You sure about that? Because as I recall the deal was that you needed to qualify (be approved by the FEC) for matching funds, *not* that you needed to take them, in order to get on the ballot. Do you have some supporting link or documentation that you need to *accept* matching funds to get on this ballot (absent a petitioning effort)?
Filing Requirements for Delegates and Alternate Delegates Under ORC Section
3513.121:
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3513.121, any presidential candidate who is eligible to receive
payments under the “Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act” may file a
Declaration of Candidacy and a list of at-large and district delegates and alternate delegates
with the Ohio secretary of state, bypassing the petition process. The delegates must be selected
in accordance with Article X of the Ohio Republican Party State Central and Executive
Committee Permanent Rules.
Filing Requirements for Delegates and Alternate Delegates Not Meeting the
Requirements of ORC Section 3513.121:
At-Large Delegates and Alternate Delegates: For those candidates who do not qualify under
Ohio Revised Code Section 3513.121, petitions for each at-large delegate and at-large alternate
delegate must be signed by at least 1,000 but no more than 3,000 registered Republicans and filed
with the office of the Ohio secretary of state
The way I read it, the matching funds relieve you of the petition process. Without the funds you need 1,000 signatures for each delegate. I may be wrong...I don't know