Ohio Election Readiness Training Institute
How to Earn Training Credit
Newly Appointed Members, Directors, or Deputy Directors of the Boards of Elections
Must complete at least six hours of “New Election Official Training” within six months of appointment.
Get eight more credits of training in their first full year.
Earn a total of 14 credits.
The New Election Official Training
Is held at locations chosen by the Secretary of State.
May include virtual courses and participation in Secretary of State programs may also be required.
Awards a certificate of completion by the Secretary of State.
Incumbent and Reappointed Members, Directors, or Deputy Directors of Boards of Elections
Every incumbent or reappointed board member, director, and deputy director must complete at least eight credits of formal continuing education each year (on a calendar-year basis).
Extra credits don’t roll over into the next year. This rule ensures that officials always receive the most up-to-date training on state and federal laws that impact election administration.
In special situations, the requirement may be waived due to hardship.
Earning Training Credit Through the Secretary of State
Credits earned are based on the length of the training material and will be stated prior to taking a course. Credits may be earned through:
The New Election Official Training Program in-person training (six continuing education (CE) credits).
This training is offered twice annually.
Attending the Ohio Secretary of State’s Annual Conference.
Attending the Ohio Association of Election Officials’ (OAEO) conferences.
Attending topical webinars offered by the Secretary of State’s office.
Participating in tabletop exercises offered by the Secretary’s office.
Online courses offered by the Ohio Secretary of State’s Elections Readiness Training Institute.
Experienced election officials who volunteer to mentor a new board member, director, or deputy director will receive six continuing education (CE) credits upon completion of the mentorship at the end of the rolling calendar year.
How to Earn Training Credit From an Outside Entity
Approved in-person programs typically offered as one credit per course/event, include:
Ohio Registered Election Official (OREO) and Certified Elections and Registration Administrator (CERA) programs.
OAEO regional district meetings.
Election Assistance Commission webinars/workshops.
National conferences/workshops/seminars (Election Center, International Association of Government Officials).
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Programs: one credit per session if the content is directly relevant to election administration (e.g., public records, ethics laws). These programs require prior approval and documentation submission to the Secretary of State.
Relevant trainings offered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Relevant trainings offered by the Ohio Ethics Commission.
How to submit credit from an outside entity for Secretary of State credit
Requests for training credit from an outside entity listed above, approved by the Secretary of State’s office, may be submitted to the Secretary of State’s office for consideration of credit toward annual training requirements.
Board members, directors, and deputy directors may submit a certificate of completion to [email protected].
Self-Guided Online Course Requirements
Election officials complete required training through Litmos, the official learning management system of the Ohio Secretary of State’s office. Once logged in, officials can access and complete courses at their own pace. All completions are automatically recorded in each learner’s Litmos transcript, which may be viewed or downloaded for record-keeping purposes. Officials may also revisit completed courses at any time to review materials or explore updated content.
Each course in Litmos will clearly indicate whether it offers continuing education credit and specify the number of credits available.
One hour of training generally equals one CE credit.
Shorter modules or micro learnings may offer ½ CE credit.
Not all courses provide CE credit. Only those labeled with a CE value qualify.