(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Election official" means any of the following: (i) Secretary of State; (ii) employees of the Secretary of State serving the Division of Elections in the capacity of attorney, administrative officer, administrative assistant, elections administrator, office manager, or clerical supervisor; (iii) director of a board of elections; (iv) deputy director of a board of elections; (v) member of a board of elections; (vi) employees of a board of elections; (vii) precinct election officials; (vii) employees appointed by the boards of elections on a temporary or part-time basis. (RC 3501.01(U))
(2) "Family member" includes a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, and any person living in the household.
(3) "Telecommunication" has the same meaning as in RC 2913.01 and includes, but is not limited to, any email, voicemail, fax, text, instant message, communication over or through any social media platform, and any other form of digital, electronic or telephonic communication.
(4) "Telecommunications device" has the same meaning as in RC 2913.01.
(5) "Communication" means any other communication not defined under division (3) including, but not limited to, any communication by U.S. mail, private mail service, private delivery service, in-person conduct, or through any other method intended to communicate with a precinct election official or voting location manager.
(b) No person shall, directly or indirectly, knowingly make or cause to be made a telecommunication, or knowingly permit a telecommunication to be made from a telecommunication device under the person's control, to an election official, or a family member of an election official, with the intent to threaten, intimidate, menace, coerce, abuse, or harass the election official, or a family member of the election official, regarding or in connection with the election official's duties or responsibilities regarding any past, current, or future general, primary, or special election.
(c) No person shall, directly or indirectly, knowingly engage in conduct or any form of communication or knowingly encourage another to engage in such conduct or communication with an election official, or a family member of an election official, with the intent to threaten, intimidate, menace, coerce, abuse, or harass the election official, or a family member of the election official, regarding or in connection with that election official's duties or responsibilities regarding any past, current, or future general, primary, or special election.
(d) No person shall recklessly attempt to hinder or interfere with an election official in the execution of the election official's duties.
(e) Whoever violates this section is guilty of harassment of an election official, a misdemeanor of the first degree. The court shall impose a mandatory term of imprisonment of at least three (3) days, which term shall not be suspended.
(Ord. No. 1192-2022. Passed 11-7-22, eff. 11-7-22)