President Joe Biden could be left off the ballot in Ohio this fall unless the state’s Republican-dominated legislature creates an exception to the ballot deadline or the Democratic Party moves up its convention, according to the office that oversees the state’s elections.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, a Republican, made the statement on Tuesday, a day after a similar concern was raised in Ohio that Mr Biden could be left off the ballot in the state.
Ohio law requires that presidential candidates be certified 90 days before the general election, on November 5 this year, said a letter written last week by Paul DeSantis, chief legal counsel for Republican Secretary of State FrankLaRose.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has notified the Alabama Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee via letter that they must provide a certification of nomination for President and Vice President of the United States no later than August 15, 2024, to appear on Alabama’s general election ballot.
Allen said the Alabama code dictates the required dates. His letter to the Democrats cited Alabama code section 17-14-31(b), which states that the parties must certify their candidates “no later than the 82nd day preceding the day fixed for the election.” Because the general election for President and Vice President will be held nationwide on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the 82nd preceding day would be August 15, 2024, four days before the National Democratic Convention begins.
The Republican National Convention is scheduled to be held on July 15, 2024. It is expected to conclude on July 18, nearly a month before certifications are due to be submitted to Allen’s office.