Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2961.01 (2026)

Forfeiture of rights and privileges by convicted felons

✓ current as of May 2026
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(A)(1) A person who pleads guilty to a felony under the laws of this or any other state or the United States and whose plea is accepted by the court or a person against whom a verdict or finding of guilt for committing a felony under any law of that type is returned, unless the plea, verdict, or finding is reversed or annulled, is incompetent to be an elector or juror or to hold an office of honor, trust, or profit.

(2) When any person who under division (A)(1) of this section is incompetent to be an elector or juror or to hold an office of honor, trust, or profit is granted parole, judicial release, or a conditional pardon or is released under a non-jail community control sanction or a post-release control sanction, the person is competent to be an elector during the period of community control, parole, post-release control, or release or until the conditions of the pardon have been performed or have transpired and is competent to be an elector thereafter following final discharge. The full pardon of a person who under division (A)(1) of this section is incompetent to be an elector or juror or to hold an office of honor, trust, or profit restores the rights and privileges so forfeited under division (A)(1) of this section, but a pardon shall not release the person from the costs of a conviction in this state, unless so specified.

(B) A person who pleads guilty to a felony under laws of this state or any other state or the United States and whose plea is accepted by the court or a person against whom a verdict or finding of guilt for committing a felony under any law of that type is returned is incompetent to circulate or serve as a witness for the signing of any declaration of candidacy and petition, voter registration application, or nominating, initiative, referendum, or recall petition.

(C) As used in this section:

(1) "Community control sanction" has the same meaning as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Non-jail community control sanction" means a community control sanction that is neither a term in a community-based correctional facility nor a term in a jail.

(3) "Post-release control" and "post-release control sanction" have the same meanings as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 57 cases (13 in the last 5 years), 1982–2026 · leading case: State, Ex Rel. Corrigan v. Barnes, 443 N.E.2d 1034 (Ohio Ct. App. 1982).
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State, Ex Rel. Corrigan v. Barnes, 443 N.E.2d 1034 (Ohio Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 32× “13458-2) was repealed (see 134 Ohio Laws, Part II, 1866, 2032-2034), and R.C. 2961.01 (former G.C. 13458-1) was amended (see 134 Ohio Laws, Part II, 1866, 2004), to cover persons convicted of felonies under federal law.”
State ex rel. Reynolds v. Nix, 2024 Ohio 4669 (Ohio 2024). · cites it 26× “And no portion of R.C. 2961.01 states that if a person’s guilty verdict for a felony offense is reversed the person shall be 8 January Term, 2024 reinstated to the public office the person held when the verdict was rendered.”
State ex rel. Gains v. Rossi, 716 N.E.2d 204 (Ohio 1999). · cites it 9× “01 in effect when Rossi took office provided: “A person convicted of a felony under the laws o/this or any other state or the United States, unless his conviction is reversed or annulled, is incompetent to be an elector or juror, or to hold an office of honor, trust, or profit.”
State v. Aalim (Slip Opinion), 2017 Ohio 2956 (Ohio 2017). · cites it 2× “3772.10(C)(1) (casino employee); R.C. 4709.”
State ex rel. Husted v. Brunner, 2009 Ohio 5327 (Ohio 2009). · cites it 4× “18 of the Revised Code; {¶ e} “(3) The conviction of the registered elector of a felony under the laws of this state, any other state, or the United States as provided in section 2961.01 of the Revised Code; {¶ f} “(4) The adjudication of incompetency of the registered elector…”
Ohio Mfrs.' Assn. v. Ohioans for Drug Price Relief Act (Slip Opinion), 2016 Ohio 3038 (Ohio 2016). · cites it 2× “(4) Five ineligible felons allegedly circulated part-petitions, in violation of R.C. 2961.01(B). 1 To qualify an initiative for the ballot, supporters must submit petitions signed by “three percentum” of the electors.”
State v. Coleman, 544 N.E.2d 622 (Ohio 1989). · cites it 2× “09 provides that “* * * the judge of the court of common pleas may restore the defendant to his rights of citizenship, of which such convict may or shall have been deprived by reason of his conviction under section 2961.01 of the Revised Code * * *” (emphasis added), there is no…”
Ohio Mfrs. Assn. v. Ohioans for Drug Price Relief Act (Slip Opinion), 2016 Ohio 5377 (Ohio 2016). · cites it 3× “1 OMA also alleged that five circulators of part-petitions were felons and were therefore incompetent to circulate or witness the signing of petitions under R.C. 2961.01(B). OMA has indicated that it is no longer pursuing that allegation.”
Fair Elections Ohio v. Jon Husted, 770 F.3d 456 (6th Cir. 2014). · cites it 2× “Ohio Rev. Code § 2961.01(A). Ohio law provides two basic methods by which a registered voter can cast a ballot: by voting in person at an assigned location on Election Day, or by using one of the “absent voter’s ballot procedures” found in Ohio Rev.”
State v. Boykin, 2013 Ohio 4582 (Ohio 2013). · cites it 2× “{¶ 34} The General Assembly has provided that a pardon does not automatically release a pardoned felon from paying the costs of the conviction.”
State v. Madrigal, 721 N.E.2d 52 (Ohio 2000). “Pursuant to R.C. 2961.01: “A person convicted of a felony under the laws of this or any other state or the United States, unless the conviction is reversed or annulled, is incompetent to be an elector or juror or to hold an office of honor, trust, or profit.”
State ex rel. Clay v. Cuyahoga Cty. Med. Exam'r's Off. (Slip Opinion), 2017 Ohio 8714 (Ohio 2017). “" R.C. 2961.01. According to the lead opinion's logic, these laws are in conflict *514 because an individual could be qualified to be an elector pursuant to Ohio's election law but incompetent to be an elector under our criminal law.”
Show all 57 citing cases →
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2961.01(A) — 10 cases
Fair Elections Ohio v. Jon Husted, 770 F.3d 456 (6th Cir. 2014). “Ohio Rev. Code § 2961.01(A). Ohio law provides two basic methods by which a registered voter can cast a ballot: by voting in person at an assigned location on Election Day, or by using one of the “absent voter’s ballot procedures” found in Ohio Rev.”
Hyle v. Porter, 117 Ohio St. 3d 165 (Ohio 2008).
State v. Boykin, 2013 Ohio 4582 (Ohio 2013). “{¶ 34} The General Assembly has provided that a pardon does not automatically release a pardoned felon from paying the costs of the conviction.”
State v. Lee, 2017 Ohio 1449 (Ohio Ct. App. 2017).
State ex rel. Reynolds v. Nix, 2024 Ohio 4669 (Ohio 2024). “And no portion of R.C. 2961.01 states that if a person’s guilty verdict for a felony offense is reversed the person shall be 8 January Term, 2024 reinstated to the public office the person held when the verdict was rendered.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2961.01(A)(1) — 11 cases
State ex rel. Reynolds v. Nix, 2024 Ohio 4669 (Ohio 2024). “And no portion of R.C. 2961.01 states that if a person’s guilty verdict for a felony offense is reversed the person shall be 8 January Term, 2024 reinstated to the public office the person held when the verdict was rendered.”
State v. Aalim (Slip Opinion), 2017 Ohio 2956 (Ohio 2017). “3772.10(C)(1) (casino employee); R.C. 4709.”
Parker, Springer Jr., Anderson v. Comm. for Sustainable Ret. in Support of Initiative, 314 P.3d 100 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2013).
State ex rel. Reynolds v. Nix, 2024 Ohio 4669 (Ohio 2024).
State v. T.J.D., 2020 Ohio 3745 (Ohio Ct. App. 2020).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2961.01(A)(2) — 7 cases
State v. Boykin, 2013 Ohio 4582 (Ohio 2013). “{¶ 34} The General Assembly has provided that a pardon does not automatically release a pardoned felon from paying the costs of the conviction.”
Parker, Springer Jr., Anderson v. Comm. for Sustainable Ret. in Support of Initiative, 314 P.3d 100 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2013).
State v. Boykin, 2012 Ohio 1381 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).
United States v. Randall Zellars, 334 F. App'x 742 (6th Cir. 2009).
State ex rel. Summit Cty. Repub. Party Exec. Commt. v. LaRose (Slip Opinion), 2021 Ohio 1464 (Ohio 2021).
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2961.01(B) — 3 cases
Ohio Mfrs.' Assn. v. Ohioans for Drug Price Relief Act (Slip Opinion), 2016 Ohio 3038 (Ohio 2016). “(4) Five ineligible felons allegedly circulated part-petitions, in violation of R.C. 2961.01(B). 1 To qualify an initiative for the ballot, supporters must submit petitions signed by “three percentum” of the electors.”
Ohio Mfrs. Assn. v. Ohioans for Drug Price Relief Act (Slip Opinion), 2016 Ohio 5377 (Ohio 2016). “1 OMA also alleged that five circulators of part-petitions were felons and were therefore incompetent to circulate or witness the signing of petitions under R.C. 2961.01(B). OMA has indicated that it is no longer pursuing that allegation.”
State v. Boykin, 2012 Ohio 1381 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).
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