As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session H. B. No. 619

2025-2026

Representative Lorenz

To amend section 3501.09 of the Revised Code to authorize a board of elections to conduct meetings by video conference or any other similar electronic technology.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 3501.09 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 3501.09. (A) Biennially, within five days after the appointments to the board of elections are made by the secretary of state, the members of the board shall meet and organize by selecting one of their number as chairperson, who shall preside at all meetings. They shall, upon careful consideration of each such person's qualifications, select a resident elector of the county, other than a member of the board, as director, and a resident elector of the county as deputy director. All such officers shall continue in office, at the pleasure of the board, for two years. The balloting for such officers shall commence on the day of the convening and be taken until such organization is effected or five ballots have been cast. The director shall first be selected by the votes of at least three members. If, after five ballots, no person is agreed upon as director, the names of all persons voted for on the fifth ballot, together with the names of the board members who nominated them, shall be certified to the secretary of state, who shall designate therefrom one of such persons to serve as director, unless the secretary of state has reason to believe that no person nominated is qualified. In this case the secretary of state shall so state in writing to the board, and the board shall nominate other persons, in the manner in which the original persons were nominated, and select from those nominated another person as director. If, after five ballots, no person is agreed upon as director, the names of all persons voted for on the fifth ballot, together with the names of the board members who nominated them, shall be certified to the secretary of state, who shall designate therefrom one of such nominees to serve as director and another such nominee to serve as deputy director. If the board fails to nominate another person as director, the office shall be filled in accordance with the procedures of section 3501.16 of the Revised Code.

(B) The director and deputy director shall be of opposite political parties, and each such officer shall have been nominated by a board member of the political party to which hethe officer belongs, but the board may decide by the affirmative vote of at least three members that the services of a deputy director are unnecessary and such deputy director then shall not be employed. After the selection of the director and deputy director, the chairmanchairperson shall be selected from the members of the board of opposite politics to that of the director. If, upon the first ballot, no person is agreed upon as chairmanchairperson, the member of opposite politics to the director having the shortest term to serve shall be chairman chairperson, and shall preside at all meetings. When such organization is perfected, the director shall forthwith report it to the secretary of state.

(C) Notwithstanding division (B)(3)(e)(iv) of section 121.221 of the Revised Code, a board of elections may conduct a meeting through means of video conference or any other similar electronic technology provided that the meeting is otherwise conducted in accordance with section 121.221 of the Revised Code.

Section 2. That existing section 3501.09 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.