§ 3505.01Forms of official ballots

(A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in section 3519.08 of the Revised Code, on the seventieth day
before the day of the next general election, the secretary of state shall certify to the board of
elections of each county the forms of the official ballots to be used at that general election, together
with the names of the candidates to be printed on those ballots whose candidacy is to be submitted
to the electors of the entire state. On the seventieth day before a special election to be held on the
day specified by division (E) of section 3501.01 of the Revised Code for the holding of a primary
election, designated by the general assembly for the purpose of submitting to the voters of the state
constitutional amendments proposed by the general assembly, the secretary of state shall certify to
the board of elections of each county the forms of the official ballots to be used at that election.


(2) The board of the most populous county in each district comprised of more than one county but
less than all of the counties of the state, in which there are candidates whose candidacies are to be
submitted to the electors of that district, shall, on the seventieth day before the day of the next
general election, certify to the board of each county in the district the names of those candidates to
be printed on such ballots.


(3) The board of a county in which the major portion of a subdivision, located in more than one
county, is located shall, on the seventieth day before the day of the next general election, certify to
the board of each county in which other portions of that subdivision are located the names of
candidates whose candidacies are to be submitted to the electors of that subdivision, to be printed
on such ballots.


(B) If, subsequently to the seventieth day before and prior to the tenth day before the day of a
general election, a certificate is filed with the secretary of state to fill a vacancy caused by the death
of a candidate, the secretary of state shall forthwith make a supplemental certification to the board
of each county amending and correcting the secretary of state's original certification provided for in
the first paragraph of this section. If, within that time, such a certificate is filed with the board of the
most populous county in a district comprised of more than one county but less than all of the



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counties of the state, or with the board of a county in which the major portion of the population of a
subdivision, located in more than one county, is located, the board with which the certificate is filed
shall forthwith make a supplemental certification to the board of each county in the district or to the
board of each county in which other portions of the subdivision are located, amending and
correcting its original certification provided for in division (A)(2) or (3) of this section. If, at the
time such supplemental certification is received by a board, ballots carrying the name of the
deceased candidate have been printed, the board shall cause strips of paper bearing the name of the
candidate certified to fill the vacancy to be printed and pasted on those ballots so as to cover the
name of the deceased candidate, except that in voting places using marking devices, the board shall
cause strips of paper bearing the revised list of candidates for the office, after certification of a
candidate to fill the vacancy, to be printed and pasted on the ballot cards so as to cover the names of
candidates shown prior to the new certification, before such ballots are delivered to electors.




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