COLUMBUS – In light of today’s filing deadline for candidates and issues to appear on the May primary and special election ballot, Secretary of State Jon Husted this week provided guidance to county boards of elections that may be closed due to severe weather. 

Ohio law permits those boards closed today to accept petitions on the next business day in which the board of elections is open regular hours. Today’s filing deadline remains in place for those boards that are open regular hours.

Individuals planning to file petitions or resolutions are advised to call ahead to their local county board of elections for information on the filing deadline.

ORC 1.14 reads as follows (Italics added):

“The time within which an act is required by law to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and including the last day; except that, when the last day falls on Sunday or a legal holiday, the act may be done on the next succeeding day that is not Sunday or a legal holiday.

“When a public office in which an act, required by law, is to be performed is closed to the public for the entire day that constitutes the last day for doing the act or before its usual closing time on that day, the act may be performed on the next succeeding day that is not a Sunday or a legal holiday as defined in this section.”

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For more information, please contact Maggie Ostrowski at 614-752-2450 or mostrowski@sos.state.oh.us.