(A)(1) A registered voter who, by reason of disability, is unable to physically sign the voter's name as a candidate, signer, or circulator on a declaration of candidacy and petition, nominating petition, other petition, or other document under Title XXXV of the Revised Code may authorize a legally competent resident of this state who is eighteen years of age or older as an attorney in fact to sign that voter's name to the petition or other election document, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence, in accordance with either of the following procedures:
(a) The voter may file with the board of elections of the voter's county of residence a notarized form that includes or has attached all of the following:
(i) The name of the voter who is authorizing an attorney in fact to sign petitions or other election documents on that voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence;
(ii) An attestation of the voter that the voter, by reason of disability, is unable to sign physically petitions or other election documents and that the voter desires the attorney in fact to sign them on the voter's behalf, at the direction of the voter and in the voter's presence;
(iii) The name, residence address, date of birth, and, if applicable, Ohio supreme court registration number of the attorney in fact authorized to sign on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence. A photocopy of the attorney in fact's driver's license or state identification card issued under section4507.50of the Revised Code shall be attached to the notarized form.
(iv) The form of the signature that the attorney in fact will use in signing petitions or other election documents on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence.
(b) The voter may acknowledge, before an election official, and file with the board of elections of the voter's county of residence a form that includes or has attached all of the following:
(i) The name of the voter who is authorizing an attorney in fact to sign petitions or other election documents on that voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence;
(ii) An attestation of the voter that the voter, by reason of disability, is physically unable to sign petitions or other election documents and that the voter desires the attorney in fact to sign them on the voter's behalf, at the direction of the voter and in the voter's presence;
(iii) An attestation from a licensed physician, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse practitioner that the voter is disabled and, by reason of that disability, is physically unable to sign petitions or other election documents;
(iv) The name, residence address, date of birth, and, if applicable, Ohio supreme court registration number of the attorney in fact authorized to sign on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence. A photocopy of the attorney in fact's driver's license or state identification card issued under section4507.50of the Revised Code shall be attached to the notarized form.
(v) The form of the signature that the attorney in fact will use in signing petitions or other election documents on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence.
(2) In addition to performing customary notarial acts with respect to the power of attorney form described in division (A)(1)(a) of this section, the notary public shall acknowledge that the voter in question affirmed in the presence of the notary public the information listed in divisions (A)(1)(a)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section. A notary public shall not perform any notarial acts with respect to such a power of attorney form unless the voter first gives such an affirmation. Only a notary public satisfying the requirements of section147.01of the Revised Code may perform notarial acts with respect to such a power of attorney form.
(B) A board of elections that receives a form under division (A)(1) of this section from a voter shall do both of the following:
(1) Use the signature provided in accordance with division (A)(1)(a)(iv) or (A)(1)(b)(v) of this section for the purpose of verifying the voter's signature on all declarations of candidacy and petitions, nominating petitions, other petitions, or other documents signed by that voter under Title XXXV of the Revised Code;
(2) Cause the poll list or signature pollbook for the relevant precinct to identify the voter in question as having authorized an attorney in fact to sign petitions or other election documents on the voter's behalf, at the voter's direction and in the voter's presence.
(C) Notwithstanding division (D) of section3501.38or any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, an attorney in fact authorized to sign petitions or other election documents on a disabled voter's behalf, at the direction of and in the presence of that voter, in accordance with division (A) of this section may sign that voter's name to any petition or other election document under Title XXXV of the Revised Code after the power of attorney has been filed with the board of elections in accordance with division (A)(1) of this section. The signature shall be deemed to be that of the disabled voter, and the voter shall be deemed to be the signer.
(D)(1) Notwithstanding division (F) of section3501.38or any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, the circulator of a petition may knowingly permit an attorney in fact to sign the petition on a disabled voter's behalf, at the direction of and in the presence of that voter, in accordance with division (A)(1) of this section.
(2) Notwithstanding division (F) of section3501.38or any other provision of the Revised Code to the contrary, no petition paper shall be invalidated on the ground that the circulator knowingly permitted an attorney in fact to write a name other than the attorney in fact's own name on a petition paper, if that attorney in fact signed the petition on a disabled voter's behalf, at the direction of and in the presence of that voter, in accordance with division (C) of this section.
(E) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form and content of the form for the power of attorney prescribed under division (A)(1) of this section and also shall prescribe the form and content of a distinct form to revoke such a power of attorney.
(F) As used in this section, "unable to physically sign" means that the person with a disability cannot comply with the provisions of section3501.011of the Revised Code. A person is not "unable to physically sign" if the person is able to comply with section3501.011through reasonable accommodation, including the use of assistive technology or augmentative devices.
Last updated February 18, 2025 at 5:26 PM