OEC: Political campaign sign in violation
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A political banner hanging from the side of a building on Governor Trimble Place in Hillsboro appears to be in violation of Ohio campaign/elections law, according to a staff attorney at the Ohio Elections Commission.
The sign, for Hillsboro Republican mayoral candidate Drew Hastings, reads: "Hastings for Mayor Together We Can Make Hillsboro Great," does not meet the Ohio Revised Code's statute for a political disclaimer.
The sign is attached to the former city of Hillsboro safety building in uptown Hillsboro. Hastings purchased the building from the city.
Philip Richter, an attorney with the Ohio Elections Commission, said the candidate or his campaign committee is obligated by statute to have a disclaimer as to the responsible party.
There are a few exceptions, Richter said. Campaign T-shirts, for example, do not have to include a legal disclaimer.
The statute, 3517.20, reads as follows:
Political communications must be identified; penalty
(2) No candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity, except a political action committee, shall issue a form of political publication for or against a candidate, or shall make an expenditure for the purpose of financing political communications in support of or opposition to a candidate through public political advertising, unless the name and residence or business address of the candidate or the chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity that issues or otherwise is responsible for that political publication or that makes an expenditure for that political communication appears in a conspicuous place on that political publication or is contained within that political communication.
When asked if there were exceptions to the statute if the candidate owned the building on which the campaign sign was affixed, Richter said, "The statute's obligation for the candidate does not make any difference (as to the building's ownership)."
The Highland County Board of Elections was not immediately available for comment.
Hastings is running against Independent candidate John Levo in the Nov. 8 general election.
(Note: After this story was published on Sept. 30, a disclaimer has been attached to the campaign sign.)[[In-content Ad]]
The sign, for Hillsboro Republican mayoral candidate Drew Hastings, reads: "Hastings for Mayor Together We Can Make Hillsboro Great," does not meet the Ohio Revised Code's statute for a political disclaimer.
The sign is attached to the former city of Hillsboro safety building in uptown Hillsboro. Hastings purchased the building from the city.
Philip Richter, an attorney with the Ohio Elections Commission, said the candidate or his campaign committee is obligated by statute to have a disclaimer as to the responsible party.
There are a few exceptions, Richter said. Campaign T-shirts, for example, do not have to include a legal disclaimer.
The statute, 3517.20, reads as follows:
Political communications must be identified; penalty
(2) No candidate, campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity, except a political action committee, shall issue a form of political publication for or against a candidate, or shall make an expenditure for the purpose of financing political communications in support of or opposition to a candidate through public political advertising, unless the name and residence or business address of the candidate or the chairperson, treasurer, or secretary of the campaign committee, legislative campaign fund, political party, or other entity that issues or otherwise is responsible for that political publication or that makes an expenditure for that political communication appears in a conspicuous place on that political publication or is contained within that political communication.
When asked if there were exceptions to the statute if the candidate owned the building on which the campaign sign was affixed, Richter said, "The statute's obligation for the candidate does not make any difference (as to the building's ownership)."
The Highland County Board of Elections was not immediately available for comment.
Hastings is running against Independent candidate John Levo in the Nov. 8 general election.
(Note: After this story was published on Sept. 30, a disclaimer has been attached to the campaign sign.)[[In-content Ad]]