Ohio officials rejected a plan from Democrats to get President Joe Biden on the November ballot due to a state election deadline that was scheduled after their party convention. Secretary of State Frank LaRose warned that Biden may not make the ballot as he won’t be officially nominated until the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 19, after the Aug. 7 deadline to certify the ballot. The Democrats proposed provisionally certifying Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, but the Attorney General’s office said this wouldn’t work, and the law required the candidates to be certified by the deadline.
Options for Democrats include getting an exemption from the Legislature or suing, but the chances of legislative action are slim. Ohio isn’t the only state with election deadlines before the convention, with Alabama and Washington facing similar issues. However, Washington’s secretary of state is willing to accept a provisional certification. The Biden campaign has not provided details on potential next steps but assured that Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states.
Ohio lawmakers had previously passed exemptions to the 90-day deadline in 2020 when conventions were scheduled too late. However, Democratic leaders are deferring to the Biden campaign, and Republican leaders are not likely to offer assistance. Despite the challenges, Democrats are working to ensure that Biden and Harris are certified for the November ballot.
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