(136th General Assembly)

(Substitute House Bill Number 472)

AN ACT

To amend sections 111.31, 2101.16, 2303.20, 3109.14, 3333.31, 3375.011, 3501.01, 3503.02, 3503.13, 3503.153, 3503.16, 3505.19, 3509.03, 3509.04, 3509.05, 3509.051, 3509.06, 3509.07, 3509.08, 3509.10, 3511.011, 3511.02, 3511.021, 3705.24, 3705.242, 4507.01, 4507.50, 4507.51, and 4507.52; to amend, for the purpose of adopting a new section number as indicated in parentheses, section 3511.011 (3511.01); to enact sections 9.011, 2101.166, 2303.202, 3509.031, 3509.032, 3509.11, 3705.243, and 3705.50; and to repeal section 3511.01 of the Revised Code to require photo identification to cast absent voter's ballots, with certain exceptions, to allow electors to apply for those ballots through a secure online portal, and to waive fees for an identification card or vital statistics record and permit the storage of documents for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

Section 1. That sections 111.31, 2101.16, 2303.20, 3109.14, 3333.31, 3375.011, 3501.01, 3503.02, 3503.13, 3503.153, 3503.16, 3505.19, 3509.03, 3509.04, 3509.05, 3509.051, 3509.06, 3509.07, 3509.08, 3509.10, 3511.011, 3511.02, 3511.021, 3705.24, 3705.242, 4507.01, 4507.50, 4507.51, and 4507.52 be amended; section 3511.011 (3511.01) be amended for the purpose of adopting a new section number as indicated in parentheses; and sections 9.011, 2101.166, 2303.202, 3509.031, 3509.032, 3509.11, 3705.243, and 3705.50 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 9.011. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Homeless shelter" has the same meaning as in section 2151.422 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Individual experiencing homelessness" has the same meaning as in section 3705.243 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Nonprofit agency providing case management services to individuals experiencing homelessness" does not include any governmental agency.

(B) A homeless shelter or nonprofit agency providing case management services to individuals experiencing homelessness may, with consent, retain for an individual experiencing homelessness receiving services from the shelter or agency a physical or digital copy of the individual's social security card, certification of birth, or certified copy of a birth record. A shelter or agency that chooses to store a physical or digital copy of an individual experiencing homelessness' social security card, certification of birth, or certified copy of a birth record shall do both of the following:

(1) Retain possession of the physical or digital copy of the social security card, certification of birth, or certified copy of a birth record;

(2) Establish a mechanism to protect the physical or digital copy of a social security card, certification of birth, or certified copy of a birth record, including by ensuring that there is a physical or virtual lock protecting access to the copy and that the copy is only accessible to appropriate staff.

(C) An individual experiencing homelessness whose document is stored pursuant to division (B) of this section shall be permitted to access the document in a timely manner upon request and may request that the document be destroyed, deleted, or returned. A homeless shelter or nonprofit agency providing case management services to individuals experiencing homelessness shall destroy, delete, or return the document upon such a request.

Sec. 111.31. (A) Notwithstanding division (E)(2) of section 3509.03 and division (E)(2) (D)(2) of section 3511.02 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state may mail unsolicited applications for absent voter's ballots to electors for a general election if all of the following apply:

(1) The general assembly appropriates funds to the controlling board for that particular mailing;

(2) The secretary of state submits a request to the controlling board to transfer those funds to the absent voter's ballot application mailing fund established under division (B) of this section;

(3) The request is accompanied by a report that includes all of the following concerning the most recent mailing of unsolicited applications for absent voter's ballots conducted by the secretary of state:

(a) The number of applications mailed;

(b) The number of those applications that were returned to the sender as undeliverable or otherwise were determined to be undeliverable;

(c) The number of those applications that were completed and returned to the secretary of state or a board of elections;

(d) The number of absent voter's ballots cast by mail in the election for which the applications were mailed.

(4) The controlling board approves the transfer of funds to the absent voter's ballot application mailing fund.

(B) There is hereby created in the state treasury the absent voter's ballot application mailing fund. The secretary of state shall use the fund to pay the cost of printing and mailing unsolicited applications for absent voter's ballots.

The fund shall consist of moneys transferred to it by the controlling board under division (A) of this section. The controlling board shall transfer any unused moneys in the fund to the proper appropriation item.

Sec. 2101.16. (A) Except as provided in section sections 2101.164 and 2101.166 of the Revised Code, the fees enumerated in this division shall be charged and collected, if possible, by the probate judge and shall be in full for all services rendered in the respective proceedings:

(B)(1) In relation to an application for the appointment of a guardian or the review of a report of a guardian under section 2111.49 of the Revised Code, the probate court, pursuant to court order or in accordance with a court rule, may direct that the applicant or the estate pay any or all of the expenses of an investigation conducted pursuant to section 2111.041 or division (A)(2) of section 2111.49 of the Revised Code. If the investigation is conducted by a public employee or investigator who is paid by the county, the fees for the investigation shall be paid into the county treasury. If the court finds that an alleged incompetent or a ward is indigent, the court may waive the costs, fees, and expenses of an investigation.

(2) In relation to the appointment or functioning of a guardian for a minor or the guardianship of a minor, the probate court may direct that the applicant or the estate pay any or all of the expenses of an investigation conducted pursuant to section 2111.042 of the Revised Code. If the investigation is conducted by a public employee or investigator who is paid by the county, the fees for the investigation shall be paid into the county treasury. If the court finds that the guardian or applicant is indigent, the court may waive the costs, fees, and expenses of an investigation.

(3) In relation to the filing of an affidavit of mental illness for a person with a mental illness subject to court order, the court may waive the fee under division (A)(75) of this section if the court finds that the affiant is indigent or for good cause shown.

(C) Thirty dollars of the thirty-five-dollar fee collected pursuant to division (A)(34) of this section and twenty dollars of the sixty-dollar fee collected pursuant to division (A)(59) of this section shall be deposited by the county treasurer in the indigent guardianship fund created pursuant to section 2111.51 of the Revised Code.

(D) The fees of witnesses, jurors, sheriffs, coroners, and constables for services rendered in the probate court or by order of the probate judge shall be the same as provided for similar services in the court of common pleas.

(E) The probate court, by rule, may require an advance deposit for costs, not to exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars, at the time application is made for an appointment as executor or administrator or at the time a will is presented for probate.

(F)(1) The "putative father registry fund" is hereby created in the state treasury. The department of children and youth shall use the money in the fund to fund the department's costs of performing its duties related to the putative father registry established under section 3107.062 of the Revised Code.

(2) If the department determines that money in the putative father registry fund is more than is needed for its duties related to the putative father registry, the department may use the surplus moneys in the fund as permitted in division (D) of section 2151.3527 or section 5103.155 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 2101.166. (A) As used in this section, "individual experiencing homelessness" has the same meaning as in section 3705.243 of the Revised Code.

(B) The probate judge shall waive all fees for a certified abstract of marriage if the certified abstract is requested by an individual who has not received such a fee waiver in the preceding twelve months and who is experiencing homelessness as verified by at least one of the following:

(1) A director or a director's designee of a government or nonprofit agency that receives public or private funding to provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness;

(2) A school social worker, school counselor, or a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths designated pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii);

(3) A director or a director's designee of either a federal TRIO program or gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate program (GEAR UP);

(4) A financial aid administrator for an institution of higher education.

(C) Beginning one year after the effective date of this section, by the thirty-first day of January of each year any probate judge who waives fees pursuant to division (B) of this section shall submit an annual report to the director of health detailing the number of individuals for whom fees were waived in the preceding one-year period.

Sec. 2303.20. Under the circumstances described in sections 2969.21 to 2969.27 of the Revised Code, the clerk of the court of common pleas shall charge the fees and perform the other duties specified in those sections. In all other cases, the clerk shall charge the following fees and no more:

(A) Twenty-five dollars for each cause of action which shall include the following:

(1) Docketing in all dockets;

(2) Filing necessary documents, noting the filing of the documents, except subpoena, on the dockets;

(3) Issuing certificate of deposit in foreign writs;

(4) Indexing pending suits and living judgments;

(5) Noting on appearance docket all papers mailed;

(6) Certificate for attorney's fee;

(7) Certificate for stenographer's fee;

(8) Preparing cost bill;

(9) Entering on indictment any plea;

(10) Entering costs on docket and cash book.

(B) Two dollars for taking each undertaking, bond, or recognizance;

(C) Two dollars for issuing each writ, order, or notice, except subpoena;

(D) Two dollars for each name for issuing subpoena, swearing witness, entering attendance, and certifying fees;

(E) Twenty-five dollars for calling a jury in each cause;

(F) Two dollars for each page, for entering on journal, indexing, and posting on any docket;

(G) Three dollars for each execution or transcript of judgment, including indexing;

(H) One dollar for each page, for making complete record, including indexing;

(I) Five dollars for certifying a plat recorded in the county recorder's office;

(J) Five dollars for issuing certificate to receiver or order of reference with oath;

(K) Five dollars for entering satisfaction or partial satisfaction of each lien on record in the county recorder's office, and the clerk of courts' office;

(L) One dollar for each certificate of fact under seal of the court, to be paid by the party demanding it;

(M) One dollar for taking each affidavit, including certificate and seal;

(N) Two dollars for acknowledging all instruments in writing;

(O) Five dollars for making certificate of judgment;

(P) Ten dollars for filing, docketing, and endorsing a certificate of judgment, including the indexing and noting the return of the certificate;

(Q) Twenty-five dollars for each cause of action for each judgment by confession, including all docketing, indexing, and entries on the journal;

(R) Five dollars for recording commission of mayor;

(S) One dollar for issuing any license except the licenses issued pursuant to sections 1533.101, 1533.11, 1533.13, and 1533.32 of the Revised Code;

(T) Fifteen dollars for docketing and indexing each aid in execution or petition to vacate, revive, or modify judgment, including the filing and noting of all necessary documents;

(U) Twenty-five dollars for docketing and indexing each appeal, including the filing and noting of all necessary documents;

(V) A commission of two per cent on the first ten thousand dollars and one per cent on all exceeding ten thousand dollars for receiving and disbursing money, other than costs and fees, paid to or deposited with the clerk of courts in pursuance of an order of court or on judgments, including moneys invested by order of the court and interest earned on them;

(W) Five dollars for numbering, docketing, indexing, and filing each authenticated or certified copy of the record, or any portion of an authenticated or certified copy of the record, of an extra county action or proceeding;

(X) Two Except as provided in section 2303.202 of the Revised Code, two dollars for each certificate of divorce, annulment, or dissolution of marriage to the bureau of vital statistics;

(Y) Two dollars for each electronic transmission of a document, plus one dollar for each page of that document. These fees are to be paid by the party requesting the electronic transmission.

(Z) One Except as provided in section 2303.202 of the Revised Code, one dollar for each page, for copies of pleadings, process, record, or files, including certificate and seal.

Sec. 2303.202. (A) As used in this section, "individual experiencing homelessness" has the same meaning as in section 3705.243 of the Revised Code.

(B) The clerk of the court of common pleas shall waive all fees for a certified record of a name change or a certificate of divorce, annulment, or dissolution of marriage if the certified record or certificate is requested by an individual who has not received such a fee waiver in the preceding twelve months and who is experiencing homelessness as verified by at least one of the following:

(1) A director or a director's designee of a government or nonprofit agency that receives public or private funding to provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness;

(2) A school social worker, school counselor, or a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths designated pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii);

(3) A director or a director's designee of either a federal TRIO program or gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate program (GEAR UP);

(4) A financial aid administrator for an institution of higher education.

(C) Beginning one year after the effective date of this section, by the thirty-first day of January of each year any clerk of the court of common pleas who waives fees pursuant to division (B) of this section shall submit an annual report to the director of health detailing the number of individuals for whom fees were waived in the preceding one-year period, delineated by type of document.

Sec. 3109.14. (A) As used in this section, "birth record" and "certification of birth" have the meanings given in section 3705.01 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) The Except as provided in section 3705.243 of the Revised Code, the director of health, a person authorized by the director, a local commissioner of health, or a local registrar of vital statistics shall charge and collect a fee for each certified copy of a birth record, for each certification of birth, and for each copy of a death record. The fee shall be three dollars. The fee is in addition to the fee imposed by section 3705.24 or any other section of the Revised Code. A local commissioner of health or a local registrar of vital statistics may retain an amount of each additional fee collected, not to exceed three per cent of the amount of the additional fee, to be used for costs directly related to the collection of the fee and the forwarding of the fee to the department of health.

The additional fees collected by the director of health or a person authorized by the director and the additional fees collected but not retained by a local commissioner of health or a local registrar of vital statistics shall be forwarded to the department of health not later than thirty days following the end of each quarter. Not later than two days after the fees are forwarded to the department each quarter, the department shall deposit the collected fees in the state treasury to the credit of the children's trust fund. A person or government entity that fails to forward the fees in a timely manner, as determined by the department, shall send to the department, in addition to the fees, a penalty equal to ten per cent of the fees. The department also shall deposit any penalty received in the state treasury to the credit of the children's trust fund.

(2) Upon the filing for a divorce decree under section 3105.10 or a decree of dissolution under section 3105.65 of the Revised Code, a court of common pleas shall charge and collect a fee. The fee shall be eleven dollars. The fee is in addition to any other court costs or fees. The county clerk of courts may retain an amount of each additional fee collected, not to exceed three per cent of the amount of the additional fee, to be used for costs directly related to the collection of the fee and the forwarding of the fee to the treasurer of state. The additional fees collected, but not retained, under division (B)(2) of this section shall be forwarded to the treasurer of state not later than twenty days following the end of each month.

The treasurer of state shall deposit the fees received under division (B)(2) of this section in the state treasury to the credit of the children's trust fund. A county clerk of courts that fails to forward the fees in a timely manner, as determined by the treasurer of state, shall send to the treasurer of state, in addition to the fees, a penalty equal to ten per cent of the fees. The treasurer of state also shall deposit any penalty received in the state treasury to the credit of the children's trust fund.

(C) The children's trust fund is created in the state treasury. The treasurer of state shall invest the moneys in the fund, and all earnings resulting from investment of the fund shall be credited to the fund, except that actual administrative costs incurred by the treasurer of state in administering the fund may be deducted from the earnings resulting from investments. The amount that may be deducted shall not exceed three per cent of the total amount of fees credited to the fund in each fiscal year, except that the children's trust fund board may approve an amount for actual administrative costs exceeding three per cent but not exceeding four per cent of such amount. The balance of the investment earnings shall be credited to the fund. Moneys credited to the fund shall be used only for the purposes described in sections 3109.13 to 3109.179 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3333.31. (A) For state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, status as a resident of Ohio shall be defined by the chancellor of higher education by rule promulgated pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. No adjudication as to the status of any person under such rule, however, shall be required to be made pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. The term "resident" for these purposes shall not be equated with the definition of that term as it is employed elsewhere under the laws of this state and other states, and shall not carry with it any of the legal connotations appurtenant thereto. Rather, except as provided in divisions (B), (C), (D), (F), and (G) of this section, for such purposes, the rule promulgated under this section shall have the objective of excluding from treatment as residents those who are present in the state primarily for the purpose of attending a state-supported or state-assisted institution of higher education, and may prescribe presumptive rules, rebuttable or conclusive, as to such purpose based upon the source or sources of support of the student, residence prior to first enrollment, evidence of intention to remain in the state after completion of studies, or such other factors as the chancellor deems relevant.

(B) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall grant residency status to a veteran and to the veteran's spouse and any dependent of the veteran, if both of the following conditions are met:

(1) The veteran either:

(a) Served one or more years on active military duty and was honorably discharged or received a medical discharge that was related to the military service;

(b) Was killed while serving on active military duty or has been declared to be missing in action or a prisoner of war.

(2) If the veteran seeks residency status for tuition surcharge purposes, the veteran has established domicile in this state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education. If the spouse or a dependent of the veteran seeks residency status for tuition surcharge purposes, the veteran and the spouse or dependent seeking residency status have established domicile in this state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education, except that if the veteran was killed while serving on active military duty, has been declared to be missing in action or a prisoner of war, or is deceased after discharge, only the spouse or dependent seeking residency status shall be required to have established domicile in accordance with this division.

(C) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall grant residency status to both of the following:

(1) A veteran who is the recipient of federal veterans' benefits under the "All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program," 38 U.S.C. 3001 et seq., or "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program," 38 U.S.C. 3301 et seq., or any successor program, if the veteran meets all of the following criteria:

(a) The veteran served at least ninety days on active duty.

(b) The veteran enrolls in a state institution of higher education, as defined in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

(c) The veteran lives in the state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in the state institution of higher education.

(2) A person who is the recipient of the federal Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry scholarship or transferred federal veterans' benefits under any of the programs described in division (C)(1) of this section, if the person meets both of the following criteria:

(a) The person enrolls in a state institution of higher education.

(b) The person lives in the state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in the state institution of higher education.

In order for a person using transferred federal veterans' benefits to qualify under division (C)(2) of this section, the veteran who transferred the benefits must have served at least ninety days on active duty or the service member who transferred the benefits must be on active duty.

(D) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall grant residency status to a service member who is on active duty and to the service member's spouse and any dependent of the service member while the service member is on active duty. In order to qualify under division (D) of this section, the rules shall require the student seeking in-state tuition rates to live in the state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in the state institution of higher education, but shall not require the service member or the service member's spouse or dependent to establish domicile in this state as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education.

(E) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall not deny residency status to a student who is either a dependent child of a parent, or the spouse of a person who, as of the first day of a term of enrollment in an institution of higher education, has accepted full-time employment and established domicile in this state for reasons other than gaining the benefit of favorable tuition rates.

Documentation of full-time employment and domicile shall include both of the following documents:

(1) A sworn statement from the employer or the employer's representative on the letterhead of the employer or the employer's representative certifying that the parent or spouse of the student is employed full-time in Ohio;

(2) A copy of the lease under which the parent or spouse is the lessee and occupant of rented residential property in the state, a copy of the closing statement on residential real property of which the parent or spouse is the owner and occupant in this state or, if the parent or spouse is not the lessee or owner of the residence in which the parent or spouse has established domicile, a letter from the owner of the residence certifying that the parent or spouse resides at that residence.

Residency officers may also evaluate, in accordance with the chancellor's rule, requests for immediate residency status from dependent students whose parents are not living and whose domicile follows that of a legal guardian who has accepted full-time employment and established domicile in the state for reasons other than gaining the benefit of favorable tuition rates.

(F)(1) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall grant residency status to a person who enrolls in an institution of higher education and establishes domicile in this state, regardless of the student's residence prior to that enrollment and satisfies either of the following conditions:

(a) The person, while a resident of this state for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, graduated from a high school in this state or completed the final year of education at home as authorized under section 3321.042 of the Revised Code.

(b) The person meets all of the following criteria:

(i) The person officially withdrew from a school in this state while the person was a resident of this state for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes.

(ii) The person has not received a high school diploma or honors diploma awarded under section 3313.61, 3313.611, 3313.612, or 3325.08 of the Revised Code or a high school diploma awarded by a school located in another state or country.

(iii) The person, while a resident of this state for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, both took a high school equivalency test and was awarded a certificate of high school equivalence.

(2) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency shall not grant residency status to an alien if the alien is not also an immigrant or a nonimmigrant.

(G) The rules of the chancellor for determining student residency status shall grant residency status to a person to whom all of the following apply:

(1) The person, while not a resident of this state for state subsidy and tuition surcharge purposes, lives in this state and completes a bachelor's degree program at an institution of higher education in this state.

(2) The person, upon completing that bachelor's degree program, immediately enrolls in a graduate degree program, as determined appropriate by the chancellor, offered at any state institution of higher education.

(3) The person, while enrolled in the graduate degree program, resides in this state.

The chancellor's rules adopted under this section shall define "immediately" for the purposes of division (G) of this section.

(H) As used in this section:

(1) "Dependent," "domicile," "institution of higher education," and "residency officer" have the meanings ascribed in the chancellor's rules adopted under this section.

(2) "Alien" means a person who is not a United States citizen or a United States national.

(3) "Immigrant" means an alien who has been granted the right by the United States bureau of citizenship and immigration services to reside permanently in the United States and to work without restrictions in the United States.

(4) "Nonimmigrant" means an alien who has been granted the right by the United States bureau of citizenship and immigration services to reside temporarily in the United States.

(5) "Veteran" means any person who has completed service in the uniformed services, as defined in section 3511.01 3501.01 of the Revised Code.

(6) "Service member" has the same meaning as in section 5903.01 of the Revised Code.

(7) "Certificate of high school equivalence" means either of the following:

(a) A certificate of high school equivalence awarded by the department of education and workforce under division (A) of section 3301.80 of the Revised Code;

(b) The equivalent of a certificate of high school equivalence awarded by the state board of education under former law, as defined in division (C)(1) of section 3301.80 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3375.011. Any (A) As used in this section, "photo identification" and "copy" of an individual's photo identification have the same meanings as in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) Upon request by an individual, any library organized under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code shall provide free of charge to any individual a photocopy of that individual's driver's license, temporary driver's permit, or state identification card, if the individual requests one.

(C) Upon request by an elector, any library organized under Chapter 3375. of the Revised Code shall provide free of charge to the elector a copy of the elector's photo identification for the purpose of casting absent voter's ballots by mail.

Sec. 3501.01. As used in the sections of the Revised Code relating to elections and political communications:

(A) "General election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in each November.

(B) "Regular municipal election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each odd-numbered year.

(C) "Regular state election" means the election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each even-numbered year.

(D) "Special election" means any election other than those elections defined in other divisions of this section. A special election may be held only on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May or November, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in August in accordance with section 3501.022 of the Revised Code, or on the day authorized by a particular municipal or county charter for the holding of a primary election, except that in any year in which a presidential primary election is held, no special election shall be held in May, except as authorized by a municipal or county charter, but may be held on the third Tuesday after the first Monday in March.

(E)(1) "Primary" or "primary election" means an election held for the purpose of nominating persons as candidates of political parties for election to offices, and for the purpose of electing persons as members of the controlling committees of political parties and as delegates and alternates to the conventions of political parties. Primary elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May of each year except in years in which a presidential primary election is held.

(2) "Presidential primary election" means a primary election as defined by division (E)(1) of this section at which an election is held for the purpose of choosing delegates and alternates to the national conventions of the major political parties pursuant to section 3513.12 of the Revised Code. Unless otherwise specified, presidential primary elections are included in references to primary elections. In years in which a presidential primary election is held, all primary elections shall be held on the third Tuesday after the first Monday in March except as otherwise authorized by a municipal or county charter.

(F) "Political party" means any group of voters meeting the requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code for the formation and existence of a political party.

(1) "Major political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received not less than twenty per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election.

(2) "Minor political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state that meets either of the following requirements:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, the political party's candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than twenty per cent but not less than three per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election. A political party that meets the requirements of this division remains a political party for a period of four years after meeting those requirements.

(b) The political party has filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to its failure to meet the requirements of division (F)(2)(a) of this section, a petition that meets the requirements of section 3517.01 of the Revised Code.

A newly formed political party shall be known as a minor political party until the time of the first election for governor or president which occurs not less than twelve months subsequent to the formation of such party, after which election the status of such party shall be determined by the vote for the office of governor or president.

(G) "Dominant party in a precinct" or "dominant political party in a precinct" means that political party whose candidate for election to the office of governor at the most recent regular state election at which a governor was elected received more votes than any other person received for election to that office in such precinct at such election.

(H) "Candidate" means any qualified person certified in accordance with the provisions of the Revised Code for placement on the official ballot of a primary, general, or special election to be held in this state, or any qualified person who claims to be a write-in candidate, or who knowingly assents to being represented as a write-in candidate by another at either a primary, general, or special election to be held in this state.

(I) "Independent candidate" means any candidate who claims not to be affiliated with a political party, and whose name has been certified on the office-type ballot at a general or special election through the filing of a statement of candidacy and nominating petition, as prescribed in section 3513.257 of the Revised Code.

(J) "Nonpartisan candidate" means any candidate whose name is required, pursuant to section 3505.04 of the Revised Code, to be listed on the nonpartisan ballot, including all candidates for judge of a municipal court, county court, or court of common pleas, for member of any board of education, for municipal or township offices in which primary elections are not held for nominating candidates by political parties, and for offices of municipal corporations having charters that provide for separate ballots for elections for these offices.

(K) "Party candidate" means any candidate who claims to be a member of a political party and who has been certified to appear on the office-type ballot at a general or special election as the nominee of a political party because the candidate has won the primary election of the candidate's party for the public office the candidate seeks, has been nominated under section 3517.012, or is selected by party committee in accordance with section 3513.31 of the Revised Code.

(L) "Officer of a political party" includes, but is not limited to, any member, elected or appointed, of a controlling committee, whether representing the territory of the state, a district therein, a county, township, a city, a ward, a precinct, or other territory, of a major or minor political party.

(M) "Question or issue" means any question or issue certified in accordance with the Revised Code for placement on an official ballot at a general or special election to be held in this state.

(N) "Elector" or "qualified elector" means a person having the qualifications provided by law to be entitled to vote.

(O) "Voter" means an elector who votes at an election.

(P) "Voting residence" means that place of residence of an elector which shall determine the precinct in which the elector may vote.

(Q) "Precinct" means a district within a county established by the board of elections of such county within which all qualified electors having a voting residence therein may vote at the same polling place.

(R) "Polling place" means that place provided for each precinct at which the electors having a voting residence in such precinct may vote.

(S) "Board" or "board of elections" means the board of elections appointed in a county pursuant to section 3501.06 of the Revised Code.

(T) "Political subdivision" means a county, township, city, village, or school district.

(U) "Election officer" or "election official" means any of the following:

(1) Secretary of state;

(2) Employees of the secretary of state serving the division of elections in the capacity of attorney, administrative officer, administrative assistant, elections administrator, office manager, or clerical supervisor;

(3) Director of a board of elections;

(4) Deputy director of a board of elections;

(5) Member of a board of elections;

(6) Employees of a board of elections;

(7) Precinct election officials;

(8) Employees appointed by the boards of elections on a temporary or part-time basis.

(V) "Acknowledgment notice" means a notice sent by a board of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, informing a voter registration applicant or an applicant who wishes to change the applicant's residence or name of the status of the application; the information necessary to complete or update the application, if any; and if the application is complete, the precinct in which the applicant is to vote.

(W) "Confirmation notice" means a notice sent by a board of elections, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, to a registered elector to confirm the registered elector's current address, date of birth, or United States citizenship, the number of the elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card, the last four digits of the elector's social security number, or any other information required for registration. The notice shall be sent by forwardable mail, shall be accompanied by a postage prepaid, preaddressed return envelope containing a form on which the elector may verify or correct the elector's registration, and shall meet the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.

(X) "Designated agency" means an office or agency in the state that provides public assistance or that provides state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities and that is required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to implement a program designed and administered by the secretary of state for registering voters, or any other public or government office or agency that implements a program designed and administered by the secretary of state for registering voters, including the department of job and family services, the program administered under section 3701.132 of the Revised Code by the department of health, the department of behavioral health, the department of developmental disabilities, the opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities agency, and any other agency the secretary of state designates. "Designated agency" does not include public high schools and vocational schools, public libraries, or the office of a county treasurer.

(Y) "National Voter Registration Act of 1993" means the "National Voter Registration Act of 1993," 107 Stat. 77, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973gg.

(Z) "Voting Rights Act of 1965" means the "Voting Rights Act of 1965," 79 Stat. 437, 42 U.S.C.A. 1973, as amended.

(AA)(1) "Photo identification" means one of the following documents that includes the individual's name and photograph and is not expired:

(a) An Ohio driver's license, state identification card, or interim identification form issued by the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of the Revised Code;

(b) A United States passport or passport card;

(c) A United States military identification card, Ohio national guard identification card, or United States department of veterans affairs identification card.

(2) A "copy" of an individual's photo identification means images of both the front and back of a document described in division (AA)(1) of this section, except that if the document is a United States passport, a copy of the photo identification means an image of the passport's identification page that includes the individual's name, photograph, and other identifying information and the passport's expiration date.

(BB) "Driver's license" means a license or permit issued by the registrar or a deputy registrar under Chapter 4506. or 4507. of the Revised Code that authorizes an individual to drive. "Driver's license" includes a driver's license, commercial driver's license, probationary license, restricted license, motorcycle operator's license, or temporary instruction permit identification card. "Driver's license" does not include a limited term license issued under section 4506.14 or 4507.09 of the Revised Code.

(CC) "State identification card" means a card issued by the registrar or a deputy registrar under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code.

(DD) "Interim identification form" means the document issued by the registrar or a deputy registrar to an applicant for a driver's license or state identification card that contains all of the information otherwise found on the license or card and that an applicant may use as a form of identification until the physical license or card arrives in the mail.

(EE)(1) "Proof of citizenship" means evidence that an individual is a United States citizen, in the form of one of the following:

(a) The number of the individual's current Ohio driver's license or state identification card, if the secretary of state verifies using information obtained from the bureau of motor vehicles that the individual has submitted documentation to the bureau that indicates that the individual is a United States citizen;

(b) The individual's current Ohio driver's license, state identification card, or interim identification form issued on or after April 7, 2023, or a copy of the front and back of that license, card, or form, if the license, card, or form does not include a notation designating that the individual is a noncitizen of the United States;

(c) The individual's birth certificate, certification of report of birth, or consular report of birth abroad, or a copy of one of those documents;

(d) The individual's current United States passport or passport card, a copy of the identification page of the passport, or a copy of the front and back of the passport card;

(e) The individual's certificate of naturalization or certificate of citizenship or a copy of one of those documents;

(f) The individual's I-797 notice of action for form N-565, application for replacement naturalization/citizenship document issued by United States citizenship and immigration services, if the notice indicates that the application has been approved; a copy of that notice; or an original or copy of the successor form of that notice issued by the federal agency that is responsible for fulfilling requests for replacement naturalization or citizenship documents.

(2) If an individual's current legal name is different from the name on the individual's proof of citizenship, the individual also shall provide proof of the change of name, such as a copy of a marriage license or court order.

(FF) "Ranked choice voting" and "instant runoff voting" mean a method of nominating or electing one or more candidates to an office as follows:

(1) Voters rank candidates on the ballot in order of preference.

(2) Tabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each round, one or more candidates are nominated or elected or a last-place candidate is defeated.

(3) Votes are transferred from nominated, elected, or defeated candidates to the voter's next-ranked candidate or candidates in order of preference.

(4) Tabulation ends when a candidate receives the majority of the votes cast or when the number of candidates nominated or elected equals the number of offices to be filled, as applicable.

(GG) "Overseas voter" means any of the following:

(1) A United States citizen who is outside of the United States and who, before leaving the United States, was last eligible to vote in this state, who may be considered a state resident using the standards for residency established in sections 3503.02 and 3511.01 of the Revised Code, and who otherwise satisfies the requirements to vote in this state;

(2) A United States citizen who is outside of the United States and who, before leaving the United States, would have been eligible to vote in this state had the person then been eighteen years of age or older, who may be considered a state resident using the standards for residency established in sections 3503.02 and 3511.01 of the Revised Code, and who otherwise satisfies the requirements to vote in this state;

(3) A United States citizen who was born outside of the United States, who may be considered a state resident using the standards for residency established in sections 3503.02 and 3511.01 of the Revised Code, and who otherwise satisfies the requirements to vote in this state, if both of the following apply:

(a) The last place where the person's parent or legal guardian was, or would have been, eligible to vote before leaving the United States is within this state;

(b) The person has not previously registered to vote in any other state.

(HH) "Uniformed services" means:

(1) Active and reserve components of the army, navy, air force, marine corps, space force, or coast guard of the United States;

(2) The merchant marine, the commissioned corps of the public health service, or the commissioned corps of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration of the United States;

(3) The national guard and the organized militia.

(II) "Uniformed services voter" means a United States citizen who is qualified to vote in this state and who is:

(1) A member of one of the uniformed services described in division (HH)(1) or (2) of this section;

(2) A member of one of the uniformed services described in division (HH)(3) of this section who is on activated status.

(3) A spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. As used in this division, "dependent" means a person who is recognized as a dependent by one of the uniformed services.

Sec. 3503.02. All registrars and precinct election officials, in determining the residence of a person offering to register or vote, shall be governed by the following rules:

(A) That place shall be considered the residence of a person in which the person's habitation is fixed and to which, whenever the person is absent, the person has the intention of returning.

(B) A person shall not be considered to have lost the person's residence who leaves the person's home and goes into another state or county of this state, for temporary purposes only, with the intention of returning.

(C) A person shall not be considered to have gained a residence in any county of this state into which the person comes for temporary purposes only, without the intention of making such county the permanent place of abode.

(D) The place where the family of a married person resides shall be considered to be the person's place of residence; except that when the spouses have separated and live apart, the place where such a spouse resides the length of time required to entitle a person to vote shall be considered to be the spouse's place of residence.

(E) If a person removes to another state with the intention of making such state the person's residence, the person shall be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state.

(F) Except as otherwise provided in division (G) of this section, if a person removes from this state and continuously resides outside this state for a period of four years or more, the person shall be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state, notwithstanding the fact that the person may entertain an intention to return at some future period.

(G)(1) If a person removes from this state to engage in the services of the United States government, the person shall not be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state, and likewise should the person enter the employment of the state, the place where such person resided at the time of the person's removal shall be considered to be the person's place of residence.

(2) If a person removes from this state to a location outside of the United States and the person does not become a resident of another state, the person shall not be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state. The place where the person resided at the time of the person's removal shall be considered to be the person's place of residence.

(3) If a person is eligible to vote in this state under division (D)(2) of section 3511.011 3511.01 of the Revised Code, the place where the person's parent or legal guardian resided in this state prior to that parent or legal guardian's removal to a location outside of the United States shall be considered to be the person's place of residence.

(4) If an address that is considered to be a person's place of residence under division (G) of this section ceases to be a recognized residential address, the board of elections shall assign an address to the applicable person for voting purposes.

(H) If a person goes into another state and while there exercises the right of a citizen by voting, the person shall be considered to have lost the person's residence in this state.

(I) If a person does not have a fixed place of habitation, but has a shelter or other location at which the person has been a consistent or regular inhabitant and to which the person has the intention of returning, that shelter or other location shall be deemed the person's residence for the purpose of registering to vote.

Sec. 3503.13. (A)(1) (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) (B) of this section, voter registration forms submitted by applicants and the statewide voter registration database established under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code are public records subject to disclosure under section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(2) None of the (B) The following records in the possession of the secretary of state or a board of elections are not subject to disclosure under division (A)(1) of this section as public records and shall not be disclosed to the public:

(a) (1) An elector's full or partial social security number, driver's license or state identification card number, telephone number, or electronic mail address;

(b) (2) A copy of an elector's photo identification;

(3) An image of an elector or of the elector's photo identification submitted through the portal described in section 3509.031 of the Revised Code;

(4) A confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code;

(c) (5) The address of a designated public service worker, if the designated public service worker has submitted a redaction request to the board of elections under section 149.45 of the Revised Code;

(d) (6) An elector's proof of citizenship;

(e) (7) Any other information that is prohibited from being disclosed by state or federal law.

(B) (C) A board of elections may use a legible digitized signature list of voter signatures, copied from the signatures on the registration forms in a form and manner prescribed by the secretary of state, provided that the board includes the required voter registration information in the statewide voter registration database established under section 3503.15 of the Revised Code, and provided that the precinct election officials have computer printouts at the polls prepared in the manner required under section 3503.23 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3503.153. (A) The statewide voter registration database shall be made available on a web site of the office of the secretary of state as follows:

(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, the following information from the statewide voter registration database regarding a registered elector shall be made available on the web site:

(a) The elector's name;

(b) The elector's birth date;

(c) The elector's current residence address;

(d) The elector's precinct number;

(e) The elector's voter registration date, as described in division (C)(9) of section 3503.15 of the Revised Code;

(f) The elector's voting history, as described in division (C)(10) of section 3503.15 of the Revised Code;

(g) The elector's last activity date, as described in division (C)(11) of section 3503.15 of the Revised Code.

(2) During the thirty days before the day of a primary or general election, the web site interface of the statewide voter registration database shall permit an elector to search for the polling location at which that elector may cast a ballot.

(3) No information in the statewide voter registration database that is exempt from disclosure under division (A)(2) (B) of section 3503.13 of the Revised Code shall be made available on the web site.

(B)(1) The secretary of state shall establish, by rule adopted under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, a process for boards of elections to notify the secretary of state of changes in the locations of precinct polling places for the purpose of updating the information made available on the secretary of state's web site under division (A)(2) of this section. Those rules shall require a board of elections, during the thirty days before the day of a primary or general election, to notify the secretary of state within one business day of any change to the location of a precinct polling place within the county.

(2) During the thirty days before the day of a primary or general election, not later than one business day after receiving a notification from a county pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section that the location of a precinct polling place has changed, the secretary of state shall update that information on the secretary of state's web site for the purpose of division (A)(2) of this section.

Sec. 3503.16. (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (E) of section 111.44 of the Revised Code, whenever a registered elector changes the place of residence of that registered elector from one precinct to another within a county or from one county to another, or has a change of name, that registered elector shall report the change by delivering a change of residence or change of name form, whichever is appropriate, as prescribed by the secretary of state under section 3503.14 of the Revised Code to the state or local office of a designated agency, a public high school or vocational school, a public library, the office of the county treasurer, the office of the secretary of state, any office of the registrar or deputy registrar of motor vehicles, or any office of a board of elections in person or by a third person. Any voter registration, change of address, or change of name application, returned by mail, may be sent only to the secretary of state or the board of elections.

A registered elector also may update the registration of that registered elector by filing a change of residence or change of name form on the day of a special, primary, or general election at the polling place in the precinct in which that registered elector resides or at the board of elections or at another site designated by the board.

(B)(1)(a) Any registered elector who moves within a precinct on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not filed a notice of change of residence with the board of elections may vote in that election by going to that registered elector's assigned polling place, completing and signing a notice of change of residence, showing photo identification, and casting a ballot.

(b) Any registered elector who changes the name of that registered elector and remains within a precinct on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not filed a notice of change of name with the board of elections may vote in that election by going to that registered elector's assigned polling place, completing and signing a notice of a change of name, and casting a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code. If the registered elector provides to the precinct election officials proof of a legal name change, such as a marriage license or court order that includes the elector's current and prior names, the elector may complete and sign a notice of change of name and cast a regular ballot.

(2) Any registered elector who moves from one precinct to another within a county or moves from one precinct to another and changes the name of that registered elector on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not filed a notice of change of residence or change of name, whichever is appropriate, with the board of elections may vote in that election if that registered elector complies with division (G) of this section or does all of the following:

(a) Appears at anytime during regular business hours on or after the twenty-eighth day prior to the election in which that registered elector wishes to vote or, if the election is held on the day of a presidential primary election, the twenty-fifth day prior to the election, through noon of the Saturday prior to the election at the office of the board of elections, appears at any time during regular business hours on the Monday prior to the election at the office of the board of elections, or appears on the day of the election at either of the following locations:

(i) The polling place for the precinct in which that registered elector resides;

(ii) The office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections.

(b) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, the written affirmation on the provisional ballot envelope, which shall serve as a notice of change of residence or change of name, whichever is appropriate;

(c) Votes a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code at the polling place, at the office of the board of elections, or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, whichever is appropriate, using the address to which that registered elector has moved or the name of that registered elector as changed, whichever is appropriate;

(d) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, a statement attesting that that registered elector moved or had a change of name, whichever is appropriate, on or prior to the day of the election, has voted a provisional ballot at the polling place for the precinct in which that registered elector resides, at the office of the board of elections, or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, whichever is appropriate, and will not vote or attempt to vote at any other location for that particular election.

(C) Any registered elector who moves from one county to another county within the state on or prior to the day of a general, primary, or special election and has not registered to vote in the county to which that registered elector moved may vote in that election if that registered elector complies with division (G) of this section or does all of the following:

(1) Appears at any time during regular business hours on or after the twenty-eighth day prior to the election in which that registered elector wishes to vote or, if the election is held on the day of a presidential primary election, the twenty-fifth day prior to the election, through noon of the Saturday prior to the election at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, appears during regular business hours on the Monday prior to the election at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, or appears on the day of the election at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections;

(2) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, the written affirmation on the provisional ballot envelope, which shall serve as a notice of change of residence;

(3) Votes a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, using the address to which that registered elector has moved;

(4) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, a statement attesting that that registered elector has moved from one county to another county within the state on or prior to the day of the election, has voted at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location instead of the office of the board of elections, and will not vote or attempt to vote at any other location for that particular election.

(D) A person who votes by absent voter's ballots pursuant to division (G) of this section shall not make written application for the ballots pursuant to Chapter 3509. of the Revised Code. Ballots cast pursuant to division (G) of this section shall be set aside in a special envelope and counted during the official canvass of votes in the manner provided for in sections 3505.32 and 3509.06 of the Revised Code insofar as that manner is applicable. The board shall examine the pollbooks to verify that no ballot was cast at the polls or by absent voter's ballots under Chapter 3509. or 3511. of the Revised Code by an elector who has voted by absent voter's ballots pursuant to division (G) of this section. Any ballot determined to be insufficient for any of the reasons stated above or stated in section 3509.07 of the Revised Code shall not be counted.

Subject to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code, a board of elections may lease or otherwise acquire a site different from the office of the board at which registered electors may vote pursuant to division (B) or (C) of this section.

(E) Upon receiving a notice of change of residence or change of name, the board of elections shall immediately send the registrant an acknowledgment notice. If the change of residence or change of name notice is valid, the board shall update the voter's registration as appropriate. If that form is incomplete, the board shall inform the registrant in the acknowledgment notice specified in this division of the information necessary to complete or update that registrant's registration.

(F) Change of residence and change of name forms shall be available at each polling place, and when these forms are completed, noting changes of residence or name, as appropriate, they shall be filed with election officials at the polling place. Election officials shall return completed forms, together with the pollbooks and tally sheets, to the board of elections.

The board of elections shall provide change of residence and change of name forms to the probate court and court of common pleas. The court shall provide the forms to any person eighteen years of age or older who has a change of name by order of the court or who applies for a marriage license. The court shall forward all completed forms to the board of elections within five days after receiving them.

(G) A registered elector who otherwise would qualify to vote under division (B) or (C) of this section but is unable to appear at the office of the board of elections or, if pursuant to division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code the board has designated another location in the county at which registered electors may vote, at that other location, on account of personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity, may vote on the day of the election if that registered elector does all of the following:

(1) Makes a written application on a form prescribed by the secretary of state that includes all of the information required under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code Applies to the appropriate board for an absent voter's ballot on or after the twenty-seventh day prior to the election in which the registered elector wishes to vote through the close of business on the seventh day prior to that election and requests that the absent voter's ballot be sent to the address to which the registered elector has moved if the registered elector has moved, or to the address of that registered elector who has not moved but has had a change of name;. The registered elector either may apply on a paper form prescribed by the secretary of state for that purpose that includes all of the information required under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code or may apply through the portal created under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code. If division (A) of section 3509.032 of the Revised Code applies to the elector, the elector may provide alternative identification in order to cast absent voter's ballots as permitted under that section.

(2) Declares that the registered elector has moved or had a change of name, whichever is appropriate, and otherwise is qualified to vote under the circumstances described in division (B) or (C) of this section, whichever is appropriate, but that the registered elector is unable to appear at the board of elections because of personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity;

(3) Completes and returns along with the completed absent voter's ballot a notice of change of residence indicating the address to which the registered elector has moved, or a notice of change of name, whichever is appropriate;

(4) Completes and signs, under penalty of election falsification, a statement attesting that the registered elector has moved or had a change of name on or prior to the day before the election, has voted by absent voter's ballot because of personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity that prevented the registered elector from appearing at the board of elections, and will not vote or attempt to vote at any other location or by absent voter's ballot mailed to any other location or address for that particular election.

Sec. 3505.19. (A) An elector who does not have photo identification because the elector has a religious objection to being photographed may complete an affidavit of religious objection in lieu of providing photo identification for the purpose of casting a provisional ballot, as described in section 3505.181 of the Revised Code, or for the purpose of casting absent voter's ballots, as described in section 3509.032 of the Revised Code.

(B) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the affidavit of religious objection, which shall be substantially as follows:

"Affidavit of Religious Objection

I, _______________________ (first and last name of elector), declare under penalty of election falsification that I do not have photo identification because I have a sincere religious objection to being photographed.

The last four digits of my Social Security number are: ______

________________________

(Signature of individual)

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."

(C) Upon receiving a completed affidavit of religious objection, the board of elections shall transmit the information in the affidavit to the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall consult the database of the bureau of motor vehicles to determine whether the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar has issued a currently unexpired photo identification to the elector and shall notify the board of the result.

(D) An affidavit of religious objection is not valid if either of the following apply:

(1) The last four digits of the elector's social security number, as provided on the affidavit, are different from the last four digits of the elector's social security number in the statewide voter registration database.

(2) The registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar has issued a currently unexpired photo identification to the elector.

Sec. 3509.03. (A) Except as otherwise provided in sections 3509.051, 3511.02, and 3511.021 of the Revised Code, any qualified elector desiring to vote absent voter's ballots at an election shall deliver a written application for those ballots, either in person or by mail, to the board of elections of the county in which the elector's voting residence is located or shall apply for those ballots using the portal created under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code.

(B) Except as otherwise permitted under section sections 3509.031 and 3511.02 of the Revised Code and under division (C) of this section, the application shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall contain all of the following:

(1) The elector's name;

(2) The elector's signature;

(3) The address at which the elector is registered to vote, except that if the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the elector instead may provide the elector's program participant identification number;

(4) The elector's date of birth;

(5) One of the following forms of identification:

(a) The elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number;

(b) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;

(c) A copy of the elector's photo identification. enclosed with the application or an indication that the elector showed photo identification to the election officials when submitting the application in person, as permitted under division (C) of this section;

(b) Except as otherwise permitted under section 3509.032 of the Revised Code, if the elector cannot provide photo identification at the time of applying for absent voter's ballots, the elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number or the last four digits of the elector's social security number. The form shall notify the elector that if the elector does not provide photo identification with the application, the elector is required to provide photo identification when returning the elector's voted ballots, as permitted under section 3509.05 of the Revised Code, unless division (A) of section 3509.032 of the Revised Code applies to the elector.

(c) If division (A) of section 3509.032 of the Revised Code applies to the elector, a completed affirmation as permitted under that section.

(6) A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots are requested;

(7) A statement that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified elector;

(8) If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party affiliation;

(9) If the elector desires ballots to be mailed to the elector, the address to which those ballots shall be mailed.

(C) If the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the elector may provide the elector's program participant identification number instead of the address at which the elector is registered to vote.An elector who personally delivers the elector's application for absent voter's ballots to the board of elections may show the elector's photo identification to the election officials at that time instead of including a copy of the elector's photo identification with the application. The election officials shall mark the application to indicate that the elector has fulfilled the photo identification requirement to cast absent voter's ballots.

(D) Except as otherwise provided in division (A) of section 3509.051 and in division (B) of section 3509.08 of the Revised Code, an An application to receive absent voter's ballots shall be delivered to the office of the board not earlier than the first day of January of the year of the elections election for which the absent voter's ballots are requested or not earlier than ninety days before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted, whichever is earlier, and not later than the close of business on the seventh day before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted. An application submitted through the portal created under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code not later than the close of business on the seventh day before the day of the election is considered to have been received by the appropriate board of elections by that deadline.

(E) Except as permitted under section 111.31 of the Revised Code, no public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an official capacity, shall do either of the following:

(1) Prepay the return postage for an application for absent voter's ballots;

(2) Mail or otherwise deliver an unsolicited application for absent voter's ballots to any person.

(F)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(2) of this section and in sections 3505.24 and 3509.08 of the Revised Code, no person shall preprint or fill out any portion of an application for absent voter's ballots on behalf of an applicant.

(2) The secretary of state or a board of elections may preprint only an applicant's name and address on an application for absent voter's ballots before mailing that application to the applicant, except that if the applicant has a confidential voter registration record, the secretary of state or a board of elections shall not preprint the applicant's address on the application.

(3) A completed application for absent voter's ballots is not valid if any portion of it has been completed by any person other than the applicant in violation of division (F) of this section.

Sec. 3509.031. (A) The secretary of state shall establish and maintain a secure online portal through which an elector may submit an application for absent voter's ballots, beginning with applications submitted on or after September 3, 2027, to cast absent voter's ballots in the general election held on November 2, 2027.

(B) The portal shall require the applicant to submit all of the following information:

(1) The applicant's name;

(2) The address at which the applicant is registered to vote, except that if the applicant has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the applicant instead may provide the applicant's program participant identification number;

(3) The applicant's date of birth;

(4) The election for which the applicant requests absent voter's ballots;

(5) If the request is for primary election ballots, the applicant's party affiliation;

(6) The address to which the ballots should be mailed, except as otherwise permitted under divisions (B)(7) and (8) of this section;

(7) If the applicant is applying under division (G) of section 3503.16 or division (A) of section 3509.08 of the Revised Code, an indication of that fact, along with the additional information and affirmations required under the applicable section;

(8) If the applicant is a uniformed services voter or overseas voter, an indication of that fact, along with all of the following information:

(a) A statement of the voter's length of residence in the state immediately preceding the commencement of service, immediately preceding the date of leaving to be with or near the service member, or immediately preceding leaving the United States, or a statement that the voter's parent or legal guardian resided in this state long enough to establish residency for voting purposes immediately preceding leaving the United States, whichever is applicable;

(b) If the voter desires ballots to be sent to the voter by facsimile machine, the telephone number to which they shall be so sent;

(c) If the voter desires ballots to be sent to the voter by electronic mail or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery, the voter's electronic mail address or other internet contact information.

(C) The portal shall require the applicant to provide two forms of identification by complying with division (C)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, as applicable.

(1) If the electronic device the applicant is using to submit the application supports it, the applicant shall verify the applicant's identity through a live capture procedure that requires the applicant to create and submit a copy of the applicant's photo identification at the time of submitting the application and also to create and submit an image of the applicant's face at the time of submitting the application. If the electronic device the applicant is using to submit the application does not support the live capture procedure, the applicant shall upload a copy of the applicant's photo identification. The applicant also shall provide one of the following:

(a) The last four digits of the applicant's social security number;

(b) If the photo identification provided is not the applicant's Ohio driver's license or state identification card, the number of the applicant's Ohio driver's license or state identification card;

(c) If the electronic device the applicant is using to submit the application supports it, the applicant's signature written at the time of submitting the application using a finger, stylus, or similar device.

(2) Except as otherwise permitted under section 3509.032 of the Revised Code, if the applicant cannot provide photo identification at the time of applying for absent voter's ballots, the applicant shall indicate that the applicant will provide photo identification when returning the applicant's voted ballots, as permitted under section 3509.05 of the Revised Code, and provide two of the following:

(a) The last four digits of the applicant's social security number;

(b) The applicant's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number;

(c) If the electronic device the applicant is using to submit the application supports it, the applicant's signature written at the time of submitting the application using a finger, stylus, or similar device.

(3) If division (A) of section 3509.032 of the Revised Code applies to the applicant, the applicant shall provide identification as described in division (B) of that section.

(D) The portal shall require the applicant to mark a box that appears in conjunction with a statement that the applicant affirms under penalty of election falsification that the applicant is a qualified elector and that all of the information the applicant has provided in the application is true.

(E) The portal shall accept applications for absent voter's ballots for an election during the period beginning on the first day of January of the year of the election or ninety days before the day of the election, whichever is earlier, and ending at the close of business on the seventh day before the day of the election.

(F) The secretary of state shall securely transmit completed applications submitted through the portal to the appropriate boards of elections by electronic means at least once per business day.

(G) The secretary of state shall employ whatever security measures the secretary of state considers necessary to ensure the integrity and accuracy of information submitted electronically through the portal. Errors in processing applications through the portal shall not prevent an applicant from voting.

Sec. 3509.032. (A) An elector to whom any of the following apply may cast absent voter's ballots by mail at an election by providing alternative identification instead of a copy of the elector's photo identification, in accordance with this section:

(1) The elector is a uniformed services voter or overseas voter.

(2) The elector does not have photo identification because the elector has a sincere religious objection to being photographed.

(3) The elector does not have photo identification or cannot provide a copy of the elector's photo identification for any of the following reasons:

(a) Because of the elector's severe medical condition;

(b) Because of the elector's physical disability or infirmity;

(c) Because of the elector's confinement in a jail or workhouse under sentence for a misdemeanor or awaiting trial on a felony or misdemeanor;

(d) Because the elector lacks the mobility to obtain photo identification or a copy of the elector's photo identification;

(e) Because of another material obstacle that makes the elector unable to obtain photo identification or a copy of the elector's photo identification, as described by the elector on the affirmation under division (B) of this section.

(B)(1) An elector described in division (A) of this section shall submit an affirmation on a form prescribed by the secretary of state along with the elector's application under section 3509.03 or 3509.031 of the Revised Code or along with the elector's voted ballots under division (B)(3) of section 3509.05 of the Revised Code instead of providing photo identification. If the application is submitted through the portal created under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code, the affirmation shall be in an electronic format integrated into the application. The affirmation shall include all of the following:

(a) A declaration, made under penalty of election falsification, of which of the circumstances described in division (A)(1), (2), or (3) of this section apply to the elector and, if division (A)(3)(e) of this section applies to the elector, a description of the material obstacle;

(b) If the affirmation is submitted along with a paper application under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code, the elector's signature and one of the following:

(i) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;

(ii) If the elector is described in division (A)(1) or (3) of this section and has an Ohio driver's license or state identification card, the number of the elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card.

(c) If the affirmation is submitted along with an electronic application under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code, two of the following, provided that if the applicant cannot provide two of the following with the electronic application, the applicant instead shall apply on paper under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code:

(i) If the electronic device the applicant is using to submit the application supports it, the applicant's signature written at the time of submitting the application using a finger, stylus, or similar device;

(ii) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;

(iii) If the elector is described in division (A)(1) or (3) of this section and has an Ohio driver's license or state identification card, the number of the elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card.

(2) An elector who has a sincere religious objection to being photographed may submit the affidavit described in section 3505.19 of the Revised Code instead of an affirmation described in division (B)(1) of this section when applying under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code or along with the elector's voted ballots.

(C) A uniformed services voter or overseas voter may apply for absent voter's ballots on the federal post card application prescribed under the "Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act," 52 U.S.C. 20301, as permitted under section 3511.02 of the Revised Code, instead of submitting an affirmation under division (B) of this section with an application under section 3509.03 or 3509.031 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3509.04. (A) If a board of elections receives an application for absent voter's ballots that does not contain all of the required information or is not submitted on an appropriate form, the board promptly shall notify the applicant of the additional information required to be provided by the applicant to complete that application, direct the applicant to use an appropriate form, or both, as applicable.

(B) Upon receipt by the board of elections of an application for absent voter's ballots that contains all of the required information and is submitted on an appropriate form, as provided by section 3509.03 and division (G) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code, the board, if the board finds that the applicant is a qualified elector, shall deliver to the applicant in person or mail directly to the applicant by special delivery mail, air mail, or regular mail, postage prepaid, proper absent voter's ballots. The board shall deliver or mail with the ballots an unsealed identification envelope upon the face of which shall be printed a form substantially as follows:

"Identification Envelope Statement of Voter

I, ________________________(Name of voter), declare under penalty of election falsification that the within ballot or ballots contained no voting marks of any kind when I received them, and I caused the ballot or ballots to be marked, enclosed in the identification envelope, and sealed in that envelope.

My voting residence in Ohio is

________________________________________________________________

(Street and Number, if any, or Rural Route and Number)

of ________________________________ (City, Village, or Township) Ohio, which is in Ward _____________ Precinct ________________ in that city, village, or township.

If I have a confidential voter registration record, I am providing my program participant identification number instead of my residence address: ________________________

The primary election ballots, if any, within this envelope are primary election ballots of the _____________ Party.

Ballots contained within this envelope are to be voted at the __________ (general, special, or primary) election to be held on the __________________________ day of ______________________, ____.

My date of birth is _______________ (Month and Day), __________ (Year).

(Voter must provide one of the following:)

My Ohio driver's license or state identification card number is _______________ (Driver's license or state identification card number).

The last four digits of my Social Security Number are _______________ (Last four digits of Social Security Number).

______ In lieu of providing a driver's license or state identification card number or the last four digits of my Social Security Number, I am enclosing a copy of my photo identification in the return envelope in which this identification envelope will be mailed.

______ I am personally delivering this ballot to the board of elections and will show the election officials photo identification at that time.

I hereby declare, under penalty of election falsification, that the statements above are true, as I verily believe.

_________________________

(Signature of Voter)

WHOEVER COMMITS ELECTION FALSIFICATION IS GUILTY OF A FELONY OF THE FIFTH DEGREE."

The board shall mail with the ballots and the unsealed identification envelope an unsealed return envelope upon the face of which shall be printed the post-office address of the board. In the upper left corner on the face of the return envelope, several blank lines shall be printed upon which the voter may write the voter's name and return address. The return envelope shall be of such size that the identification envelope can be conveniently placed within it for returning the identification envelope to the board.

If, when applying for the ballots, the applicant did not provide photo identification, as described in section 3509.03 or 3509.031 of the Revised Code, or submit a valid affirmation as described in section 3509.032 of the Revised Code, the board shall clearly mark the identification envelope to indicate that the applicant must comply with division (B)(2) or (3) of section 3509.05 of the Revised Code in order to have the applicant's voted ballots counted and shall enclose instructions to the applicant to that effect.

No public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an official capacity, shall prepay the return postage for any absent voter's ballots.

Except as otherwise provided in this section and in sections 3505.24 and 3509.08 of the Revised Code, an election official shall not fill out any portion of an identification envelope statement of voter or an absent voter's ballot on behalf of an elector. A board of elections may preprint only an elector's name and address on an identification envelope statement of voter before mailing absent voter's ballots to the elector, except that if the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the board of elections shall not preprint the elector's address on the identification envelope statement of voter.

Sec. 3509.05. (A) When an elector receives an absent voter's ballot pursuant to the elector's application or request, the elector shall, before placing any marks on the ballot, note whether there are any voting marks on it. If there are any voting marks, the ballot shall be returned immediately to the board of elections; otherwise, the elector shall cause the ballot to be marked, folded in a manner that the stub on it and the indorsements and facsimile signatures of the members of the board of elections on the back of it are visible, and placed and sealed within the identification envelope received from the board of elections for that purpose. Then, the elector shall cause the statement of voter on the outside of the identification envelope to be completed and signed, under penalty of election falsification.

(B) The (B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, the elector shall provide one of the following:

(1) (a) The elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number on the statement of voter on the identification envelope;

(2) (b) The last four digits of the elector's social security number on the statement of voter on the identification envelope;

(3) (c) A copy of the elector's photo identification in the return envelope with the identification envelope. If the elector personally delivers the elector's voted ballots to the board of elections, the elector instead may show photo identification to the election officials at that time.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(3) of this section, if the elector did not provide photo identification when applying to cast absent voter's ballots, the elector shall do one of the following:

(a) Enclose a copy of the elector's photo identification in the return envelope with the identification envelope;

(b) Personally deliver the elector's voted ballots to the board of elections and show the election officials photo identification at that time.

(3) If division (A) of section 3509.032 of the Revised Code applies to the elector and the elector did not provide photo identification or submit a completed affirmation as described in that section at the time of applying to cast absent voter's ballots, the elector shall do one of the following:

(a) Submit a completed affirmation in the return envelope with the identification envelope;

(b) Personally return the elector's ballots to the board and submit a completed affirmation at that time.

(4) If an elector shows photo identification to the election officials when personally returning the elector's ballot to the board, the election officials shall mark the identification envelope to indicate that the elector has fulfilled both the photo identification requirement to cast absent voter's ballots and the identification requirement to return absent voter's ballots.

(C)(1) The elector shall mail the identification envelope to the office of the board of elections in the return envelope, postage prepaid, or the elector may personally deliver it to the office of the board, or the spouse of the elector, the father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother, or sister of the whole or half blood, or the son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of the elector may deliver it to the office of the board. The return envelope shall be returned by no other person, in no other manner, and to no other location, except as otherwise provided in section 3509.08 of the Revised Code.

(2) If the board maintains multiple offices in the county, as permitted under division (C) of section 3501.10 of the Revised Code, the board may designate any of its offices for the return of absent voter's ballots under this section, provided that the board shall designate only one office to which absent voter's ballots shall be returned under this section.

(3)(a) The board of elections may place not more than one secure receptacle outside the office of the board, on the property on which the office of the board is located, for the purpose of receiving absent voter's ballots under this section.

(b) A secure receptacle shall be open to receive ballots only during the period beginning on the first day after the close of voter registration before the election and ending at seven-thirty p.m. on the day of the election. The receptacle shall be open to receive ballots at all times during that period.

(c) A secure receptacle shall be monitored by recorded video surveillance at all times. The video recordings are a public record. The board shall do one of the following:

(i) Make the video recordings available for inspection upon request in accordance with section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(ii) Make each day's video recording available to the public on the internet for streaming or download without charge within seventy-two hours after the recording ends and make the video recordings available to the public upon request in accordance with section 149.43 of the Revised Code.

(d) Only a bipartisan team of election officials may open a secure receptacle or handle its contents. A bipartisan team of election officials shall collect the contents of each secure receptacle and deliver them to the board for processing at least once each day and at seven-thirty p.m. on the day of the election. If, at seven-thirty p.m. on the day of the election, there are persons waiting in line to deposit absent voter's ballots in a receptacle, those persons shall be permitted to deposit the ballots.

(4)(a) During the period beginning on the forty-fifth day before election day and ending on the day after election day, on each day the office of the board of elections is open for business, the board shall report to the secretary of state all of the following information concerning the previous business day:

(i) The number of return envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots or uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots the board received by personal delivery, other than to a receptacle described in division (C)(3) of this section;

(ii) If the board has placed a secure receptacle outside the office of the board under division (C)(3) of this section, the number of return envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots or uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots the board received in the receptacle.

(b) As soon as practicable after receiving a report under division (C)(4)(a) of this section, the secretary of state shall make the information in the report available to the public on the secretary of state's official web site.

(D) Except as otherwise provided in section 3511.11 of the Revised Code, all envelopes containing marked absent voter's ballots shall be delivered to the office of the board not later than the close of the polls on the day of an election. Absent voter's ballots delivered to the office of the board later than the times specified shall not be counted, but shall be kept by the board in the sealed identification envelopes in which they are delivered, until the time provided by section 3505.31 of the Revised Code for the destruction of all other ballots used at the election for which ballots were provided, at which time they shall be destroyed.

Sec. 3509.051. An elector may appear at the office of the board of elections to cast absent voter's ballots in person instead of applying for those to cast absent voter's ballots under section 3509.03, 3509.031, 3509.08, or 3511.02 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding section 3509.05 or any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, all of the following shall apply to the casting of absent voter's ballots in person:

(A)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(2) of this section, in-person absent voting shall be permitted only during the period beginning on the first day after the close of voter registration before the election and ending at five p.m. on the Sunday before the day of the election.

(2) If, at the time for the close of in-person absent voting on a particular day, there are voters waiting in line to cast their ballots, the in-person absent voting location shall be kept open until such waiting voters have cast their absent voter's ballots.

(B) An in-person absent voter shall provide photo identification to the election officials, sign a poll list or signature pollbook, and cast a ballot in the same manner as a voter who casts a ballot in person on the day of an election under section 3505.18 of the Revised Code.

The absent voter shall not be required to complete a written application for absent voter's ballots or a statement of voter on an absent voter's ballot identification envelope.

(C) No person other than an election official shall be permitted to challenge the right to vote of an absent voter who is casting a ballot in person. An election official may challenge the right to vote of an absent voter who is casting a ballot in person in the same manner as a precinct election official may challenge the right to vote of an elector on the day of an election under section 3505.20 or 3513.19 of the Revised Code.

(D) An individual who appears to cast absent voter's ballots in person and is eligible to cast a provisional ballot under section 3505.181 of the Revised Code shall be permitted to do so as though the individual had appeared at a polling place on the day of the election.

(E) No absent voter may receive a replacement ballot after the voter's absent voter's ballot has been scanned or entered into automatic tabulating equipment.

(F) Ballots cast under this section, other than provisional ballots, may be recorded by a voting machine or scanned by automatic tabulating equipment before the close of the polls on the day of the election, but the board of elections shall not tabulate or count the votes on those ballots before that time.

Sec. 3509.06. (A) The board of elections shall determine whether absent voter's ballots cast under section 3503.16, 3509.05, 3509.08, or 3511.09 of the Revised Code shall be processed and counted in each precinct, at the office of the board, or at some other location designated by the board, and shall proceed accordingly under division (B), (C), or (E) of this section, as applicable.

(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, when the board of elections determines that those absent voter's ballots shall be processed and counted in each precinct, the board shall deliver to the voting location manager of each precinct on election day identification envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots of electors whose voting residence appears from the statement of voter on the outside of each of those envelopes, to be located in that manager's precinct, and which were received by the board not later than the close of the polls on election day. The board shall deliver to the voting location manager a list containing the name and voting residence of each person whose voting residence is in such precinct to whom absent voter's ballots were mailed.

(2) The board shall not deliver to the voting location manager identification envelopes cast by electors who provided a program participant identification number instead of a residence address on the identification envelope and shall not inform the voting location manager of the names and voting residences of persons who have confidential voter registration records. Those identification envelopes shall be examined and processed as described in division (E) of this section.

(C) When the board of elections determines that those absent voter's ballots shall be processed and counted at the office of the board of elections or at another location designated by the board, special election officials shall be appointed by the board for that purpose having the same authority as is exercised by precinct election officials. The votes so cast shall be added to the vote totals by the board, and the absent voter's ballots shall be preserved separately by the board, in the same manner and for the same length of time as provided by section 3505.31 of the Revised Code.

(D) Each of the identification envelopes purporting to contain absent voter's ballots delivered to the voting location manager of the precinct or the special election official appointed by the board of elections shall be handled as follows:

(1) The election officials shall compare the signature of the elector on the outside of the identification envelope with the signature of that elector on the elector's registration form and verify that the absent voter's ballot is eligible to be counted under section 3509.07 of the Revised Code.

(2)(a) Any of the precinct officials may challenge the right of the elector named on the identification envelope to vote the absent voter's ballots upon the ground that the signature on the envelope is not the same as the signature on the registration form, that the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete, or upon any other of the grounds upon which the right of persons to vote may be lawfully challenged.

(b) If the elector's name does not appear in the pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook, the precinct officials shall deliver the absent voter's ballots to the director of the board of elections to be examined and processed in the manner described in division (E) of this section.

(3)(a) An identification envelope statement of voter shall be considered incomplete if it does not include all of the following:

(i) The voter's name;

(ii) The voter's residence address or, if the voter has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the voter's program participant identification number;

(iii) The voter's date of birth. The requirements of this division are satisfied if the voter provided a date of birth and any of the following is true:

(I) The month and day of the voter's date of birth on the identification envelope statement of voter are not different from the month and day of the voter's date of birth contained in the statewide voter registration database.

(II) The voter's date of birth contained in the statewide voter registration database is January 1, 1800.

(III) The board of elections has found, by a vote of at least three of its members, that the voter has met the requirements of divisions (D)(3)(a)(i), (ii), (iv), and (v) of this section.

(iv) The voter's signature; and

(v) One of the following forms of identification:

(I) The voter's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number;

(II) The last four digits of the voter's social security number; or

(III) A copy of the voter's photo identification.

(b) If the identification envelope is marked to indicate that the applicant must comply with division (B)(2) or (3) of section 3509.05 of the Revised Code in order to have the applicant's voted ballots counted, the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete if the voter has not done one of the following:

(i) Provided a copy of the voter's photo identification;

(ii) Appeared in person at the office of the board and showed photo identification to the election officials, as indicated by the election officials on the identification envelope;

(iii) If division (A) of section 3509.032 of the Revised Code applies to the elector, submitted a valid affirmation as described in that section.

(c) If the election officials find that the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete or that the information contained in that statement does not conform to the information contained in the statewide voter registration database concerning the voter, the election officials shall mail a written notice to the voter, informing the voter of the nature of the defect. The notice shall inform the voter that in order for the voter's ballot to be counted, the voter must provide the necessary information to the board of elections in writing and on a form prescribed by the secretary of state not later than the fourth day after the day of the election. The voter may deliver the form to the office of the board in person or by mail. If the voter provides the necessary information to the board of elections not later than the fourth day after the day of the election and the ballot is not successfully challenged on another basis, the voter's ballot shall be processed and counted in accordance with this section.

(4) If no such challenge is made, or if such a challenge is made and not sustained, the voting location manager shall open the envelope without defacing the statement of voter and without mutilating the ballots in it, and shall remove the ballots contained in it and proceed to count them.

(5)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(5)(b) of this section, the name of each person voting who is entitled to vote only an absent voter's presidential ballot shall be entered in a pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook followed by the words "Absentee Presidential Ballot." The name of each person voting an absent voter's ballot, other than such persons entitled to vote only a presidential ballot, shall be entered in the pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook and the person's registration card marked to indicate that the person has voted.

(b) If the person voting has a confidential voter registration record, the person's registration card shall be marked to indicate that the person has voted, but the person's name shall not be entered in the pollbook or poll list or signature pollbook.

(6) The date of such election shall also be entered on the elector's registration form. If any such challenge is made and sustained, the identification envelope of such elector shall not be opened, shall be endorsed "Not Counted" with the reasons the ballots were not counted, and shall be delivered to the board.

(E)(1) When the board of elections receives absent voter's ballots from an elector who has provided a program participant identification number instead of a residence address on the identification envelope statement of voter, the director and the deputy director personally shall examine and process the identification envelope statement of voter in the manner prescribed in division (D) of this section.

(2) If the director and the deputy director find that the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete or that the information contained in that statement does not conform to the information contained in the statewide voter registration database concerning the voter or to the information contained in the voter's confidential voter registration record, the director and the deputy director shall mail a written notice to the voter informing the voter of the nature of the defect. The notice shall inform the voter that in order for the voter's ballot to be counted the voter must provide the necessary information to the board of elections in writing and on a form prescribed by the secretary of state not later than the fourth day after the day of the election. The voter may deliver the form to the office of the board in person or by mail. If the voter provides the necessary information to the board of elections not later than the fourth day after the day of the election and the ballot is not successfully challenged on another basis, the voter's ballot shall be counted in accordance with this section.

(3) The director or the deputy director may challenge the ballot on the ground that the signature on the envelope is not the same as the signature on the registration form, that the identification envelope statement of voter is incomplete, or upon any other of the grounds upon which the right of persons to vote may be lawfully challenged. If such a challenge is made, the board of elections shall decide whether to sustain the challenge.

(4) If neither the director nor the deputy director challenges the ballot, or if such a challenge is made and not sustained, the director and the deputy director shall open the envelope without defacing the statement of voter and without mutilating the ballots in it, shall remove the ballots contained in it, and shall transmit the ballots to the election officials to be counted with other absent voter's ballots from that precinct.

(F) The board of elections shall process absent voter's ballots before the time for counting those ballots, but the board shall not tabulate or count the votes on those ballots before that time. As used in this section and section 3511.11 of the Revised Code, processing an absent voter's ballot means all of the following:

(1) Examining the identification envelope statement of voter in order to verify that the absent voter's ballot is eligible to be counted under section 3509.07 of the Revised Code;

(2) Opening the identification envelope, if the absent voter's ballot is eligible to be counted;

(3) Determining the validity of the absent voter's ballot under section 3509.07 of the Revised Code;

(4) Preparing and sorting the absent voter's ballot for scanning by automatic tabulating equipment;

(5) Scanning the absent voter's ballot by automatic tabulating equipment, if the equipment used by the board of elections permits an absent voter's ballot to be scanned without tabulating or counting the votes on the ballots scanned.

(G) Special election officials, employees or members of the board of elections, or observers shall not disclose the count or any portion of the count of absent voter's ballots prior to the time of the closing of the polling places. No person shall recklessly disclose the count or any portion of the count of absent voter's ballots in such a manner as to jeopardize the secrecy of any individual ballot.

(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (H)(2) of this section, observers may be appointed under section 3505.21 of the Revised Code to witness the examination and opening of identification envelopes and the processing and counting of absent voters' ballots under this section.

(2) Observers shall not be permitted to witness the examination and opening of identification envelopes returned by, and the processing and counting of absent voter's ballots cast by, electors who have confidential voter registration records in a manner that would permit the observers to learn the identities or residence addresses of those electors.

Sec. 3509.07. If election officials find that any of the following are true concerning an absent voter's ballot or absent voter's presidential ballot cast under section 3503.16, 3509.05, 3509.08, or 3511.09 of the Revised Code and, if applicable, the person did not provide any required additional information to the board of elections not later than the fourth day after the day of the election, as permitted under division (D)(3)(b) or (E)(2) of section 3509.06 of the Revised Code, the ballot shall not be accepted or counted:

(A) The statement accompanying the ballot is incomplete as described in division (D)(3)(a) or (b) of section 3509.06 of the Revised Code or is insufficient;

(B) The signatures do not correspond with the person's registration signature;

(C) The applicant is not a qualified elector in the precinct;

(D) The ballot envelope contains more than one ballot of any one kind, or any voted ballot that the elector is not entitled to vote;

(E) Stub A is detached from the absent voter's ballot or absent voter's presidential ballot; or

(F) The elector has not included with the elector's ballot any identification required under section 3509.05 or 3511.09 of the Revised Code.

The vote of any absent voter may be challenged for cause in the same manner as other votes are challenged, and the election officials shall determine the legality of that ballot. Every ballot not counted shall be endorsed on its back "Not Counted" with the reasons the ballot was not counted, and shall be enclosed and returned to or retained by the board of elections along with the contested ballots.

Sec. 3509.08. (A)(A)(1) Any qualified elector, who, on account of the elector's own personal illness, physical disability, or infirmity, or on account of the elector's confinement in a jail or workhouse under sentence for a misdemeanor or awaiting trial on a felony or misdemeanor, will be unable to travel from the elector's home or place of confinement to the voting booth in the elector's precinct on the day of any general, special, or primary election and wishes to cast absent voter's ballots with the assistance of a bipartisan team of election officials may make application in writing for an absent voter's ballot apply to the board of elections of the elector's county in the manner described in by either of the following methods:

(a) On a form prescribed by the secretary of state for that purpose that includes all of the information required under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code. The application shall and that requires the applicant to state the nature of the elector's illness, physical disability, or infirmity, or the fact that the elector is confined in a jail or workhouse and the elector's resultant inability to travel to the election booth in the elector's precinct on election day;

(b) Using the portal created under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code.

(2) If division (A) of section 3509.032 of the Revised Code applies to the elector, the elector may provide alternative identification in order to cast absent voter's ballots as permitted under that section.

(3) The absent voter's ballot may be mailed directly to the applicant at the applicant's voting residence or place of confinement as stated in the applicant's application, or the board may designate two board employees belonging to the two major political parties for the purpose of delivering the ballot to the disabled or confined elector and returning it to the board, unless the applicant is confined to a public or private institution within the county, in which case the board shall designate two board employees belonging to the two major political parties for the purpose of delivering the ballot to the disabled or confined elector and returning it to the board. In all other instances, the ballot shall be returned to the office of the board in the manner prescribed in section 3509.05 of the Revised Code.

(4) Any disabled or confined elector who declares to the two board employees belonging to the two major political parties that the elector is unable to mark the elector's ballot by reason of physical infirmity that is apparent to the employees to be sufficient to incapacitate the voter from marking the elector's ballot properly, may receive, upon request, the assistance of the employees in marking the elector's ballot, and they shall thereafter give no information in regard to this matter. Such assistance shall not be rendered for any other cause.

(5) When two board employees belonging to the two major political parties deliver a ballot to a disabled or confined elector, each of the employees shall be present when the ballot is delivered, when assistance is given, and when the ballot is returned to the office of the board, and shall subscribe to the declaration on the identification envelope.

The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of application for absent voter's ballots under this division.

(6) This chapter applies to disabled and confined absent voter's ballots except as otherwise provided in this section.

(B)(1) Any During the period beginning at the close of business on the seventh day before the day of an election and ending at three p.m. on the day of the election, any qualified elector who is unable to travel to the voting booth in the elector's precinct on the day of any general, special, or primary election because either of the following apply to the elector may apply to the board of elections of the county where the elector is a qualified elector to vote in the election by absent voter's ballot if either of the following apply:

(a) The elector is confined in a hospital as a result of an accident or unforeseeable medical emergency occurring before the election;

(b) The elector's minor child is confined in a hospital as a result of an accident or unforeseeable medical emergency occurring before the election.

(2) The application authorized under division (B)(1) of this section applicant shall be made apply in writing in the manner described in on a form prescribed by the secretary of state for that purpose that includes all of the information required under section 3509.03 of the Revised Code, except that the application shall be delivered to the office of the board not later than three p.m. on the day of the election. The application shall and that requires the applicant to indicate the hospital where the applicant or the applicant's child is confined, the date of the applicant's or the applicant's child's admission to the hospital, and the offices for which the applicant is qualified to vote. If division (A) of section 3509.032 of the Revised Code applies to the applicant, the applicant may provide alternative identification in order to cast absent voter's ballots as permitted under that section. The applicant may also request that a member of the applicant's family, as listed in section 3509.05 of the Revised Code, deliver the absent voter's ballot to the applicant. The board, after establishing to the board's satisfaction the validity of the circumstances claimed by the applicant, shall supply an absent voter's ballot to be delivered to the applicant. When the applicant or the applicant's child is in a hospital in the county where the applicant is a qualified elector and no request is made for a member of the family to deliver the ballot, the board shall arrange for the delivery of an absent voter's ballot to the applicant, and for its return to the office of the board, by two board employees belonging to the two major political parties according to the procedures prescribed in division (A) of this section. When the applicant or the applicant's child is in a hospital outside the county where the applicant is a qualified elector and no request is made for a member of the family to deliver the ballot, the board shall arrange for the delivery of an absent voter's ballot to the applicant by mail, and the ballot shall be returned to the office of the board in the manner prescribed in section 3509.05 of the Revised Code.

(3) Any qualified elector who is eligible to vote under division (B) or (C) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code but is unable to do so because of the circumstances described in division (B)(2) of this section may vote in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section if that qualified elector states in the application for absent voter's ballots that that qualified elector moved or had a change of name under the circumstances described in division (B) or (C) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code and if that qualified elector complies with divisions (G)(1) to (4) of section 3503.16 of the Revised Code.

(C) Any qualified elector described in division (A) or (B)(1) of this section who needs no assistance to vote or to return absent voter's ballots to the board of elections may apply for absent voter's ballots under section 3509.03 or 3509.031 of the Revised Code instead of applying for them under this section or may cast absent voter's ballots in person under section 3509.051 of the Revised Code.

(D) Any qualified elector described in division (A) or (B)(1) of this section to whom ballots are delivered by two employees of the board of elections or who votes with the assistance of two employees of the board of elections shall be considered to have cast absent voter's ballots by mail, rather than in person, for the purpose of the laws governing voter identification.

Sec. 3509.10. If a board of elections receives an application for absent voter's ballots under section 3509.03 or 3509.031 of the Revised Code and it is apparent to the board that the absent voter is a uniformed services voter or overseas voter, as defined in section 3511.01 of the Revised Code, the board shall consider that applicant to have applied for uniformed services or overseas ballots under Chapter 3511. of the Revised Code and shall provide those ballots to that voter in accordance with the timelines and procedures applicable to uniformed services and overseas absent voters.

Sec. 3509.11. Upon request made in person by an elector, all of the following shall provide to the elector, without charge, a copy of the elector's photo identification for the purpose of casting absent voter's ballots by mail:

(A) The secretary of state;

(B) A board of elections;

(C) The registrar of motor vehicles;

(D) A public library.

Sec. 3511.011 3511.01. Any section of the Revised Code to the contrary notwithstanding, any person who qualifies as a uniformed services voter or an overseas voter who will be eighteen years of age or more on the day of a general or special election and who is a citizen of the United States may vote uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots in such general or special election as follows:

(A) If an absent uniformed services member is the voter, the service member may vote only in the precinct in which the service member has a voting residence in the state, and that voting residence shall be that place in the precinct in which the service member resided immediately preceding the commencement of such service, provided that the time during which the service member continuously resided in the state immediately preceding the commencement of such service plus the time subsequent to such commencement and prior to the day of such general, special, or primary election is equal to or exceeds thirty days.

(B) If the spouse or dependent of an absent uniformed services member is the voter, the spouse or dependent may vote only in the precinct in which the spouse or dependent has a voting residence in the state, and that voting residence shall be that place in the precinct in which the spouse or dependent resided immediately preceding the time of leaving the state for the purpose of being with or near the service member, provided that the time during which the spouse or dependent continuously resided in the state immediately preceding the time of leaving the state for the purpose of being with or near the service member plus the time subsequent to such leaving and prior to the day of such general, special, or primary election is equal to or exceeds thirty days.

(C) If an absent uniformed services member or the service member's spouse or dependent establishes a permanent residence in a precinct other than the precinct in which the person resided immediately preceding the commencement of the service member's service, the voting residence of both the service member and the service member's spouse or dependent shall be the precinct of such permanent residence, provided that the time during which the service member continuously resided in the state immediately preceding the commencement of such service plus the time subsequent to such commencement and prior to the day of such general, special, or primary election is equal to or exceeds thirty days.

(D)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (D)(2) of this section, if an overseas voter who is not an absent uniformed services voter or the spouse or dependent of an absent uniformed services voter is the voter, the overseas voter may vote only in the precinct in which the overseas voter has a voting residence in the state, and that voting residence shall be that place in the precinct in which the overseas voter resided immediately before leaving the United States, provided that the time during which the overseas voter continuously resided in the state immediately preceding such departure and prior to the day of such general, special, or primary election is equal to or exceeds thirty days.

(2) A person who was born outside of the United States and who meets the definition of "overseas voter" under division (B)(3) (GG)(3) of section 3511.01 3501.01 of the Revised Code shall be deemed to have a voting residence in this state at that place in the precinct in which the person's parent or guardian last resided immediately before leaving the United States, provided that the time during which the person's parent or guardian continuously resided in the state immediately preceding such departure and prior to the day of the general, special, or primary election is equal to or exceeds thirty days.

Sec. 3511.02. (A) A uniformed services voter or overseas voter may apply to cast absent voter's ballots in an election by doing either of the following:

(1) Submitting a completed federal post card form prescribed under the "Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act," 52 U.S.C. 20301, to the secretary of state or to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located, as determined under section 3511.01 of the Revised Code, or having the voter's spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother or sister of the whole blood or half blood, son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece submit the form on the voter's behalf.

(a) Notwithstanding any section of the Revised Code to the contrary, whenever any person applies for registration as a voter on a the federal post card form adopted in accordance with federal regulations relating to the "Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act," 100 Stat. 924, 52 U.S.C.A. 20301, this application shall be sufficient for voter registration and as a request for an absent voter's ballot. Uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots may be obtained by any person meeting the requirements of section 3511.011 of the Revised Code by applying electronically to the secretary of state or to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located in accordance with section 3511.021 of the Revised Code or by applying to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located, in one of the following ways:

(1) That person may make written application for those ballots. The person may personally deliver the application to the office of the board or may mail it, send it by facsimile machine, send it by electronic mail, send it through internet delivery if such delivery is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, or otherwise send it to the board. Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the application shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state and shall contain all of the following information:

(a) The elector's name;

(b) The elector's signature;

(c) The address at which the elector is registered to vote;

(d) The elector's date of birth;

(e) One of the following:

(i) The elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number;

(ii) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;

(iii) A copy of the elector's photo identification.

(f) A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots are requested;

(g) A statement that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified elector;

(h) A statement that the elector is an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in 52 U.S.C. 20310;

(i) A statement of the elector's length of residence in the state immediately preceding the commencement of service, immediately preceding the date of leaving to be with or near the service member, or immediately preceding leaving the United States, or a statement that the elector's parent or legal guardian resided in this state long enough to establish residency for voting purposes immediately preceding leaving the United States, whichever is applicable;

(j) If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party affiliation;

(k) If the elector desires ballots to be mailed to the elector, the address to which those ballots shall be mailed;

(l) If the elector desires ballots to be sent to the elector by facsimile machine, the telephone number to which they shall be so sent;

(m) If the elector desires ballots to be sent to the elector by electronic mail or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery, the elector's electronic mail address or other internet contact information.

(2) A (b) The voter or any relative of a the voter listed in division (A)(3) (A)(1) of this section may use a single federal post card application to apply for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots for use at the primary and general elections in a given year and any special election to be held on the day in that year 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 constitutional amendments proposed by the general assembly to the voters of the state. A single federal postcard application shall be processed by the board of elections pursuant to section 3511.04 of the Revised Code the same as if the voter had applied separately for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots for each election.

(3) Application to have uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots mailed or sent by facsimile machine to such a person may be made by the spouse, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, brother or sister of the whole blood or half blood, son, daughter, adopting parent, adopted child, stepparent, stepchild, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, uncle, aunt, nephew, or niece of such a person. The application shall be in writing upon a blank form furnished only by the board or on a single federal post card as provided in division (A)(2) of this section. The form of the application shall be prescribed by the secretary of state. The board shall furnish that blank form to any of the relatives specified in this division desiring to make the application, only upon the request of such a relative made in person at the office of the board or upon the written request of such a relative mailed to the office of the board. Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, the application, subscribed and sworn to by the applicant, shall contain all of the following:

(a) The full name of the elector for whom ballots are requested;

(b) A statement that the elector is an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter as defined in 52 U.S.C. 20310;

(c) The address at which the elector is registered to vote;

(d) A statement identifying the elector's length of residence in the state immediately preceding the commencement of service, immediately preceding the date of leaving to be with or near a service member, or immediately preceding leaving the United States, or a statement that the elector's parent or legal guardian resided in this state long enough to establish residency for voting purposes immediately preceding leaving the United States, as the case may be;

(e) The elector's date of birth;

(f) One of the following:

(i) The elector's Ohio driver's license or state identification card number;

(ii) The last four digits of the elector's social security number;

(iii) A copy of the elector's photo identification.

(g) A statement identifying the election for which absent voter's ballots are requested;

(h) A statement that the person requesting the ballots is a qualified elector;

(i) If the request is for primary election ballots, the elector's party affiliation;

(j) A statement that the applicant bears a relationship to the elector as specified in division (A)(3) of this section;

(k) The address to which ballots shall be mailed, the telephone number to which ballots shall be sent by facsimile machine, the electronic mail address to which ballots shall be sent by electronic mail, or, if internet delivery is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, the internet contact information to which ballots shall be sent through internet delivery;

(l) The signature and address of the person making the application.

(B) If the elector has a confidential voter registration record, as described in section 111.44 of the Revised Code, the application may include the elector's program participant identification number instead of the address at which the elector is registered to vote.

(C) (c) The voter or the voter's relative listed in division (A)(1) of this section may deliver the application to the office of the board in person or by mail or may, as authorized under section 3511.021 of the Revised Code, send it by facsimile machine, send it by electronic mail, or send it through internet delivery if such delivery is offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state.

(2) Using the portal created under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code. When applying through the portal, the voter may provide alternative identification with the voter's application as permitted under section 3509.032 of the Revised Code.

(B) Each application for uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots shall be delivered to the office of the board not earlier than the first day of January of the year of the elections for which the uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots are requested or not earlier than ninety days before the day of the election at which the ballots are to be voted, whichever is earlier. An application to receive uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballots by mail or by another method permitted under section 3511.021 of the Revised Code shall be delivered to the office of the board not later than the close of business on the seventh day preceding the day of the election.

(D) (C) If the voter for whom the application is made is entitled to vote for presidential and vice-presidential electors only, the applicant shall submit to the board, in addition to the requirements of division (A) of this section, a statement to the effect that the voter is qualified to vote for presidential and vice-presidential electors and for no other offices.

(E) (D) Except as permitted under section 111.31 of the Revised Code, no public office, and no public official or employee who is acting in an official capacity, shall do either of the following:

(1) Prepay the return postage for an application for absent voter's ballots;

(2) Mail or otherwise deliver an unsolicited application for absent voter's ballots to any person.

(F)(1) (E)(1) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (A)(2) and (3) (A)(1) and (F)(2) (E)(2) of this section and in sections 3505.24 and 3509.08 of the Revised Code, no person shall fill out any portion of a federal post card application or other application for absent voter's ballots on behalf of an applicant.

(2) The secretary of state or a board of elections may preprint only an applicant's name and address on a federal post card application or other application for absent voter's ballots before mailing that application to the applicant, except that if the applicant has a confidential voter registration record, the secretary of state or the board of elections shall not preprint the applicant's address on the application.

(3) A completed application for absent voter's ballots is not valid if any portion of it has been completed by any person other than the applicant in violation of division (F) (E) of this section.

Sec. 3511.021. (A)(1) The In addition to the portal created under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall establish procedures that allow any person who is eligible to vote as a uniformed services voter or an overseas voter in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 1973ff-6 to apply do all of the following:

(a) Receive a blank copy of the federal post card form prescribed under the "Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act," 52 U.S.C. 20301, from the secretary of state or the board of election of the county in which the person's voting residence is located by the person's preferred method of mail, facsimile transmission, electronic means mail, or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery;

(b) Complete the form and return it to the office of the secretary of state or to the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located for a uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballotby the person's preferred method of mail, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery;

(c) After applying under division (A)(1)(b) of this section or under section 3509.031 of the Revised Code, receive the person's blank, unvoted ballots by the person's preferred method of mail, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery;

(e) Return the person's voted ballots in person or by mail as described in section 3511.09 of the Revised Code.

(2) The procedures shall allow such a person who requests a uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot application to express a preference for the manner in which the person will receive the requested application, whether by mail, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery. If the person completes and timely returns the application and the applicant is eligible to receive a ballot, the procedures shall allow the applicant to express a preference for the manner in which the person will receive the requested blank, unvoted ballots, whether by mail, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, or, if offered by the board of elections or the secretary of state, through internet delivery. The requested items shall be transmitted by the board of elections of the county in which the person's voting residence is located by the preferred method. If the requestor does not express a preferred method, the requested items shall be delivered via standard mail.

(3) To the extent practicable, the procedures shall protect the security and integrity of the ballot request and delivery process, and protect the privacy of the identity and personal data of the person when such applications and ballots are requested, processed, and sent.

(4) No person shall return by electronic means to the secretary of state, a board of elections, or any other entity a completed or voted uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot. If a ballot is so returned, the ballot shall not be accepted, processed, or counted.

(B)(1) The secretary of state, in coordination with the boards of elections, shall establish a free access system by which an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter may determine the following:

(a) Whether that person's request for a uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot was received and processed;

(b) If the person's request was received and processed, when the uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot was sent;

(c) Whether any uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot returned by that person has been received by election officials;

(d) Whether the board of elections found any error on the identification envelope containing the person's returned uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot and, if so, how the person may correct any error within ten days after the day of an election; and

(e) Whether the person's uniformed services or overseas absent voter's ballot was counted.

(2) The appropriate state or local election official shall establish and maintain reasonable procedures necessary to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of personal information that is confidential under state or federal law that is collected, stored, or otherwise used by the free access system established under division (B) of this section. Access to information about the votes cast on an individual ballot shall be restricted to the person who cast the ballot. To the extent practicable, the procedures shall protect the security and integrity of the process and protect the privacy of the identity and personal data of the person.

Sec. 3705.24. (A)(1) The director of health shall, in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code, adopt rules prescribing fees for the following items or services provided by the state office of vital statistics:

(a) Except as provided in division (A)(4) of this section and section 3705.243 of the Revised Code:

(i) A certified copy of a vital record or a certification of birth;

(ii) A search by the office of vital statistics of its files and records pursuant to a request for information, regardless of whether a copy of a record is provided;

(iii) A copy of a record provided pursuant to a request.

(b) Replacement Except as provided in section 3705.243 of the Revised Code, replacement of a birth certificate following an adoption, legitimation, paternity determination or acknowledgement, or court order;

(c) Filing of a delayed registration of a vital record;

(d) Amendment of a vital record that is requested later than one year after the filing date of the vital record;

(e) Any other documents or services for which the director considers the charging of a fee appropriate.

(2) Fees prescribed under division (A)(1)(a) of this section shall not be less than twelve dollars.

(3) Fees prescribed under division (A)(1) of this section shall be collected in addition to any fees required by sections 3109.14 and 3705.242 of the Revised Code.

(4) Fees prescribed under division (A) of this section shall not apply to certifications issued under division (H) of this section or copies provided under section 3705.241 of the Revised Code.

(B) In addition to the fees prescribed under division (A) of this section or section 3709.09 of the Revised Code and except as provided in section 3705.243 of the Revised Code, the office of vital statistics, the board of health of a city or general health district, or a local registrar of vital statistics who is not a salaried employee of a city or general health district shall charge a five-dollar fee for each certified copy of a vital record and each certification of birth. This fee shall be deposited in the general operations fund created under section 3701.83 of the Revised Code and be used to support the operations, the modernization, and the automation of the vital records program in this state. A board of health or a local registrar shall forward all fees collected under this division to the department of health not later than thirty days after the end of each calendar quarter.

(C) Except as otherwise provided in division (H) of this section, and except as provided in section 3705.241 of the Revised Code, fees collected by the director of health under sections 3705.01 to 3705.29 of the Revised Code shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the general operations fund created by section 3701.83 of the Revised Code. Except as provided in division (B) or (I) of this section, money generated by the fees shall be used only for administration and enforcement of this chapter and the rules adopted under it. Amounts submitted to the department of health for copies of vital records or services in excess of the fees imposed by this section shall be dealt with as follows:

(1) An overpayment of two dollars or less shall be retained by the department and deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general operations fund created by section 3701.83 of the Revised Code.

(2) An overpayment in excess of two dollars shall be returned to the person who made the overpayment.

(D) If a local registrar is a salaried employee of a city or a general health district, any fees the local registrar receives pursuant to section 3705.23 of the Revised Code shall be paid into the general fund of the city or the health fund of the general health district.

Each local registrar of vital statistics, or each health district where the local registrar is a salaried employee of the district, shall be entitled to a fee for each birth, fetal death, death, or military service certificate properly and completely made out and registered with the local registrar or district and correctly copied and forwarded to the office of vital statistics in accordance with the population of the primary registration district at the last federal census. The fee for each birth, fetal death, death, or military service certificate shall be:

(1) In primary registration districts of over two hundred fifty thousand, twenty cents;

(2) In primary registration districts of over one hundred twenty-five thousand and less than two hundred fifty thousand, sixty cents;

(3) In primary registration districts of over fifty thousand and less than one hundred twenty-five thousand, eighty cents;

(4) In primary registration districts of less than fifty thousand, one dollar.

(E) The director of health shall annually certify to the county treasurers of the several counties the number of birth, fetal death, death, and military service certificates registered from their respective counties with the names of the local registrars and the amounts due each registrar and health district at the rates fixed in this section. Such amounts shall be paid by the treasurer of the county in which the registration districts are located. No fees shall be charged or collected by registrars except as provided by this chapter and section 3109.14 of the Revised Code.

(F) A probate judge shall be paid a fee of fifteen cents for each certified abstract of marriage prepared and forwarded by the probate judge to the department of health pursuant to section 3705.21 of the Revised Code. The fee shall be in addition to the fee paid for a marriage license and shall be paid by the applicants for the license.

(G) The clerk of a court of common pleas shall be paid a fee of one dollar for each certificate of divorce, dissolution, and annulment of marriage prepared and forwarded by the clerk to the department pursuant to section 3705.21 of the Revised Code. The fee for the certified abstract of divorce, dissolution, or annulment of marriage shall be added to the court costs allowed in these cases.

(H) The fee for an heirloom certification of birth issued pursuant to division (B)(2) of section 3705.23 of the Revised Code shall be an amount prescribed by rule by the director of health plus any fee required by section 3109.14 of the Revised Code. In setting the amount of the fee, the director shall establish a surcharge in addition to an amount necessary to offset the expense of processing heirloom certifications of birth. The fee prescribed by the director of health pursuant to this division shall be deposited into the state treasury to the credit of the heirloom certification of birth fund which is hereby created. Money credited to the fund shall be used by the office of vital statistics to offset the expense of processing heirloom certifications of birth. However, the money collected for the surcharge, subject to the approval of the controlling board, shall be used for the purposes specified by the family and children first council pursuant to section 121.37 of the Revised Code.

(I)(1) Four dollars of each fee collected by the board of health of a city or general health district for a certified copy of a vital record or a certification of birth shall be transferred to the office of vital statistics not later than thirty days after the end of each calendar quarter. The amount collected shall be used to support public health systems. Of each four dollars collected, one dollar shall be used by the director of health to pay subsidies to boards of health. The subsidies shall be distributed in accordance with the same formula established under section 3701.342 of the Revised Code for the distribution of state health district subsidy funds to boards of health and local health departments.

(2) Four dollars of each fee collected by a local registrar of vital statistics who is not a salaried employee of a city or general health district, for a certified copy of a vital record or certification of birth, shall be transferred to the office of vital statistics not later than thirty days after the end of each calendar quarter. The amount collected shall be used to support public health systems.

Sec. 3705.242. (A)(1) The Except as provided in section 3705.243 of the Revised Code, the director of health, a person authorized by the director, a local commissioner of health, or a local registrar of vital statistics shall charge and collect a fee of one dollar and fifty cents for each certified copy of a birth record, each certification of birth, and each copy of a death record. The fee is in addition to the fee imposed by section 3705.24 or any other section of the Revised Code. A local commissioner of health or local registrar of vital statistics may retain an amount of each additional fee collected, not to exceed three per cent of the amount of the additional fee, to be used for costs directly related to the collection of the fee and the forwarding of the fee to the department of health.

The additional fees collected by the director of health or a person authorized by the director and the additional fees collected but not retained by a local commissioner of health or a local registrar of vital statistics shall be forwarded to the department of health not later than thirty days following the end of each quarter. Not later than two days after the fees are forwarded to the department each quarter, the department shall pay the collected fees to the treasurer of state in accordance with rules adopted by the treasurer of state under section 113.08 of the Revised Code.

(2) On the filing of a divorce decree under section 3105.10 or a decree of dissolution under section 3105.65 of the Revised Code, a court of common pleas shall charge and collect a fee of five dollars and fifty cents. The fee is in addition to any other court costs or fees. The county clerk of courts may retain an amount of each additional fee collected, not to exceed three per cent of the amount of the additional fee, to be used for costs directly related to the collection of the fee and the forwarding of the fee to the treasurer of state. The additional fees collected, but not retained, under division (A)(2) of this section shall be forwarded to the treasurer of state not later than twenty days following the end of each month.

(B) The treasurer of state shall deposit the fees paid or forwarded under this section in the state treasury to the credit of the family violence prevention fund, which is hereby created. A person or government entity that fails to pay or forward the fees in the manner described in this section, shall send to the department of public safety a penalty equal to ten per cent of the fees. The department of public safety shall forward all collected late fees to the treasurer of state for deposit into the family violence prevention fund in accordance with rules adopted by the treasurer of state under section 113.08 of the Revised Code.

The treasurer of state shall invest the moneys in the fund. All earnings resulting from investment of the fund shall be credited to the fund, except that actual administration costs incurred by the treasurer of state in administering the fund may be deducted from the earnings resulting from investments. The amount that may be deducted shall not exceed three per cent of the total amount of fees credited to the fund in each fiscal year. The balance of the investment earnings shall be credited to the fund.

(C) The director of public safety shall use money credited to the fund to provide grants to family violence shelters in Ohio and to operate the division of criminal justice services.

Sec. 3705.243. (A) As used in this section, "individual experiencing homelessness" means an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence or who has as a primary nighttime residence a temporary shelter or a place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. "Individual experiencing homelessness" includes:

(1) Individuals who do not have access to, or who are in imminent danger of losing access to, normal accommodations as a result of violence or a threat of violence from a cohabitant;

(2) Individuals who have been released from jail, prison, the juvenile justice system, the child welfare system, a mental health or developmental disability facility, a residential addiction treatment program, or a hospital, for whom no residence is identified and who lacks the resources necessary to obtain housing.

(B) The director of health, a person authorized by the director, a local commissioner of health, or a local registrar of vital statistics shall waive all fees for a certification of birth, a certified copy of a birth record, or replacement of a birth record pursuant to division (A)(1)(b) of section 3705.24 of the Revised Code if the certification, certified copy, or replacement is requested by an individual who has not received such a fee waiver in the preceding twelve months and who is experiencing homelessness as verified by at least one of the following:

(1) A director or a director's designee of a government or nonprofit agency that receives public or private funding to provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness;

(2) A school social worker, school counselor, or a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths designated pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii);

(3) A director or a director's designee of either a federal TRIO program or gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate program (GEAR UP);

(4) A financial aid administrator for an institution of higher education.

(C) Beginning one year after the effective date of this section, by the thirty-first day of January of each year any local commissioner of health or local registrar of vital statistics who waives fees pursuant to division (B) of this section shall submit an annual report to the director of health detailing the number of individuals for whom fees were waived in the preceding one-year period, delineated by type of document.

Sec. 3705.50. (A) The director of health shall collect information regarding the number of individuals experiencing homelessness for whom fees for a certification of birth, a certified copy of a birth record, or a replacement birth record were waived by the director of health or a person authorized by the director pursuant to section 3705.243 of the Revised Code.

(B) The director of health shall maintain the information submitted pursuant to sections 2101.166, 2303.202, 3705.243, and 4507.50 of the Revised Code, compile it with the information collected under division (A) of this section, and submit an annual report to the general assembly in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code. The report shall detail the number of individuals experiencing homelessness for whom fees were waived in the preceding one-year period, delineated by type of document. The director shall make the report publicly available on the department of health's web site.

Sec. 4507.01. (A) As used in this chapter, "motor vehicle," "motorized bicycle," "state," "owner," "operator," "chauffeur," and "highways" have the same meanings as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.

"Driver's license" means a class D license issued to any person to operate a motor vehicle or motor-driven cycle, other than a commercial motor vehicle, and includes "probationary license," "restricted license," "limited term license," and any operator's or chauffeur's license issued before January 1, 1990.

"Probationary license" means the license issued to any person between sixteen and eighteen years of age to operate a motor vehicle.

"Restricted license" means the license issued to any person to operate a motor vehicle subject to conditions or restrictions imposed by the registrar of motor vehicles.

"Commercial driver's license" means the license issued to a person under Chapter 4506. of the Revised Code to operate a commercial motor vehicle.

"Commercial motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 4506.01 of the Revised Code.

"Motorcycle operator's temporary instruction permit, license, or endorsement" includes a temporary instruction permit, license, or endorsement for a motor-driven cycle or motor scooter unless otherwise specified.

"Motorized bicycle license" means the license issued under section 4511.521 of the Revised Code to any person to operate a motorized bicycle including a "probationary motorized bicycle license."

"Probationary motorized bicycle license" means the license issued under section 4511.521 of the Revised Code to any person between fourteen and sixteen years of age to operate a motorized bicycle.

"Identification card" means a card issued under sections 4507.50 to 4507.52 of the Revised Code.

"Individual experiencing homelessness" has the same meaning as in section 3705.243 of the Revised Code.

"Resident" means a person who, in accordance with standards prescribed in rules adopted by the registrar, resides in this state on a permanent basis.

"Temporary resident" means a person who, in accordance with standards prescribed in rules adopted by the registrar, resides in this state on a temporary basis.

"Community-based correctional facility and program" and "district community-based correctional facility and program" mean the facilities and programs created and organized in accordance with sections 2301.51 to 2301.58 of the Revised Code.

"Halfway house organization" has the same meaning as in section 5120.102 of the Revised Code.

(B) In the administration of this chapter and Chapter 4506. of the Revised Code, the registrar has the same authority as is conferred on the registrar by section 4501.02 of the Revised Code. Any act of an authorized deputy registrar of motor vehicles under direction of the registrar is deemed the act of the registrar.

To carry out this chapter, the registrar shall appoint such deputy registrars in each county as are necessary.

The registrar also shall provide at each place where an application for a driver's or commercial driver's license or identification card may be made the necessary equipment to take a photograph of the applicant for such license or card as required under section 4506.11 or 4507.06 of the Revised Code, and to conduct the vision screenings required by section 4507.12 of the Revised Code.

The registrar shall assign one or more deputy registrars to any driver's license examining station operated under the supervision of the director of public safety, whenever the registrar considers such assignment possible. Space shall be provided in the driver's license examining station for any such deputy registrar so assigned. The deputy registrars shall not exercise the powers conferred by such sections upon the registrar, unless they are specifically authorized to exercise such powers by such sections.

(C) No agent for any insurance company, writing automobile insurance, shall be appointed deputy registrar, and any such appointment is void. No deputy registrar shall in any manner solicit any form of automobile insurance, nor in any manner advise, suggest, or influence any licensee or applicant for license for or against any kind or type of automobile insurance, insurance company, or agent, nor have the deputy registrar's office directly connected with the office of any automobile insurance agent, nor impart any information furnished by any applicant for a license or identification card to any person, except the registrar. This division shall not apply to any nonprofit corporation appointed deputy registrar.

(D) The registrar shall immediately remove a deputy registrar who violates the requirements of this chapter.

Sec. 4507.50. (A)(1) (A) As used in this section, "permanently or irreversibly disabled" means a condition of disability from which there is no present indication of recovery.

(B)(1) The registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar shall issue an identification card to a person when all of the following apply:

(a) The registrar or deputy registrar receives an application completed in accordance with section 4507.51 of the Revised Code and, if the person is under seventeen years of age, payment of the applicable fees.

(b) The person is a resident or a temporary resident of this state.

(c) The person is not licensed as an operator of a motor vehicle in this state or another licensing jurisdiction.

(d) The person does not hold an identification card from another jurisdiction.

(2)(a) The registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy registrar may issue a temporary identification card when all of the following apply:

(i) The registrar or deputy registrar receives an application completed in accordance with section 4507.51 of the Revised Code and payment of the applicable fees.

(ii) The person is a resident or temporary resident of this state.

(iii) The person's Ohio driver's or commercial driver's license has been suspended or canceled.

(iv) The person does not hold an identification card from another jurisdiction.

(b) The temporary identification card shall be identical to an identification card, except that it shall be printed on its face with a statement that the card is valid for a temporary period. The temporary period shall be in accordance with the expiration dates specified in section 4507.501 of the Revised Code.

(c) The cardholder shall surrender the temporary identification card to the registrar or any deputy registrar before the cardholder's driver's or commercial driver's license is restored or reissued.

(B)(1) (C)(1) Except as provided in division (D) (E) of this section, an applicant who is under seventeen years of age shall pay the following fees prior to issuance of an identification card or a temporary identification card:

(a) A fee of three dollars and fifty cents if the card will expire on the applicant's birthday four years after the date of issuance or a fee of six dollars if the card will expire on the applicant's birthday eight years after the date of issuance;

(b) A fee equal to the amount established under section 4503.038 of the Revised Code if the card will expire on the applicant's birthday four years after the date of issuance or twice that amount if the card will expire on the applicant's birthday eight years after the date of issuance;

(c) A fee of one dollar and fifty cents if the card will expire on the applicant's birthday four years after the date of issuance or three dollars if the card will expire on the applicant's birthday eight years after the date of issuance, for the authentication of the documents required for processing an identification card or temporary identification card. A deputy registrar that authenticates the required documents shall retain the entire amount of the fee.

(2) The fees collected for issuing an identification card under this section, except for any fees allowed to the deputy registrar, shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the public safety - highway purposes fund created in section 4501.06 of the Revised Code.

(C) (D) A person seventeen years of age or older may apply to the registrar or a deputy registrar for the issuance to that person of an identification card or a temporary identification card under this section without payment of any fee prescribed in division (B)(C) of this section.

(D) (E) A resident person who is permanently or irreversibly disabled and who is under seventeen years of age and meets any of the following conditions may apply to the registrar or a deputy registrar for the issuance of an identification card under this section without payment of any fee as prescribed in division (B) (C) of this section. A resident who is in :

(1) The person is a resident and permanently or irreversibly disabled.

(2) The person is a resident and in the custody of the department of rehabilitation and correction, the department of youth services, a halfway house organization, a community-based correctional facility and program, or a district community-based correctional facility and program and who is under seventeen years of age may apply to the registrar for the issuance of an identification card under this section without payment of any fee as prescribed in division (B) of this section.

As used in this section, "permanently or irreversibly disabled" means a condition of disability from which there is no present indication of recovery.

(3) The person is an individual experiencing homelessness who has not received such a fee waiver in the preceding twelve months.

(F)(1) An application made under division (D) (E)(1) or (2) of this section shall be accompanied by such documentary evidence as the registrar may require by rule.

(E)(1) (2) An application made under division (E)(3) of this section shall be accompanied by verification from any of the following:

(a) A director or a director's designee of a government or nonprofit agency that receives public or private funding to provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness;

(b) A school social worker, a school counselor, or a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths designated pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii);

(c) A director or a director's designee of either a federal TRIO program or gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate program (GEAR UP).

(d) A financial aid administrator for an institution of higher education.

(G)(1) The department of rehabilitation and correction shall submit an application for an identification card or temporary identification card, as applicable, to the registrar on behalf of an individual who is a prisoner at a state correctional institution and who has completed that application in accordance with section 5120.59 of the Revised Code.

(2) The department of youth services shall submit an application for an identification card or a temporary identification card, as applicable, to the registrar on behalf of an individual who is in the custody of the department at a juvenile correctional facility and who has completed that application in accordance with section 5139.511 of the Revised Code.

(3) A community-based correctional facility and program or a district community-based correctional facility and program shall submit an application for an identification card or a temporary identification card, as applicable, to the registrar on behalf of an individual who is in the custody of the facility and who has completed that application in accordance with section 2301.551 of the Revised Code.

(4) A halfway house organization shall submit an application for an identification card or a temporary identification card, as applicable, to the registrar on behalf of an individual who is in the custody of the organization and who has completed that application in accordance with section 5120.106 of the Revised Code.

(5) The registrar may establish a separate application and process by which the departments shall submit any applications to the registrar in accordance with this division and section 4507.51 of the Revised Code.

(H) Beginning one year after the effective date of this amendment, by the thirty-first day of January of each year, any registrar or deputy registrar who waives fees pursuant to division (E)(3) of this section shall submit an annual report to the director of health detailing the number of individuals for whom fees were waived in the preceding one-year period.

Sec. 4507.51. (A)(1) Every application for an identification card or duplicate shall be made on an approved form furnished by the registrar of motor vehicles and shall be signed by the applicant. The If the applicant is under eighteen years of age, the application also shall be signed by the one of the following, as applicable:

(a) The applicant's parent or guardian, or by the ;

(b) The department of rehabilitation and correction, the department of youth services, a halfway house organization, a community-based correctional facility and program, or a district community-based correctional facility and program, as applicable, if the applicant is under eighteen years of age;

(c) Any individual permitted to verify that an individual is experiencing homelessness under section 3705.243 of the Revised Code.

(2) Every application shall contain the following information:

(a) The applicant's name, date of birth, sex, general description including the applicant's height, weight, hair color, and eye color, address, country of citizenship, and social security number.

(b) If an applicant has not already certified the applicant's willingness to make an anatomical gift under section 2108.05 of the Revised Code, whether the applicant wishes to certify willingness to make such an anatomical gift and information about the requirements of sections 2108.01 to 2108.29 of the Revised Code that apply to persons who are less than eighteen years of age. The statement regarding willingness to make such a donation shall be given no consideration in the decision of whether to issue an identification card.

(c) Whether the applicant has executed a valid durable power of attorney for health care pursuant to sections 1337.11 to 1337.17 of the Revised Code or has executed a declaration governing the use or continuation, or the withholding or withdrawal, of life-sustaining treatment pursuant to sections 2133.01 to 2133.15 of the Revised Code and, if the applicant has executed either type of instrument, whether the applicant wishes the identification card issued to indicate that the applicant has executed the instrument.

(d) Whether the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States and, if the applicant is such, whether the applicant wishes the identification card issued to indicate that the applicant is a veteran, active duty, or reservist of the armed forces of the United States by a military designation on the identification card.

(2) (3) Each applicant applying in person at a deputy registrar office shall be photographed at the time of making an application.

(3) (4) The registrar or deputy registrar, in accordance with section 3503.11 of the Revised Code, shall register as an elector any person who applies for an identification card or duplicate if the applicant is eligible and wishes to be registered as an elector. The decision of an applicant whether to register as an elector shall be given no consideration in the decision of whether to issue the applicant an identification card or duplicate.

(4) (5) The application shall be accompanied by any necessary documents, as required by the registrar. The registrar or the deputy registrar may authenticate the submitted documents and verify the information in the application.

(B)(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section or section 4507.061 of the Revised Code, the application for an identification card or duplicate shall be filed in the office of the registrar or deputy registrar. Each applicant shall present documentary evidence as required by the registrar of the applicant's age and identity, and the applicant shall swear that all information given is true.

All applications for an identification card or duplicate under this section shall be filed in duplicate, and if submitted to a deputy registrar, a copy shall be forwarded to the registrar. The registrar shall prescribe rules for the manner in which a deputy registrar is to file and maintain applications and other records. The registrar shall maintain a suitable, indexed record of all applications denied and cards issued or canceled.