Ohio Revised Code 3517.01
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(F) "Political party" means any group of voters meeting the requirements set forth in section 3517.01 of the Revised Code for the formation and existence of a political party.
(1) "Major political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received no less than twenty per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election.
(2) "Intermediate political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than twenty per cent but not less than ten per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election.
(3) "Minor political party" means any political party organized under the laws of this state whose candidate for governor or nominees for presidential electors received less than ten per cent but not less than five per cent of the total vote cast for such office at the most recent regular state election or which has filed with the secretary of state, subsequent to any election in which it received less than five per cent of such vote, a petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least one per cent of the total vote cast for such office in the last preceding regular state election, except that a newly formed political party shall be known as a minor political party until the time of the first election for governor or president which occurs not less than twelve months subsequent to the formation of such party, after which election the status of such party shall be determined by the vote for the office of governor or president.
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http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing.com/oh/lpExt.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&cp=PORC3517.17
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B) Only major political parties, as defined in section 3501.01 of the Revised Code, may apply for public moneys from the Ohio political party fund. At the end of each even-numbered calendar year, the secretary of state shall announce the names of all such political parties, indicating that they may apply to receive such moneys during the ensuing two years. Any political party named at this time may, not later than the last day of January of the ensuing odd-numbered year, make application with the tax commissioner to receive public moneys. A political party that fails to make a timely application shall not receive public moneys during that two-year period. The tax commissioner shall prescribe an appropriate application form. Moneys from the fund shall be provided during the appropriate two-year period to each political party that makes a timely application in accordance with this division. “