Electronic Filing Affadavit of Hardship
Form 31-DD

This form is only to be used by candidates for general assembly, statewide office and court of appeals. Political action committees, political contributing entities, political parties, legislative campaign funds and electioneering communication entities may not file this form.

Candidates for statewide office whose campaign committees have $25,000 or more in expenditures during the reporting period may not file this form. It is to be filed with the secretary of state's office prior to the filing of the report covered.

The purpose of this form is to permit candidates whose campaign committees are subject to the electronic filing requirements in R.C. 3517.106 to affirm that filing their campaign finance reports by electronic means would constitute a hardship for the candidate or committee. The Affidavit of Hardship must be filed for each report subject to the requirement to file the report by electronic means. Once this form is filed, the campaign committee is permitted to file the report on paper. A paper report filed under the Affidavit of Hardship must be received at the secretary of state's office no later than the applicable deadline set forth in R.C. 3517.10. The paper report should not be filed at the county board of elections. In addition, when the report is filed, it must also be accompanied by a check or money order made payable to the Ohio Secretary of State for the fee to offset the data entry costs. The formula to determine the amount of the fee prescribed in R.C. 3517.106(L) is listed on the form.

The top portion of the form must be filled out listing the name of the campaign committee, name of candidate, etc. Please indicate which report this affidavit covers, i.e. the pre-primary, the semiannual report, etc.

This form must be notarized prior to submitting it to the secretary of state's office. The secretary of state's office will not notarize this form for the candidate. Only the candidate can sign this form.