The document outlines the training for a Medicaid expansion ballot initiative in Ohio, detailing the legal requirements for petition circulators and signers. It explains who can circulate and sign petitions, proper procedures for filling them out, and potential causes for invalidated signatures and petitions. Additionally, it highlights the benefits of Medicaid expansion and next steps for gathering and submitting signatures.

1. Medicaid expansion
ballot initiative training.

2. Featuring:
Julie DiRossi King
Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Ohio Association of Community Health Centers
Alyssa Chenault
Communications Manager, UHCAN Ohio
Cindy Cunningham
Program and Policy Director, Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition
Danielle Smith
Executive Director, National Association of Social Workers of Ohio
Eric Rosso
Political Liaison, SEIU District 1199
Will Petrik
State Director, Advocates for Ohio’s
Other Co-Sponsors Include:
SPAN Ohio, COHHIO,
the Ohio Association of Foodbanks,
and the Ohio Council of Behavioral
Health & Family Services Providers

3. Understanding the Legal Rules of the Road

4. Who Can Circulate?
• A circulator must be a resident of Ohio.
• A circulator cannot have a felony conviction for which you are still
on probation.
• The campaign is only asking individuals 18 years of age or older to
circulate petitions.
• Voter registration status? – You are not required to be a registered
voter to circulate petitions.

5. Statement of Circulator Page
 You must complete the Statement of Solicitor Page.
 Print your name.
 Write the number of signatures you witnessed on the petition. It cannot be less
than the total number of signatures present.
 If employed for compensation during the hours you are circulating the petition,
you need to put the name and address of your employer in the appropriate
field.
Volunteers should leave this space blank.
If you are a paid union official or staff person, fill this section out for the
entity that issues your paycheck for the time that you’ve spent circulating
the petition.
Talk to your organization if you have questions.

7. Who Can Sign The Petition?
Only registered Ohio voters should sign the petition.
This includes new registrants with completed registration form.
Include these completed registration forms with petitions.
Registration forms must be submitted within 10 days.
Voters must be registered in the county designated for the
given petition.
Circulators should not sign their own petition (such a
signature would not be valid).

8. How Does The Petition Get Filled Out
Properly?
• Each signature must be witnessed by the circulator.
• Circulators should ask every person to print legibly and sign their name.
• Signer should complete all fields other than Ward/Precinct (not
required).
• If anything other than the signature is missing, circulator may fill in the
appropriate information.
• Signer is to put the address at which s/he is registered.
• No P.O. Boxes.
• Signature must be in blue or black ink.

9. What Causes a Signature to be Invalid?
• If a person is not a registered Ohio voter when petitions are
submitted.
• If a person is not registered to vote at the address they’ve written on
the petition.
• If the voter cannot be identified due to illegible or incomplete
information.
• If the signature is ONLY printed and not signed.
• If the signature is from a county other than the predominant county
on the petition (only signatures from the predominant county may
be valid).
• If there is missing information.

11. Important Notes
• The name does not have to match registration in every way.
• If voter signature is John Q. Public and it is signed Johnny Public,
the signature is okay.
• Dates do not need to be chronological.
• Ditto marks are allowed for everything other than signature.
• If someone is unsure if they signed before, they should sign.
• A circulator should not knowingly allow someone to sign a petition
if they know they have already signed one.
• A circulator should not disassemble a petition.
• No one should make extraneous marks on the petition.

12. What Causes a Full Petition to be Invalid?
• If the circulator statement has not been completely filled out
• If the circulator statement contains an inaccurate number of net
signatures
• Especially if the number of signatures on the statement is lower
than the number on the petition.
• Example – You have 11 lines filled out on a petition, there are 6
crossed out. There are 5 net signatures.
• If you have to make a change to that number make sure you initial
your changes.
• If there are 2 or more signatures on the petition in the same
handwriting
• If the circulator is convicted of a felony and is still on probation

13. Other Legal Points
 What about crossing out signatures?
Circulators should ONLY allow a signature to be crossed out if:
Voter changed their mind
Voter wants to start over
Voter mistakenly signed for someone else
 What are the laws related to coercion and/or misleading information?
No gifts can be exchanged for signing
State explicitly that pins, buttons, food, etc. are available to
anyone regardless of whether they sign.

14. More Legal
• Do not make false statements about the petition – a
circulator can be prosecuted for knowingly making false
statements about the petition.
• Avoid answering detailed questions on the law/legalities of
petition gathering. If you don’t know the answer to question
just say you don’t know.

15. Where Can Signatures be Collected?
Door to door canvassing is protected.
Public property petitioning is allowed as is consistent with
existing policy and federal law.
Public parks and city sidewalks are public domain (the only
time that you need a permit is if the space has been
closed, such as for a festival, etc.)
Polling places are acceptable outside the flag or 100 feet
from the location.
Private property -- with prior permission

16. Talking Points
Extending health care coverage / Medicaid:
• Supports people, families and our communities.
• Nearly 275,000 Ohioans will gain access to health care
coverage.
• Supports our state and our economy.
• Medicaid expansion will bring in $13 billion from the
federal government into Ohio. It will help create 30,000
jobs over the next 10 years.
• Supports our county.
• Share your county fact sheet.

17. Next Steps: First Round Signatures Needed
(Deadline: The end of the year)

18. Next Steps: How do I
get petitions, so I can
start circulating?
Click here to sign up to
receive petitions.

19. Next Steps: What do I do with my
completed petitions?
• Contact Advocates for Ohio’s Future or your affiliate
• Let us know how many signatures you gathered in
which county(s).
• Mail completed petitions to the SEIU 1199 office in
Columbus (SEIU 1199, 1395 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH
43215)
• More details on point people/organizations and pick up /
drop off locations will be listed at
www.healthyohioanswork.org

20. Questions?