidates are to be elected from subdistricts or at large. 298(4) The method of printing the ballots to meet the 299rotation requirement of this section shall be as follows: the 300least common multiple of the number of names in each of the 301several groups of candidates shall be used, and the number of 302changes made in the printer's forms in printing the ballots 303shall correspond with that multiple. The board of elections 304shall number all precincts in regular serial sequence. In the 305first precinct, the names of the candidates in each group shall 306be listed in alphabetical order. In each succeeding precinct, 307the name in each group that is listed first in the preceding 308precinct shall be listed last, and the name of each candidate 309shall be moved up one place. In each precinct using paper 310S. B. No. 107 Page 12As Introducedballots, the printed ballots shall then be assembled in tablets. 311(F) Under the name of each candidate nominated at a 312primary election, nominated by petition under section 3513.254, 3133513.255, or 3513.259 of the Revised Code, nominated by petition 314under section 3517.012 of the Revised Code, or certified by a 315party committee to fill a vacancy under section 3513.31 of the 316Revised Code shall be printed, in less prominent type face than 317that in which the candidate's name is printed, the name of the 318political party by which the candidate was nominated or 319certified. Under the name of each candidate appearing on the 320ballot who filed a nominating petition and requested a ballot 321designation as a nonparty candidate under section 3513.257 of 322the Revised Code shall be printed, in less prominent type face 323than that in which the candidate's name is printed, the 324designation of "nonparty candidate." Under the name of each 325candidate appearing on the ballot who filed a nominating 326petition and requested a ballot designation as an other-party 327candidate under section 3513.257 of the Revised Code shall be 328printed, in less prominent type face than that in which the 329candidate's name is printed, the designation of "other-party 330candidate." No designation shall appear under the name of a 331candidate appearing on the ballot who filed a nominating 332petition and requested that no ballot designation appear under 333the candidate's name under section 3513.257 of the Revised Code, 334or who filed a nominating petition and failed to request a 335ballot designation either as a nonparty candidate or as an 336other-party candidate under that section. 337(G) Except as provided in this section, no words, 338designations, or emblems descriptive of a candidate or the 339candidate's political affiliation, or indicative of the method 340by which the candidate was nominated or certified, shall be 341S. B. No. 107 Page 13As Introducedprinted under or after a candidate's name that is printed on the 342ballot. 343Sec. 3505.04. On the nonpartisan ballot shall be printed 344the names of all nonpartisan candidates for election to the 345office of judge of a municipal court, county court, or court of 346common pleas, the office of member of the state board of 347education, the office of member of a board of education, 348municipal or township offices for municipal corporations and 349townships in which primary elections are not held for nomination 350of candidates by political parties, and municipal offices of 351municipal corporations having charters which provide for 352separate ballots for elections for such municipal offices. 353Such ballots shall have printed across the top, and below 354the stubs, "Official Nonpartisan Ballot." 355The order in which the offices are listed on the ballot 356shall be prescribed by, and certified to each board of elections 357by, the secretary of state; provided that the office of member 358of the state board of education shall be listed first on the 359ballot, then county judicial offices shall be listed first on 360the ballot, followed by municipal and township offices, and by 361offices of member of a board of education, in the order stated. 362Within the rectangular space within which the title of 363each judicial office is printed on the ballot and immediately 364below such title shall be printed the date of the commencement 365of the term of the office, if a full term, as follows: "Full 366term commencing _______(Date)_______," or the date of the end of 367the term of the office, if an unexpired term, as follows: 368"Unexpired term ending _______(Date)________" 369The secretary of state shall prescribe the information and 370S. B. No. 107 Page 14As Introduceddirections to the voter to be printed on the ballot within the 371rectangular space in which the title of office of member of the 372state board of education appears. 373Within the rectangular space within which the title of 374each office for member of a board of education is printed on the 375ballot shall be printed "For Member of Board of Education," and 376the number to be elected, directions to the voter as to voting 377for one, two, or more, and, if the office to be voted for is 378member of a board of education of a city school district, words 379shall be printed in said space on the ballot to indicate whether 380candidates are to be elected from subdistricts or at large. 381The names of all nonpartisan candidates for an office 382shall be arranged in a group under the title of that office, and 383shall be rotated and printed on the ballot as provided in 384section 3505.03 of the Revised Code. 385No name or designation of any political party nor any 386words, designations, or emblems descriptive of a candidate or 387the candidate's political affiliation, or indicative of the 388method by which such candidate was nominated or certified, shall 389be printed under or after any nonpartisan candidate's name which 390is printed on the ballot. 391Sec. 3513.254. (A) The name of each candidate for member 392of a city, local, or exempted village board of education shall 393appear on the nonpartisan office type ballot. Nominating 394petitions of candidates for member of a board of education of a 395local or exempted village school district shall be signed by 396twenty-five qualified electors of the school district. 397Nominating petitions for candidates for member of a board of 398education of a city school district having a population of less 399than twenty thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding 400S. B. No. 107 Page 15As Introducedfederal census, shall be signed by twenty-five qualified 401electors of the school district. Nominating petitions for 402candidates for member of a board of education of a city school 403district having a population of twenty thousand or more but less 404than fifty thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding 405federal census, shall be signed by seventy-five qualified 406electors of the school district. Nominating petitions for 407candidates for member of a board of education of a city school 408district having a population of fifty thousand or more but less 409than one hundred thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding 410federal census, shall be signed by one hundred fifty qualified 411electors of the school district. Nominating petitions for 412candidates for member of a board of education of a city school 413district having a population of one hundred thousand or more, as 414ascertained by the next preceding federal census, shall be 415signed by three hundred qualified electors of the school 416district. 417(B) A candidate who files a nominating petition shall 418indicate on the nominating petition the political party 419designation to appear on the ballot next to the candidate's 420name. A candidate may request, at the time of filing, that the 421candidate be designated on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or 422as an other-party candidate, or may request that the candidate's 423name be placed on the ballot without any designation. Any such 424candidate who fails to request a designation either as a 425nonparty candidate or as an other-party candidate shall have the 426candidate's name placed on the ballot without any designation. 427(C) Nominating petitions shall be filed with the board of 428elections not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before 429the day of the general election, provided that no such petition 430shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures 431S. B. No. 107 Page 16As Introducedaggregating in number more than three times the minimum number 432of signatures required by this section. A board of elections 433shall not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if 434that person, for the same election, has already filed a 435declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write- 436in candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a 437candidate through party nomination at a primary election or by 438the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the 439Revised Code for any other position as a member of a city, 440local, or exempted village board of education or position as a 441member of a governing board of an educational service center, or 442for a municipal or township office. When a petition of a 443candidate has been accepted for filing by a board of elections, 444the petition shall not be deemed invalid if, upon verification 445of signatures contained in the petition, the board of elections 446finds the number of signatures accepted exceeds three times the 447minimum number of signatures required. A board of elections may 448discontinue verifying petitions when the number of verified 449signatures equals the minimum required number of qualified 450signatures. 451(C)(D) This section is subject to section 3513.256 of the 452Revised Code. 453Sec. 3513.255. (A) This section is subject to section 4543513.256 of the Revised Code. The name of each candidate for 455election as a member of a governing board of an educational 456service center shall appear on the nonpartisan office type 457ballot. Each nominating petition shall be signed by fifty 458qualified electors who reside in one of the following, as 459applicable: 460(A)(1) The school districts over which the educational 461S. B. No. 107 Page 17As Introducedservice center governing board has jurisdiction, in the case of 462any candidate running for a position on any educational service 463center governing board other than a governing board established 464in accordance with section 3311.054 of the Revised Code; 465(B)(2) The subdistrict in which the candidate is running, 466in the case of a position on a governing board of an educational 467service center established in accordance with section 3311.054 468of the Revised Code. 469(B) Each nominating petition shall be filed with the board 470of elections of the county in which the central administrative 471offices of the educational service center governing board are 472located not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before the 473day of the general election, provided that no such petition 474shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures 475aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number 476of signatures required by this section. 477(C) A board of elections shall not accept for filing a 478nominating petition of a person if that person, for the same 479election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, a 480declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a 481nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party 482nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy 483under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for any 484other position as a member of a governing board of an 485educational service center or position as a member of a city, 486local, or exempted village board of education, or for a 487municipal or township office. 488(D) A candidate who files a nominating petition shall 489indicate on the nominating petition the political party 490designation to appear on the ballot next to the candidate's 491S. B. No. 107 Page 18As Introducedname. A candidate may request, at the time of filing, that the 492candidate be designated on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or 493as an other-party candidate, or may request that the candidate's 494name be placed on the ballot without any designation. Any such 495candidate who fails to request a designation either as a 496nonparty candidate or as an other-party candidate shall have the 497candidate's name placed on the ballot without any designation. 498(E) When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for 499filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed 500invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in the 501petition, the board of elections finds the number of signatures 502accepted exceeds three times the minimum signatures required. A 503board of elections may discontinue verifying petitions when the 504number of verified signatures equals the minimum required number 505of qualified signatures. 506Sec. 3513.256. (A) Notwithstanding any provision of the 507Revised Code to the contrary, for the purpose of nominating 508candidates for a position as a member of the board of education 509of a city, local, or exempted village school district or a 510position as a member of a governing board of an educational 511service center, the board may adopt, by resolution upon a three- 512fifths majority vote of its total membership, procedures for a 513nonpartisan primary election. Such procedures shall specify the 514following: 515(1) That the primary election for nominating candidates 516for a position as a member of that board shall be held on the 517same day as the primary election for nominating all other 518candidates for public office in that year; 519(2) That nominating petitions shall be filed with the 520board of elections not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day 521S. B. No. 107 Page 19As Introducedbefore the day of the primary election; 522(3) That the primary election shall take place only if the 523number of candidates for nomination for a position on that 524board, as verified by the board of elections, is at least one 525more than two times the number of available positions on that 526board at the general election; 527(4) That the number of candidates advancing from the 528primary election to the general election shall equal two times 529the number of available positions on that board at the general 530election; 531(5) That the nominating petition shall indicate the 532political party designation to appear on the ballot next to the 533candidate's name at the general election. A candidate may 534request, at the time of filing, that the candidate be designated 535on the ballot at the general election as a nonparty candidate or 536as an other-party candidate, or may request that the candidate's 537name be placed on the ballot at the general election without any 538designation. Any such candidate who fails to request a 539designation either as a nonparty candidate or as an other-party 540candidate shall have the candidate's name placed on the ballot 541at the general election without any designation. 542The board shall notify the board of elections upon 543adoption of a resolution under this division. No such resolution 544shall apply for a particular election unless the resolution is 545adopted at least one hundred twenty days prior to the deadline 546specified in the resolution to become a candidate for nomination 547at that election. Subject to division (B) of this section, the 548resolution shall apply to all subsequent nominations for a 549position as a member of that board. 550S. B. No. 107 Page 20As Introduced(B) Not earlier than five years after the adoption of a 551resolution under division (A) of this section, the board of 552education of a city, local, or exempted village school district 553or the governing board of an educational service center may 554rescind that resolution by subsequent resolution upon a three- 555fifths majority vote of its total membership. 556The board shall notify the board of elections of any 557resolution adopted under this division. No such resolution shall 558apply to a particular election unless the resolution is adopted 559at least one hundred twenty days prior to the deadline to become 560a candidate for nomination at that election under the nomination 561procedures the resolution is rescinding. Subject to division (D) 562of this section, the requirements of Chapter 3513. of the 563Revised Code shall apply to all subsequent nominations for a 564position as a member of that board. 565(C) Any candidate nominated pursuant to a resolution 566adopted under division (A) of this section shall appear on the 567nonpartisan office type ballot at the general election as 568prescribed in sections 3505.04, 3513.254, and 3513.255 of the 569Revised Code. 570(D) Nothing in this section prohibits or shall be 571construed to prohibit the board of education of a city, local, 572or exempted village school district or the governing board of an 573educational service center that has rescinded a resolution under 574division (B) of this section from subsequently adopting the same 575or different procedures for a nonpartisan primary election by 576adopting a resolution under division (A) of this section. 577Sec. 3513.259. Nominations of candidates for the office of 578member of the state board of education shall be made only by 579nominating petition. The nominating petition of a candidate for 580S. B. No. 107 Page 21As Introducedthe office of member of the state board of education shall be 581signed by not less than one hundred qualified electors. 582No such nominating petition shall be accepted for filing 583if it appears on its face to contain signatures aggregating in 584number more than three times the minimum number of signatures 585required by this section. A board of elections shall not accept 586for filing a nominating petition of a person if that person, for 587the same election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, 588a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a 589nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party 590nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy 591under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code, to be a 592candidate for any other state office or any federal or county 593office. When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for 594filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed 595invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in the 596petition, the board of elections finds the number of signatures 597accepted exceeds three times the minimum number of signatures 598required. A board of elections may discontinue verifying 599signatures when the number of verified signatures equals the 600minimum required number of signatures. Such petition shall be 601filed with the board of elections of the most populous county in 602such district not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day 603before the day of the general election at which state board of 604education members are elected. 605Each nominating petition shall be signed by qualified 606electors residing in the district in which the candidate 607designated therein would be a candidate for election to the 608office of member of the state board of education. Each candidate 609shall be a qualified elector residing in the district in which 610the candidate seeks election to such office. 611S. B. No. 107 Page 22As IntroducedA candidate who files a nominating petition shall indicate 612on the nominating petition the political party designation to 613appear on the ballot next to the candidate's name. A candidate 614may request, at the time of filing, that the candidate be 615designated on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or as an other- 616party candidate, or may request that the candidate's name be 617placed on the ballot without any designation. Any such candidate 618who fails to request a designation either as a nonparty 619candidate or as an other-party candidate shall have the 620candidate's name placed on the ballot without any designation. 621As the word "district" is used in this section, it refers 622to a district created under section 3301.01 of the Revised Code. 623Section 2. That existing sections 3501.01, 3505.03, 6243505.04, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, and 3513.259 of the 625Revised Code are hereby repealed. 626
To amend sections 3501.01, 3505.03, 3505.04, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, and 3513.259 of the Revised Code to require state and school district board members to appear on the ballot with a party designation.
Sponsors
Sen. Andrew Brenner (R) sponsors SB 107, and 4 members have co-sponsored it.
Committees
SB 107 went before 1 committee: General Government.
History
SB 107 has taken 2 actions since Feb 18, 2025, the latest on Feb 19, 2025.
| Chamber | Action | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Feb 19, 2025 | Senate | Referred to committee: General Government | ||
Feb 18, 2025 | Senate | Introduced |
Votes
SB 107 has not gone to a roll call.
Source: legislature.ohio.gov · legiscan.com