With many observers expressing surprise that Director Cordray has not yet announced that he plans to run for Ohio Governor as the Democratic candidate, there has been curiosity as to Ohio’s filing deadline for candidates.

According to the 2018 Ohio Candidate Requirement Guide issued by the Ohio Secretary of State party candidates for Governor are subject to a filing deadline of 4 p.m. on February 7, 2018 (90 days before the primary election).

If Director Cordray does intend to run for Governor, it is highly unlikely that he would wait until the filing deadline to announce his candidacy.  The Hatch Act provides that a federal employee in the executive branch, other than the President and Vice President, may not “run for the nomination or as a candidate for election to a partisan political office.”  Once Director Cordray formally announces his candidacy (if not sooner), he would be a “candidate for election” and prohibited by the Hatch Act from continuing as Director.