Filing Deadlines and Penalties

What is the filing deadline?

The general filing deadline is May 15^th each year, except as noted below:

• Candidates: 30 days prior to first election (primary, special, or general) at which their candidacy will be voted on;
• Write-in candidates: 20 days prior to first election (primary, special, or general) at which their candidacy will be voted on;
• Persons newly appointed to elective office: 15 days after they are sworn in to office; and
• Persons hired, promoted, or appointed to non-elective office after February 15^th of the year: 90 days after they are hired, promoted, or appointed.

If the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or on a state holiday, the statement is due on the following business day.

R.C. 102.02(A)(4) and R.C. 1.14

I already serve in an elected office, but I'm planning to run for re-election. What is my filing deadline?

An incumbent typically must file by May 15^th. However, if the incumbent is a candidate who has filed a petition to run for re-election, or to run for a different office, and his candidacy has been certified to the ballot by the board of elections before May 15^th, he will have a different filing deadline. In that case, he must file no later than thirty days before the first election at which his candidacy will be voted on. If the first election in which he is a candidate is a May primary, his filing deadline will be in early April. If the first election in which he is a candidate is a later primary or the November general election, his filing deadline will be thirty days before that election. More information is available in Advisory Opinion 2001-07.

I'm an incumbent running for re-election, but I won't file my petition until the summer. What is my filing deadline?

If you won't file your petition until after May 15^th, your deadline is May 15^th. More information is available in Advisory Opinion 2001-07.

Does my FDS have to be received at the Ethics Commission by the deadline, or just postmarked by the deadline?

Either. An FDS is filed on time if it:

• Is received at the Commission's office on or before the deadline;
• Has a U.S. postmark on or before the deadline;
• Has a shipping date from a commercial delivery service (such as UPS or FedEx) that is on or before the deadline; or
• Is filed electronically using the Commission's online filing application at https://disclosure.ethics.ohio.gov on or before the deadline.

OAC 102-5-10(G)

What happens if I don't file a financial disclosure statement by the deadline?

The law requires that you will be assessed a late filing fee equal to $10.00 per day, up to a maximum of $250.00. You may also be subject to criminal prosecution for failure to file. R.C. 102.02(F); R.C. 102.99(A).

Is there a penalty if I don't file the FDS at all?

It is a criminal offense (fourth-degree misdemeanor) to knowingly fail to file a financial disclosure statement. R.C. 102.02(C); R.C. 102.99(A).

Further, some public officials can be removed from their public positions for failing to file a disclosure statement. R.C. 3.04; R.C. 124.34.

What is the penalty for filing a false FDS?

It is a criminal offense (first-degree misdemeanor) to knowingly file a false financial disclosure statement. R.C. 102.02(D); R.C. 102.99(A).

Further, some public officials can be removed from their public positions for filing a false disclosure statement. R.C. 3.04; R.C. 124.34.