Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced last week that Stephen P. Caraway of West Union had been appointed to the Ohio Elections Commission. Caraway’s term will expire December 31, 2027.
The duties of the Ohio Elections Commission include, but are not limited to, the adjudication of Ohio’s Campaign Finance laws. The Ohio Elections Commission was created in 1974 as a result of the circumstances surrounding the Watergate affair in the early 1970’s. Similar to the Federal Elections Commission, the Ohio Commission was created as a means of enforcing the state’s campaign finance and fair campaign practices laws. The Commission handles between 800 and 1000 complaints filed with it in a year.
The commission has the ability to impose financial sanctions on campaign committees and candidates for public office who have broken Ohio’s campaign finance and fair practice laws. It also has the ability to refer matters for criminal prosecution.
According to the appointment release, Caraway began his duties last week.
