(A) No person shall knowingly, directly or indirectly, do any of the following in connection with any declaration of candidacy and petition, declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate, nominating petition, or other petition presented to or filed with the secretary of state, a board of elections, or any other public office for the purpose of becoming a candidate for any elective office, including the office of a political party, for the purpose of submitting a question or issue to the electors at an election, or for the purpose of forming a political party:

(1) Misrepresent the contents, purpose, or effect of the petition or declaration for the purpose of persuading a person to sign or refrain from signing the petition or declaration;

(2) Pay or offer to pay anything of value for signing or refraining from signing the petition or declaration;

(3) Promise to assist any person to obtain appointment to an office or position as a consideration for obtaining or preventing signatures to the petition or declaration;

(4) Obtain or prevent signatures to the petition or declaration as a consideration for the assistance or promise of assistance of a person in securing appointment to an office or position;

(5) Circulate or cause to be circulated the petition or declaration knowing it to contain false, forged, or fictitious names;

(6) Except as otherwise provided in section 3501.382 of the Revised Code, add signatures or names except the person's own name on the petition or declaration;

(7) Make a false certification or statement concerning the petition or declaration;

(8) File with the election authorities the petition or declaration knowing it to contain false, forged, or fictitious names;

(9) Fail to fill out truthfully and file all itemized statements required by law in connection with the petition or declaration.

(B) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.

Effective Date: 12-09-1997; 05-02-2006 .