Declarations of candidacy for partisan candidates

All candidates seeking partisan office must file their Declaration of Candidacy and petitions no later than 4:00 p.m., 90 days before the primary or special election. This filing deadline is strict and enforced by state law. Candidates who miss it will not appear on the ballot under any circumstance. The petitions must include the required number of valid signatures and be submitted to the appropriate county board of elections.

Meeting this deadline ensures that election officials have sufficient time to verify petitions and prepare ballots.

Filing late, incomplete, or incorrect paperwork will disqualify the candidate from ballot access.

Feb 04 – Declarations of candidacy for partisan candidates must be filed by 4 p.m. (90 days before primary/special election) 
Reference: https://www.ohiosos.gov/globalassets/publications/election/2026electionscalendar_11x17.pdf