Effective: March 23, 1981
Latest Legislation: House Bill 1062 - 113th General Assembly
In the event two or more persons with identical given name and surnames run for the same office in a general or special election on the same ballot, the names of the candidates shall be differentiated on the ballot by varying combinations of first and middle names and initials. Immediately after it becomes known that two or more persons with the same given name and surname are to be candidates on the same ballot for the same office, the director of the board of elections for local, municipal, county, general, or special elections, or the director of the board of elections of the most populous county for district, general, or special elections, or the secretary of state for statewide general and special elections shall notify the persons with identical given name and surnames that the names of such persons will be differentiated on the ballot. If one of the candidates is an incumbent who is a candidate to succeed himself for the office he occupies, he shall have first choice of the name by which he is designated on the ballot. If an incumbent does not make a choice within two days after notification or if none of the candidates is an incumbent, the board of elections within three days after notification shall designate the names by which the candidates are identified on the ballot. In case of a district candidate the board of elections in the most populous county of the district shall make the determination. In case of statewide candidates, or in case any board of elections fails to make a designation within three days after notification, the secretary of state shall immediately make the determination.
"Notification" as required by this section shall be by the clerk of the board of elections or secretary of state by special delivery mail or telegram at the candidate's address listed in his declaration of candidacy or petition of candidacy.
Structure Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 3505 | General and Special Election Ballots
Section 3505.01 | Forms of Official Ballots.
Section 3505.02 | Former Names Printed in Parentheses on Ballot.
Section 3505.021 | Candidates With Identical Given Names and Surnames.
Section 3505.03 | Office Type Ballots.
Section 3505.04 | Nonpartisan Ballot.
Section 3505.06 | Questions and Issues Ballot.
Section 3505.061 | Ohio Ballot Board.
Section 3505.062 | Ohio Ballot Board Duties.
Section 3505.063 | Proposed Constitutional Amendments - Official Explanation and Arguments.
Section 3505.07 | Separate Ballots for Candidates, Question, or Issue.
Section 3505.071 | Ballots in Joint County School Districts.
Section 3505.08 | Ballot Material - Stubs.
Section 3505.09 | Separate Ballots for Each Precinct and District.
Section 3505.10 | Presidential Ballot.
Section 3505.11 | Quantity of Ballots to Be Provided.
Section 3505.12 | Type Size and Voting Instructions.
Section 3505.13 | Contract for Printing Ballots.
Section 3505.14 | Printed Proofs of Ballot.
Section 3505.15 | Ballot Packaging.
Section 3505.16 | Ballot Boxes and Supplies Placement at Polling Place.
Section 3505.17 | Lost or Destroyed Ballots or Supplies.
Section 3505.18 | Procedure When Elector Entered Polling Place.
Section 3505.181 | Eligibility to Cast Provisional Ballot - Procedure.
Section 3505.182 | Provisional Ballot Affirmation - Verification.
Section 3505.183 | Testing and Counting of Provisional Ballots - Rejection.
Section 3505.20 | Challenge of Elector at Polling Place.
Section 3505.21 | Appointment of Challengers and Witnesses.
Section 3505.22 | Impersonating an Elector.
Section 3505.23 | Time Limit for Occupying Voting Compartment - Errors in Voting - Marking Ballot.
Section 3505.24 | Providing Assistance to Blind, Disabled or Illiterate Electors.
Section 3505.26 | Closing Polls Procedures.
Section 3505.27 | Counting and Tallying of Ballots.
Section 3505.28 | Rejection of Ballots.
Section 3505.29 | Precinct Election Officials Not to Separate or Leave Until Counting Completed.
Section 3505.30 | Summary Statement of Results.
Section 3505.31 | Sealing Ballots, Pollbooks, Poll Lists or Signature Pollbooks, Tally Sheets.
Section 3505.32 | Canvass of Election Returns.
Section 3505.33 | Declaration of Election Results - Tie Votes - Abstracts and Report of Votes.
Section 3505.331 | Audit of Election Results.
Section 3505.34 | Canvass of Abstracts of Votes for State Executive Offices by General Assembly.
Section 3505.35 | Canvass of Abstracts by Secretary of State.
Section 3505.36 | Canvass of Abstracts of Multi County Candidates and Issues.
Section 3505.38 | Certificates of Election.
Section 3505.39 | Meeting of State's Presidential Electors.
Section 3505.40 | Electoral Vote to Be Cast for Party Nominees.