Husted issues statement on Republican primary

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted has released the following statement regarding the March 15th Republican Presidential Primary ballot to clarify how delegates appear on the ballot and how they will be awarded according to Republican Party rules.
 
“How you get on the ballot is set by state law; how delegates are awarded is based on the bylaws of the Republican Party. First off, we are not nominating a person for president, we are voting to elect delegates that have pledged to vote for a particular candidate for president at the convention in Cleveland.
 

[[In-content Ad]]“Second, the Republican primary ballot appears the way that it has always appeared. This is set by state law. State law provides the rules for how a candidate can get their slate of delegates on the ballot and how the ballot is laid out. The only thing that has changed is how the Republican Party decided to award its delegates in 2016.
 
“Traditionally, Ohio Republicans have awarded at-large delegates and awarded district delegates. So there were two contests on the ballot. In late 2015, The Republican Party decided to change how it awards delegates in Ohio to a winner takes all process. The Republican Party chairman has clarified that the rules for awarding delegates will be based on the winner of the at-large delegate contest. Both contests will be counted. But the awarding of delegates is based solely on the first question. Essentially we are required by law to have both contests, but the awarding of delegates under Republican Party rules is based in the first question.”