If Marc Dann were to resign on or before Sept. 24, Gov. Ted Strickland would name someone to replace him until a special election Nov. 4 installed the person who would serve the rest of Dann's term, through 2010.

If Dann resigned after Sept. 24, the governor would appoint someone to serve the remainder of Dann's term.

There are two ways to remove an elected statewide official in Ohio. One is through impeachment, in which a majority of the 99-member Ohio House must vote to impeach, and then two-thirds of the 33-member Senate must vote to convict after a trial.

A state official also may be removed for "any misconduct involving moral turpitude or for other cause provided by law," including being guilty of "gross neglect of duty, gross immorality, drunkenness, misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance."

In the second case, a complaint must be compiled with the signatures of no fewer than 603,413 qualified electors (15 percent of the total vote for governor in 2006). The complaint would be filed and the case tried in the state court of appeals of the district where the official lives. It would be heard by the court, unless the official demanded a jury trial.

-- Mark Niquette

mniquette@dispatch.com