Ohio Revised Code Title XXXV. Elections § 3517.17

(A)(1) Upon the referral of a matter for a hearing under division (E)(3) of section 3517.16 of the Revised Code, the Ohio election integrity commission shall appoint an attorney in good standing before the supreme court of Ohio to review and hear the complaint in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.  The attorney shall draft a report and recommend that the commission make a finding and, if applicable, impose a fine or refer the matter for prosecution, in accordance with division (B) of this section.

(2) All hearings conducted by the attorney with respect to the matter, and all meetings of the commission with respect to the matter, shall be conducted in person, except that the person who is alleged to have committed the violation may choose for the person, the person's legal counsel, or both to appear at any hearing or meeting with respect to the matter by means of video conference.

(3) Upon receiving the recommendation of the attorney under division (A)(1) of this section, the commission shall review the report and recommendation and shall do one of the following:

(4) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(5) of this section, the commission shall act under division (A)(3)(b) of this section not later than one hundred eighty days after the matter is referred to the commission for a hearing under division (E)(3) of section 3517.16 of the Revised Code.

(5) If the matter is referred to the commission for a hearing under division (E)(3) of section 3517.16 of the Revised Code less than one hundred eighty days before an election and the matter involves a candidate for nomination or election at the election or involves a ballot issue or question that appears on the ballot at the election, then if practicable, the commission shall act under division (A)(3)(b) of this section before the day of the election.

(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(2) of this section, the secretary of state or the commission, as applicable, shall determine by a preponderance of the evidence whether or not a violation alleged in a complaint has occurred and shall do only one of the following:

(2) In the case of a complaint that alleges a violation of division (A) or (B) of section 3517.21 or division (A) or (B) of section 3517.22 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state or the commission, as applicable, shall determine by clear and convincing evidence whether or not the violation has occurred and shall do only one of the following:

(1) In the case of a violation of law involving a campaign committee or the committee's candidate, a political party, a legislative campaign fund, a political action committee, or a political contributing entity, that is required to file a statement of contributions and expenditures with the secretary of state under division (A) of section 3517.11 of the Revised Code, the prosecutor of Franklin county;

(2) In the case of a violation of law involving any other person, one of the following as determined by the secretary of state or the commission, as applicable: