Ohio Requires Trans Candidate to Use Deadname on Ballot

Ari Faber is a trans man who is running for a position in the Ohio State Senate. He has gone by Ari for years, but thanks to a 1995 law, he will be required to use the name he was given at birth.

According to Title 35, Section 3513.271 of the Ohio Revised Code, “If any person desiring to become a candidate for public office has had a change of name within five years immediately preceding the filing of his statement of candidacy, both his statement of candidacy and nominating petition must contain, immediately following the person’s present name, the person’s former names.” If a candidate’s former names are not submitted appropriately, their nomination or election will be declared invalid. An exception can made for individuals who change their names from marriage, but nothing more.

While Faber has been publicly going by his proper name for years, and has even been campaigning under it, he has not gotten his name legally changed. With Ohio’s strict rules, he’s concerned that his voters might be confused at seeing his deadname listed on the ballots. And he’s not the only one. According to the New York Times, at least three other transgender candidates in Ohio have experienced ballot name issues including one trans woman, Vanessa Joy, who was disqualified for not providing her deadname.

The Ohio government has been exponentially tightening its grip on transgender people in recent years. Just over a month ago, the State Senate passed a total ban on gender-affirming care for minors, and are even looking into expanding restrictions to trans adults. Trans political candidates are now worried that transphobic protestors might try to invoke the Ohio name policies to prevent them from taking office at this crucial time. If Faber were to win his Senate position, he says that he will focus on transgender rights, as well as cost of living and access to healthcare.

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