Directives
Ohio Election Official Manual (Permanent Directives)
Due to recent changes in election law, certain provisions of the current Election Official Manual may be inconsistent with new law. Accordingly, revisions to these sections are scheduled in the upcoming months. Please review the most recent temporary directives and advisories below, and always consult your legal counsel on all election-related legal matters.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
|---|---|---|
Directive 2026-28 | Chapter 1 | |
Directive 2026-29 | Chapter 2 | |
Directive 2026-30 | Chapter 3 | |
Directive 2026-31 | Chapter 4 | |
Directive 2026-32 | Chapter 5 | |
Directive 2026-33 | Chapter 6 | Precincts, Polling Locations, and Precinct Election Officials (PDF) |
Directive 2026-34 | Chapter 7 | |
Directive 2026-35 | Chapter 8 | |
Directive 2026-36 | Chapter 9 | |
Directive 2026-37 | Chapter 10 | |
Directive 2026-38 | Chapter 11 | |
Directive 2026-39 | Chapter 12 | |
Directive 2026-40 | Chapter 13 | |
Directive 2026-41 | Chapter 14 | |
Directive 2026-42 | Chapter 15 | |
Directive 2026-43 | Chapter 16 | |
— | Appendix A |
Other Directives
Directive 2024-23: Revised Ballots for November 5, 2024, General Election (PDF)
(Sample replaced in Directive 2024-25 which was issued on September 18, 2024)
Directive 2024-22: Expedited Canvass (PDF)
Directive 2024-20: Ballots for November 5, 2024, General Election (PDF)
(Sample replaced in Directive 2024-23 which was issued on September 6, 2024)
General Election Sample Ballot (PDF)
(Samples replaced with samples from Directive 2022-44)
Directive 2022-28: Ballots and Candidates for May 3, 2022 Primary Election for All Offices (PDF)
Official Democratic Primary Sample Ballot (PDF)
(Samples replaced with samples from Directive 2022-31)
Official Republican Primary Sample Ballot (PDF)
(Samples replaced with samples from Directive 2022-31)
Notification to Election Officials of District Sought – Form 2-Y (PDF)
Directive 2022-26: State House and Senate District Maps and House Bill (“H.B.” 93) (PDF)
Addendum to Declaration of Candidacy, Nominating Petition, or Declaration of Intent to be a Write-in Candidate (PDF)
(Superseded by Directive 2022-28)
Sample Ballot: Democratic (PDF)
(Samples replaced with samples from Directive 2022-28)
Sample Ballot: Republican (PDF)
(Samples replaced with samples from Directive 2022-28)
Directive 2022-03: House Bill ("H.B.") 93 (PDF)
Addendum to Declaration of Candidacy, Nominating Petition, or Declaration of Intent to be a Write-in Candidate (PDF)
Notification to Election Officials (PDF)
Directives Archive
Directive 2016-37: Court Order – Prohibition on Denying an Absentee Ballot Application from an Unregistered Elector (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2016-41
Directive 2016-36: Absentee Voting (PDF) *Temporary Directive- Rescinds and replaces Directive 2015-27 *Rescinded by Directive 2017-01 (PDF)
Directive 2016-23: Election Day Voting - EOM Chapter 7 (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2019-11 (PDF)
Directive 2015-34: Candidates - EOM Chapter 12 (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2019-11 (PDF)
Superseded by subsequent versions of the EOM
Directive 2015-11: Instructions Regarding the Review, Examination, and Verification of the Supplemental Petition Proposing an Amendment to the Ohio Constitution (ResponsibleOhio) (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
*Certified PDF can only be opened in Acrobat, Right-click to save to your computer.
Directive 2015-10: Instructions Regarding the Review, Examination, and Verification of the Petition Proposing an Amendment to the Ohio Constitution (ResponsibleOhio) (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
*Certified PDF can only be opened in Acrobat, Right-click to save to your computer.
Directive 2012-58: EAC Survey (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2012-44: SEIU v. Husted (PDF) * Rescinded by Dir2012-54 (PDF)
Directive 2012-21-2: Observers (PDF) 8 Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2012-21: Observers (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2011-12: Recounts (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2010-84: EAC Survey (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2010-50: Recount Procedures (PDF) *Rescinded by Dir2010-78 (PDF)
Directive 2010-29: Petition of Dennis S. Spisak and Anita Rios for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, respectively (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2008-82: Guidelines for Absentee Voting (PDF) *Rescinded by Dir2010-93 (PDF), Dir2010-68 (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2008-29: Observers (PDF) *Rescinded by Dir2012-21 (PDF)
Directive 2006-76: Pre-Tests (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2006-74: Removal of Name of Issue 1 From Ballot (PDF) --corrected *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2006-45: Pre Tests (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)
Directive 2005-26: EN Contacts (PDF) *Rescinded by Directive 2015-23 (PDF)