| Section 1. (A) Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised | 14 |
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Code to the contrary, in the year 2012 no primary election shall | 15 |
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be conducted on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. | 16 |
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A single primary election shall be conducted on May 22, 2012, for | 17 |
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the purpose of nominating candidates for all offices that are | 18 |
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scheduled for election in 2012 and for the purpose of electing | 19 |
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candidates who are scheduled for election on the day of the 2012 | 20 |
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primary election, pursuant to section 3501.02 of the Revised Code. | 21 |
| (B)(1) To be eligible to appear on the ballot as a candidate | 22 |
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for nomination or election at that election for any office other | 23 |
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than the offices of President and Vice-President of the United | 24 |
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States, member of the United States House of Representatives, | 25 |
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at-large delegate and alternate to the national convention of a | 26 |
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political party, or district delegate and alternate to the | 27 |
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national convention of a political party, a person shall have | 28 |
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filed the applicable declaration of candidacy, declaration of | 29 |
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candidacy and petition, or nominating petition not later than four | 30 |
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p.m. on December 7, 2011, in the manner specified under Title XXXV | 31 |
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of the Revised Code. To be eligible to receive votes as a write-in | 32 |
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candidate for any of those offices at that election, a person | 33 |
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shall file the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate | 34 |
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not later than four p.m. on the seventy-second day prior to March | 35 |
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6, 2012, in the manner specified under Title XXXV of the Revised | 36 |
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Code. | 37 |
| (2) Notwithstanding any provision of section 3513.05 or | 38 |
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3513.121 or any other provision of the Revised Code to the | 39 |
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contrary, to be eligible to appear as a candidate for nomination | 40 |
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or election at that election for the offices of President and | 41 |
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Vice-President of the United States, member of the United States | 42 |
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House of Representatives, at-large delegate and alternate to the | 43 |
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national convention of a political party, or district delegate and | 44 |
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alternate to the national convention of a political party, a | 45 |
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person shall file the applicable declaration of candidacy, | 46 |
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declaration of candidacy and petition, or nominating petition not | 47 |
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later than four p.m. on the seventy-fifth day before the day of | 48 |
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that election, in the manner specified under Title XXXV of the | 49 |
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Revised Code. To be eligible to receive votes as a write-in | 50 |
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candidate for any of those offices at that election, a person | 51 |
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shall file the declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate | 52 |
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not later than four p.m. on the sixty-seventh day prior to the day | 53 |
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of that election, in the manner specified under Title XXXV of the | 54 |
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Revised Code. The Secretary of State shall adjust any applicable | 55 |
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deadlines for petition verification, challenges to petitions, and | 56 |
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ballot certification as the Secretary of State considers necessary | 57 |
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to accommodate the shorter timeframe for filing for these | 58 |
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candidates so as to ensure that ballots are prepared and made | 59 |
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available in the times and manner required under Title XXXV of the | 60 |
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Revised Code and federal election law. | 61 |
| (C)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of the Revised Code to | 62 |
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the contrary, and except as otherwise provided in division (C) of | 63 |
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this section, any person who, prior to the effective date of this | 64 |
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act, filed a declaration of candidacy, a declaration of candidacy | 65 |
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and petition, a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, | 66 |
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or a nominating petition seeking nomination or election at the | 67 |
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March 6, 2012, primary election shall be deemed to have filed | 68 |
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those papers for nomination or election to the same office for the | 69 |
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primary election scheduled to be held, pursuant to this act, on | 70 |
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May 22, 2012. | 71 |
| A person who filed a declaration of candidacy, declaration of | 72 |
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candidacy and petition, declaration of intent to be a write-in | 73 |
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candidate, or nominating petition prior to the effective date of | 74 |
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this act seeking nomination or election at the March 6, 2012, | 75 |
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primary election shall not appear on the ballot at the May 22, | 76 |
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2012, primary election as a candidate for the office for which | 77 |
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those papers were filed if the person's declaration or petition is | 78 |
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properly rejected by the board of elections or the Secretary of | 79 |
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State under Title XXXV of the Revised Code. | 80 |
| (2) Any declaration of candidacy, declaration of candidacy | 81 |
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and petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate | 82 |
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filed by an individual seeking nomination or election for the | 83 |
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office of President or Vice-President of the United States, member | 84 |
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of the United States House of Representatives, at-large delegate | 85 |
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and alternate to the national convention of a political party, or | 86 |
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district delegate and alternate to the national convention of a | 87 |
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political party that is filed for the 2012 primary election before | 88 |
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the effective date of this act is null and void. The Secretary of | 89 |
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State or the applicable board of elections promptly shall refund | 90 |
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any filing fee paid by a person who filed such a declaration or | 91 |
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petition. | 92 |
| A person whose declaration or petition is nullified and | 93 |
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voided under this division who files again to become a candidate | 94 |
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for nomination or election pursuant to division (B)(2) of this | 95 |
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section is not disqualified as a candidate under section 3513.052 | 96 |
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of the Revised Code and, if the person otherwise qualifies as a | 97 |
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candidate, shall be placed on the ballot for nomination or | 98 |
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election for that office at that election. | 99 |
| (D) Notwithstanding any provision of section 3509.03 or | 100 |
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3511.02 of the Revised Code to the contrary, a person who desires | 101 |
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to vote by absent voter's ballots or uniformed services or | 102 |
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overseas absent voter's ballots for the 2012 primary election or | 103 |
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any special election conducted on the day of that election may | 104 |
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apply for those ballots beginning on December 7, 2011. The board | 105 |
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of elections or Secretary of State shall review and process such | 106 |
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an application as though it were received within the ninety-day | 107 |
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period before the day of the election. | 108 |
| Section 2. (A) Notwithstanding any provision of section | 109 |
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3501.01 or any other provision of the Revised Code to the | 110 |
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contrary, in 2012 no special election shall be held on the first | 111 |
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Tuesday after the first Monday in March, but a special election | 112 |
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may be held on May 22, 2012. A political subdivision or taxing | 113 |
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authority that, prior to the effective date of this act, followed | 114 |
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the procedures established under the applicable provisions of the | 115 |
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Revised Code for placing a question or issue on the ballot at a | 116 |
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special election to be held on March 6, 2012, shall be deemed to | 117 |
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have placed the question or issue on the ballot at a special | 118 |
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election to be held, pursuant to this act, on May 22, 2012. The | 119 |
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applicable board of elections shall conduct the special election | 120 |
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on May 22, 2012, in the same manner as other special elections are | 121 |
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required to be conducted under Title XXXV of the Revised Code. | 122 |