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SB 107

Ohio SenateIn 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.txt
As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session S. B. No. 107
2025-2026
Senator Brenner
Cosponsors: Senators Cirino, Lang, Wilkin, O'Brien
A BILL
To amend sections 3501.01, 3505.03, 3505.04, 1
3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, and 3513.259 of 2
the Revised Code to require state and school 3
district board members to appear on the ballot 4
with a party designation. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 3501.01, 3505.03, 3505.04, 6
3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, and 3513.259 of the Revised Code 7
be amended to read as follows: 8
Sec. 3501.01. As used in the sections of the Revised Code 9
relating to elections and political communications: 10
(A) "General election" means the election held on the 11
first Tuesday after the first Monday in each November. 12
(B) "Regular municipal election" means the election held 13
on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each 14
odd-numbered year. 15
(C) "Regular state election" means the election held on 16
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each 17
S. B. No. 107 Page 2
As Introduced
even-numbered year. 18
(D) "Special election" means any election other than those 19
elections defined in other divisions of this section. A special 20
election may be held only on the first Tuesday after the first 21
Monday in May or November, on the first Tuesday after the first 22
Monday in August in accordance with section 3501.022 of the 23
Revised Code, or on the day authorized by a particular municipal 24
or county charter for the holding of a primary election, except 25
that in any year in which a presidential primary election is 26
held, no special election shall be held in May, except as 27
authorized by a municipal or county charter, but may be held on 28
the third Tuesday after the first Monday in March. 29
(E)(1) "Primary" or "primary election" means an election 30
held for the purpose of nominating persons as candidates of 31
political parties for election to offices, and for the purpose 32
of electing persons as members of the controlling committees of 33
political parties and as delegates and alternates to the 34
conventions of political parties. Primary elections shall be 35
held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each 36
year except in years in which a presidential primary election is 37
held. 38
(2) "Presidential primary election" means a primary 39
election as defined by division (E)(1) of this section at which 40
an election is held for the purpose of choosing delegates and 41
alternates to the national conventions of the major political 42
parties pursuant to section 3513.12 of the Revised Code. Unless 43
otherwise specified, presidential primary elections are included 44
in references to primary elections. In years in which a 45
presidential primary election is held, all primary elections 46
shall be held on the third Tuesday after the first Monday in 47
S. B. No. 107 Page 3
As Introduced
March except as otherwise authorized by a municipal or county 48
charter. 49
(F) "Political party" means any group of voters meeting 50
the requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised 51
Code for the formation and existence of a political party. 52
(1) "Major political party" means any political party 53
organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for 54
governor or nominees for presidential electors received not less 55
than twenty per cent of the total vote cast for such office at 56
the most recent regular state election. 57
(2) "Minor political party" means any political party 58
organized under the laws of this state that meets either of the 59
following requirements: 60
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, the 61
political party's candidate for governor or nominees for 62
presidential electors received less than twenty per cent but not 63
less than three per cent of the total vote cast for such office 64
at the most recent regular state election. A political party 65
that meets the requirements of this division remains a political 66
party for a period of four years after meeting those 67
requirements. 68
(b) The political party has filed with the secretary of 69
state, subsequent to its failure to meet the requirements of 70
division (F)(2)(a) of this section, a petition that meets the 71
requirements of section 3517.01 of the Revised Code. 72
A newly formed political party shall be known as a minor 73
political party until the time of the first election for 74
governor or president which occurs not less than twelve months 75
subsequent to the formation of such party, after which election 76
S. B. No. 107 Page 4
As Introduced
the status of such party shall be determined by the vote for the 77
office of governor or president. 78
(G) "Dominant party in a precinct" or "dominant political 79
party in a precinct" means that political party whose candidate 80
for election to the office of governor at the most recent 81
regular state election at which a governor was elected received 82
more votes than any other person received for election to that 83
office in such precinct at such election. 84
(H) "Candidate" means any qualified person certified in 85
accordance with the provisions of the Revised Code for placement 86
on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special 87
election to be held in this state, or any qualified person who 88
claims to be a write-in candidate, or who knowingly assents to 89
being represented as a write-in candidate by another at either a 90
primary, general, or special election to be held in this state. 91
(I) "Independent candidate" means any candidate who claims 92
not to be affiliated with a political party, and whose name has 93
been certified on the office-type ballot at a general or special 94
election through the filing of a statement of candidacy and 95
nominating petition, as prescribed in section 3513.257 of the 96
Revised Code. 97
(J) "Nonpartisan candidate" means any candidate whose name 98
is required, pursuant to section 3505.04 of the Revised Code, to 99
be listed on the nonpartisan ballot, including all candidates 100
for judge of a municipal court, county court, or court of common 101
pleas, for member of any board of education, for municipal or 102
township offices in which primary elections are not held for 103
nominating candidates by political parties, and for offices of 104
municipal corporations having charters that provide for separate 105
ballots for elections for these offices. 106
S. B. No. 107 Page 5
As Introduced
(K) "Party candidate" means any candidate who claims to be 107
a member of a political party and who has been certified to 108
appear on the office-type ballot at a general or special 109
election as the nominee of a political party because the 110
candidate has won the primary election of the candidate's party 111
for the public office the candidate seeks, has been nominated 112
under section 3517.012, or is selected by party committee in 113
accordance with section 3513.31 of the Revised Code. 114
(L) "Officer of a political party" includes, but is not 115
limited to, any member, elected or appointed, of a controlling 116
committee, whether representing the territory of the state, a 117
district therein, a county, township, a city, a ward, a 118
precinct, or other territory, of a major or minor political 119
party. 120
(M) "Question or issue" means any question or issue 121
certified in accordance with the Revised Code for placement on 122
an official ballot at a general or special election to be held 123
in this state. 124
(N) "Elector" or "qualified elector" means a person having 125
the 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 128
elector which shall determine the precinct in which the elector 129
may vote. 130
(Q) "Precinct" means a district within a county 131
established by the board of elections of such county within 132
which all qualified electors having a voting residence therein 133
may vote at the same polling place. 134
(R) "Polling place" means that place provided for each 135
S. B. No. 107 Page 6
As Introduced
precinct at which the electors having a voting residence in such 136
precinct may vote. 137
(S) "Board" or "board of elections" means the board of 138
elections appointed in a county pursuant to section 3501.06 of 139
the Revised Code. 140
(T) "Political subdivision" means a county, township, 141
city, village, or school district. 142
(U) "Election officer" or "election official" means any of 143
the following: 144
(1) Secretary of state; 145
(2) Employees of the secretary of state serving the 146
division of elections in the capacity of attorney, 147
administrative officer, administrative assistant, elections 148
administrator, 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 155
temporary or part-time basis. 156
(V) "Acknowledgment notice" means a notice sent by a board 157
of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, 158
informing a voter registration applicant or an applicant who 159
wishes to change the applicant's residence or name of the status 160
of the application; the information necessary to complete or 161
update the application, if any; and if the application is 162
S. B. No. 107 Page 7
As Introduced
complete, the precinct in which the applicant is to vote. 163
(W) "Confirmation notice" means a notice sent by a board 164
of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, to 165
a registered elector to confirm the registered elector's current 166
address. 167
(X) "Designated agency" means an office or agency in the 168
state that provides public assistance or that provides state- 169
funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to 170
persons with disabilities and that is required by the National 171
Voter Registration Act of 1993 to implement a program designed 172
and administered by the secretary of state for registering 173
voters, or any other public or government office or agency that 174
implements a program designed and administered by the secretary 175
of state for registering voters, including the department of job 176
and family services, the program administered under section 177
3701.132 of the Revised Code by the department of health, the 178
department of mental health and addiction services, the 179
department of developmental disabilities, the opportunities for 180
Ohioans with disabilities agency, and any other agency the 181
secretary of state designates. "Designated agency" does not 182
include public high schools and vocational schools, public 183
libraries, 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, 42 186
U.S.C.A. 1973gg. 187
(Z) "Voting Rights Act of 1965" means the "Voting Rights 188
Act of 1965," 79 Stat. 437, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973, as amended. 189
(AA)(1) "Photo identification" means one of the following 190
documents that includes the individual's name and photograph and 191
S. B. No. 107 Page 8
As Introduced
is not expired: 192
(a) An Ohio driver's license, state identification card, 193
or interim identification form issued by the registrar of motor 194
vehicles or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of 195
the Revised Code; 196
(b) A United States passport or passport card; 197
(c) A United States military identification card, Ohio 198
national guard identification card, or United States department 199
of veterans affairs identification card. 200
(2) A "copy" of an individual's photo identification means 201
images of both the front and back of a document described in 202
division (AA)(1) of this section, except that if the document is 203
a United States passport, a copy of the photo identification 204
means an image of the passport's identification page that 205
includes the individual's name, photograph, and other 206
identifying information and the passport's expiration date. 207
(BB) "Driver's license" means a license or permit issued 208
by the registrar or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 209
4507. of the Revised Code that authorizes an individual to 210
drive. "Driver's license" includes a driver's license, 211
commercial driver's license, probationary license, restricted 212
license, motorcycle operator's license, or temporary instruction 213
permit identification card. "Driver's license" does not include 214
a limited term license issued under section 4507.09 of the 215
Revised Code. 216
(CC) "State identification card" means a card issued by 217
the registrar or a deputy registrar under sections 4507.50 to 218
4507.52 of the Revised Code. 219
(DD) "Interim identification form" means the document 220
S. B. No. 107 Page 9
As Introduced
issued by the registrar or a deputy registrar to an applicant 221
for a driver's license or state identification card that 222
contains all of the information otherwise found on the license 223
or card and that an applicant may use as a form of 224
identification until the physical license or card arrives in the 225
mail. 226
Sec. 3505.03. (A) On the office type ballot shall be 227
printed the names of all candidates for election to offices, 228
except the office of judge of a municipal court, county court, 229
or court of common pleas, who were nominated at the most recent 230
primary election as candidates of a political party or who were 231
nominated in accordance with section 3513.02 of the Revised 232
Code, and the names of all candidates for election to offices 233
who were nominated by nominating petitions, except candidates 234
for the office of judge of a municipal court, county court, or 235
court of common pleas, for member of the state board of 236
education, for member of a board of education, for municipal 237
offices, and for township offices. 238
(B) The face of the ballot below the stub shall be 239
substantially in the following form: 240
"OFFICIAL OFFICE TYPE BALLOT 241
(1) To vote for a candidate record your vote in the manner 242
provided next to the name of such candidate. 243
(2) If you tear, soil, deface, or erroneously mark this 244
ballot, return it to the precinct election officers or, if you 245
cannot return it, notify the precinct election officers, and 246
obtain another ballot." 247
(C) The order in which the offices shall be listed on the 248
ballot shall be prescribed by, and certified to each board of 249
S. B. No. 107 Page 10
As Introduced
elections by, the secretary of state; provided that for state, 250
district, and county offices the order from top to bottom shall 251
be as follows: governor and lieutenant governor, attorney 252
general, auditor of state, secretary of state, treasurer of 253
state, chief justice of the supreme court, justice of the 254
supreme court, United States senator, representative to 255
congress, state senator, state representative, judge of a court 256
of appeals, member of the state board of education, member of a 257
board of education, county commissioner, county auditor, 258
prosecuting attorney, clerk of the court of common pleas, 259
sheriff, county recorder, county treasurer, county engineer, and 260
coroner. The offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall 261
be printed on the ballot in a manner that requires a voter to 262
cast one vote jointly for the candidates who have been nominated 263
by the same political party or petition. 264
(D) Within the rectangular space within which the title of 265
each judicial office listed in division (C) of this section is 266
printed on the ballot and immediately below the title shall be 267
printed the date of the commencement of the term of the office, 268
if it is a full term, as follows: "Full term commencing 269
_______(Date)_______," or the date of the end of the term of the 270
office, if it is an unexpired term, as follows: "Unexpired term 271
ending _______(Date)________" 272
(E)(1) The names of all candidates for an office shall be 273
arranged in a group under the title of that office, and, except 274
for absentee ballots or when the number of candidates for a 275
particular office is the same as the number of candidates to be 276
elected for that office, shall be rotated from one precinct to 277
another. On absentee ballots, the names of all candidates for an 278
office shall be arranged in a group under the title of that 279
office and shall be so alternated that each name shall appear, 280
S. B. No. 107 Page 11
As Introduced
insofar as may be reasonably possible, substantially an equal 281
number of times at the beginning, at the end, and in each 282
intermediate place, if any, of the group in which such name 283
belongs, unless the number of candidates for a particular office 284
is the same as the number of candidates to be elected for that 285
office. 286
(2) The secretary of state shall prescribe the information 287
and directions to the voter to be printed on the ballot within 288
the rectangular space in which the title of office of member of 289
the state board of education appears. 290
(3) Within the rectangular space within which the title of 291
each office for member of a board of education is printed on the 292
ballot shall be printed "For Member of Board of Education," and 293
the number to be elected, directions to the voter as to voting 294
for one, two, or more, and, if the office to be voted for is 295
member of a board of education of a city school district, words 296
shall be printed in said space on the ballot to indicate whether 297
candidates are to be elected from subdistricts or at large. 298
(4) The method of printing the ballots to meet the 299
rotation requirement of this section shall be as follows: the 300
least common multiple of the number of names in each of the 301
several groups of candidates shall be used, and the number of 302
changes made in the printer's forms in printing the ballots 303
shall correspond with that multiple. The board of elections 304
shall number all precincts in regular serial sequence. In the 305
first precinct, the names of the candidates in each group shall 306
be listed in alphabetical order. In each succeeding precinct, 307
the name in each group that is listed first in the preceding 308
precinct shall be listed last, and the name of each candidate 309
shall be moved up one place. In each precinct using paper 310
S. B. No. 107 Page 12
As Introduced
ballots, the printed ballots shall then be assembled in tablets. 311
(F) Under the name of each candidate nominated at a 312
primary election, nominated by petition under section 3513.254, 313
3513.255, or 3513.259 of the Revised Code, nominated by petition 314
under section 3517.012 of the Revised Code, or certified by a 315
party committee to fill a vacancy under section 3513.31 of the 316
Revised Code shall be printed, in less prominent type face than 317
that in which the candidate's name is printed, the name of the 318
political party by which the candidate was nominated or 319
certified. Under the name of each candidate appearing on the 320
ballot who filed a nominating petition and requested a ballot 321
designation as a nonparty candidate under section 3513.257 of 322
the Revised Code shall be printed, in less prominent type face 323
than that in which the candidate's name is printed, the 324
designation of "nonparty candidate." Under the name of each 325
candidate appearing on the ballot who filed a nominating 326
petition and requested a ballot designation as an other-party 327
candidate under section 3513.257 of the Revised Code shall be 328
printed, in less prominent type face than that in which the 329
candidate's name is printed, the designation of "other-party 330
candidate." No designation shall appear under the name of a 331
candidate appearing on the ballot who filed a nominating 332
petition and requested that no ballot designation appear under 333
the candidate's name under section 3513.257 of the Revised Code, 334
or who filed a nominating petition and failed to request a 335
ballot designation either as a nonparty candidate or as an 336
other-party candidate under that section. 337
(G) Except as provided in this section, no words, 338
designations, or emblems descriptive of a candidate or the 339
candidate's political affiliation, or indicative of the method 340
by which the candidate was nominated or certified, shall be 341
S. B. No. 107 Page 13
As Introduced
printed under or after a candidate's name that is printed on the 342
ballot. 343
Sec. 3505.04. On the nonpartisan ballot shall be printed 344
the names of all nonpartisan candidates for election to the 345
office of judge of a municipal court, county court, or court of 346
common pleas, the office of member of the state board of 347
education, the office of member of a board of education, 348
municipal or township offices for municipal corporations and 349
townships in which primary elections are not held for nomination 350
of candidates by political parties, and municipal offices of 351
municipal corporations having charters which provide for 352
separate ballots for elections for such municipal offices. 353
Such ballots shall have printed across the top, and below 354
the stubs, "Official Nonpartisan Ballot." 355
The order in which the offices are listed on the ballot 356
shall be prescribed by, and certified to each board of elections 357
by, the secretary of state; provided that the office of member 358
of the state board of education shall be listed first on the 359
ballot, then county judicial offices shall be listed first on 360
the ballot, followed by municipal and township offices, and by 361
offices of member of a board of education, in the order stated. 362
Within the rectangular space within which the title of 363
each judicial office is printed on the ballot and immediately 364
below such title shall be printed the date of the commencement 365
of the term of the office, if a full term, as follows: "Full 366
term commencing _______(Date)_______," or the date of the end of 367
the term of the office, if an unexpired term, as follows: 368
"Unexpired term ending _______(Date)________" 369
The secretary of state shall prescribe the information and 370
S. B. No. 107 Page 14
As Introduced
directions to the voter to be printed on the ballot within the 371
rectangular space in which the title of office of member of the 372
state board of education appears. 373
Within the rectangular space within which the title of 374
each office for member of a board of education is printed on the 375
ballot shall be printed "For Member of Board of Education," and 376
the number to be elected, directions to the voter as to voting 377
for one, two, or more, and, if the office to be voted for is 378
member of a board of education of a city school district, words 379
shall be printed in said space on the ballot to indicate whether 380
candidates are to be elected from subdistricts or at large. 381
The names of all nonpartisan candidates for an office 382
shall be arranged in a group under the title of that office, and 383
shall be rotated and printed on the ballot as provided in 384
section 3505.03 of the Revised Code. 385
No name or designation of any political party nor any 386
words, designations, or emblems descriptive of a candidate or 387
the candidate's political affiliation, or indicative of the 388
method by which such candidate was nominated or certified, shall 389
be printed under or after any nonpartisan candidate's name which 390
is printed on the ballot. 391
Sec. 3513.254. (A) The name of each candidate for member 392
of a city, local, or exempted village board of education shall 393
appear on the nonpartisan office type ballot. Nominating 394
petitions of candidates for member of a board of education of a 395
local or exempted village school district shall be signed by 396
twenty-five qualified electors of the school district. 397
Nominating petitions for candidates for member of a board of 398
education of a city school district having a population of less 399
than twenty thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding 400
S. B. No. 107 Page 15
As Introduced
federal census, shall be signed by twenty-five qualified 401
electors of the school district. Nominating petitions for 402
candidates for member of a board of education of a city school 403
district having a population of twenty thousand or more but less 404
than fifty thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding 405
federal census, shall be signed by seventy-five qualified 406
electors of the school district. Nominating petitions for 407
candidates for member of a board of education of a city school 408
district having a population of fifty thousand or more but less 409
than one hundred thousand, as ascertained by the next preceding 410
federal census, shall be signed by one hundred fifty qualified 411
electors of the school district. Nominating petitions for 412
candidates for member of a board of education of a city school 413
district having a population of one hundred thousand or more, as 414
ascertained by the next preceding federal census, shall be 415
signed by three hundred qualified electors of the school 416
district. 417
(B) A candidate who files a nominating petition shall 418
indicate on the nominating petition the political party 419
designation to appear on the ballot next to the candidate's 420
name. A candidate may request, at the time of filing, that the 421
candidate be designated on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or 422
as an other-party candidate, or may request that the candidate's 423
name be placed on the ballot without any designation. Any such 424
candidate who fails to request a designation either as a 425
nonparty candidate or as an other-party candidate shall have the 426
candidate's name placed on the ballot without any designation. 427
(C) Nominating petitions shall be filed with the board of 428
elections not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before 429
the day of the general election, provided that no such petition 430
shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures 431
S. B. No. 107 Page 16
As Introduced
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number 432
of signatures required by this section. A board of elections 433
shall not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if 434
that person, for the same election, has already filed a 435
declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write- 436
in candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a 437
candidate through party nomination at a primary election or by 438
the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the 439
Revised Code for any other position as a member of a city, 440
local, or exempted village board of education or position as a 441
member of a governing board of an educational service center, or 442
for a municipal or township office. When a petition of a 443
candidate has been accepted for filing by a board of elections, 444
the petition shall not be deemed invalid if, upon verification 445
of signatures contained in the petition, the board of elections 446
finds the number of signatures accepted exceeds three times the 447
minimum number of signatures required. A board of elections may 448
discontinue verifying petitions when the number of verified 449
signatures equals the minimum required number of qualified 450
signatures. 451
(C)(D) This section is subject to section 3513.256 of the 452
Revised Code. 453
Sec. 3513.255. (A) This section is subject to section 454
3513.256 of the Revised Code. The name of each candidate for 455
election as a member of a governing board of an educational 456
service center shall appear on the nonpartisan office type 457
ballot. Each nominating petition shall be signed by fifty 458
qualified electors who reside in one of the following, as 459
applicable: 460
(A)(1) The school districts over which the educational 461
S. B. No. 107 Page 17
As Introduced
service center governing board has jurisdiction, in the case of 462
any candidate running for a position on any educational service 463
center governing board other than a governing board established 464
in accordance with section 3311.054 of the Revised Code; 465
(B)(2) The subdistrict in which the candidate is running, 466
in the case of a position on a governing board of an educational 467
service center established in accordance with section 3311.054 468
of the Revised Code. 469
(B) Each nominating petition shall be filed with the board 470
of elections of the county in which the central administrative 471
offices of the educational service center governing board are 472
located not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before the 473
day of the general election, provided that no such petition 474
shall be accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures 475
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number 476
of signatures required by this section. 477
(C) A board of elections shall not accept for filing a 478
nominating petition of a person if that person, for the same 479
election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, a 480
declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a 481
nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party 482
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy 483
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code for any 484
other position as a member of a governing board of an 485
educational service center or position as a member of a city, 486
local, or exempted village board of education, or for a 487
municipal or township office. 488
(D) A candidate who files a nominating petition shall 489
indicate on the nominating petition the political party 490
designation to appear on the ballot next to the candidate's 491
S. B. No. 107 Page 18
As Introduced
name. A candidate may request, at the time of filing, that the 492
candidate be designated on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or 493
as an other-party candidate, or may request that the candidate's 494
name be placed on the ballot without any designation. Any such 495
candidate who fails to request a designation either as a 496
nonparty candidate or as an other-party candidate shall have the 497
candidate's name placed on the ballot without any designation. 498
(E) When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for 499
filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed 500
invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in the 501
petition, the board of elections finds the number of signatures 502
accepted exceeds three times the minimum signatures required. A 503
board of elections may discontinue verifying petitions when the 504
number of verified signatures equals the minimum required number 505
of qualified signatures. 506
Sec. 3513.256. (A) Notwithstanding any provision of the 507
Revised Code to the contrary, for the purpose of nominating 508
candidates for a position as a member of the board of education 509
of a city, local, or exempted village school district or a 510
position as a member of a governing board of an educational 511
service center, the board may adopt, by resolution upon a three- 512
fifths majority vote of its total membership, procedures for a 513
nonpartisan primary election. Such procedures shall specify the 514
following: 515
(1) That the primary election for nominating candidates 516
for a position as a member of that board shall be held on the 517
same day as the primary election for nominating all other 518
candidates for public office in that year; 519
(2) That nominating petitions shall be filed with the 520
board of elections not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day 521
S. B. No. 107 Page 19
As Introduced
before the day of the primary election; 522
(3) That the primary election shall take place only if the 523
number of candidates for nomination for a position on that 524
board, as verified by the board of elections, is at least one 525
more than two times the number of available positions on that 526
board at the general election; 527
(4) That the number of candidates advancing from the 528
primary election to the general election shall equal two times 529
the number of available positions on that board at the general 530
election; 531
(5) That the nominating petition shall indicate the 532
political party designation to appear on the ballot next to the 533
candidate's name at the general election. A candidate may 534
request, at the time of filing, that the candidate be designated 535
on the ballot at the general election as a nonparty candidate or 536
as an other-party candidate, or may request that the candidate's 537
name be placed on the ballot at the general election without any 538
designation. Any such candidate who fails to request a 539
designation either as a nonparty candidate or as an other-party 540
candidate shall have the candidate's name placed on the ballot 541
at the general election without any designation. 542
The board shall notify the board of elections upon 543
adoption of a resolution under this division. No such resolution 544
shall apply for a particular election unless the resolution is 545
adopted at least one hundred twenty days prior to the deadline 546
specified in the resolution to become a candidate for nomination 547
at that election. Subject to division (B) of this section, the 548
resolution shall apply to all subsequent nominations for a 549
position as a member of that board. 550
S. B. No. 107 Page 20
As Introduced
(B) Not earlier than five years after the adoption of a 551
resolution under division (A) of this section, the board of 552
education of a city, local, or exempted village school district 553
or the governing board of an educational service center may 554
rescind that resolution by subsequent resolution upon a three- 555
fifths majority vote of its total membership. 556
The board shall notify the board of elections of any 557
resolution adopted under this division. No such resolution shall 558
apply to a particular election unless the resolution is adopted 559
at least one hundred twenty days prior to the deadline to become 560
a candidate for nomination at that election under the nomination 561
procedures the resolution is rescinding. Subject to division (D) 562
of this section, the requirements of Chapter 3513. of the 563
Revised Code shall apply to all subsequent nominations for a 564
position as a member of that board. 565
(C) Any candidate nominated pursuant to a resolution 566
adopted under division (A) of this section shall appear on the 567
nonpartisan office type ballot at the general election as 568
prescribed in sections 3505.04, 3513.254, and 3513.255 of the 569
Revised Code. 570
(D) Nothing in this section prohibits or shall be 571
construed to prohibit the board of education of a city, local, 572
or exempted village school district or the governing board of an 573
educational service center that has rescinded a resolution under 574
division (B) of this section from subsequently adopting the same 575
or different procedures for a nonpartisan primary election by 576
adopting a resolution under division (A) of this section. 577
Sec. 3513.259. Nominations of candidates for the office of 578
member of the state board of education shall be made only by 579
nominating petition. The nominating petition of a candidate for 580
S. B. No. 107 Page 21
As Introduced
the office of member of the state board of education shall be 581
signed by not less than one hundred qualified electors. 582
No such nominating petition shall be accepted for filing 583
if it appears on its face to contain signatures aggregating in 584
number more than three times the minimum number of signatures 585
required by this section. A board of elections shall not accept 586
for filing a nominating petition of a person if that person, for 587
the same election, has already filed a declaration of candidacy, 588
a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, or a 589
nominating petition, or has become a candidate through party 590
nomination at a primary election or by the filling of a vacancy 591
under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the Revised Code, to be a 592
candidate for any other state office or any federal or county 593
office. When a petition of a candidate has been accepted for 594
filing by a board of elections, the petition shall not be deemed 595
invalid if, upon verification of signatures contained in the 596
petition, the board of elections finds the number of signatures 597
accepted exceeds three times the minimum number of signatures 598
required. A board of elections may discontinue verifying 599
signatures when the number of verified signatures equals the 600
minimum required number of signatures. Such petition shall be 601
filed with the board of elections of the most populous county in 602
such district not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day 603
before the day of the general election at which state board of 604
education members are elected. 605
Each nominating petition shall be signed by qualified 606
electors residing in the district in which the candidate 607
designated therein would be a candidate for election to the 608
office of member of the state board of education. Each candidate 609
shall be a qualified elector residing in the district in which 610
the candidate seeks election to such office. 611
S. B. No. 107 Page 22
As Introduced
A candidate who files a nominating petition shall indicate 612
on the nominating petition the political party designation to 613
appear on the ballot next to the candidate's name. A candidate 614
may request, at the time of filing, that the candidate be 615
designated on the ballot as a nonparty candidate or as an other- 616
party candidate, or may request that the candidate's name be 617
placed on the ballot without any designation. Any such candidate 618
who fails to request a designation either as a nonparty 619
candidate or as an other-party candidate shall have the 620
candidate's name placed on the ballot without any designation. 621
As the word "district" is used in this section, it refers 622
to a district created under section 3301.01 of the Revised Code. 623
Section 2. That existing sections 3501.01, 3505.03, 624
3505.04, 3513.254, 3513.255, 3513.256, and 3513.259 of the 625
Revised 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.

General Government
General Government
Referred to · Feb 19, 2025

History

SB 107 has taken 2 actions since Feb 18, 2025, the latest on Feb 19, 2025.

ChamberAction
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