Elections and Political Parties

Of all the responsibilities of a representative democracy, the right to vote is fundamental. This process enables people to select the officials who will make, administer, and interpret the law. Article V of the Ohio Constitution is entitled Elective Franchise; it sets forth who may vote, specifies the type of ballot to be used in general elections and establishes the direct primary. The statutes regulating voting and elections have been adopted by the General Assembly and can be found in Title XXXV of the Ohio Revised Code. They are administered primarily by the secretary of state, who is the chief elections officer.

In 2002 the federal government enacted the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). This wide-ranging election-reform legislation to improve the operation of elections required statewide computerized voting lists, “second-chance voting” with provisional ballots, and access for people with disabilities. HAVA moved much of the responsibility for the elections from the local level to the states.
Election laws continue to change with increasing frequency as the state legislature and the courts respond to concerns of campaigns and nonpartisan organizations. New restrictions on voter registration and on voting procedures are often modified or overturned by the courts. The following are the rules as of early 2018.