Ohio lawmakers urged to add Biden to November ballot
Ohio’s governor is urging state lawmakers to prevent a partisan dispute that could potentially exclude President Joe Biden from the presidential ballot in this crucial swing state for the November election.
The state’s chief election official recently announced that the Democratic Party is finalising its candidate nomination too late to meet Ohio’s ballot access regulations.
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Historically, such issues have been resolved discreetly, but the Biden campaign may need to pursue legal action to ensure their place on the ballot.
On Thursday, the governor called for a rare special session of the Legislature to enact a law permitting Biden’s inclusion on the ballot.
“Ohio is running out of time to get Joe Biden, the sitting President of the United States, on the ballot this fall … Failing to do so is simply unacceptable.”
Governor Mike DeWine
Ohio’s regulations require political parties to officially confirm their presidential and vice-presidential nominees to the elections chief at least 90 days before the general election.
This means that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris must be certified as the Democratic nominees by August 7.
Although Biden has secured enough delegates for the Democratic nomination, he will not be officially designated as the party’s candidate until the Democratic National Convention, scheduled for August 19-22.
Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate, will not encounter this issue, as the Republican National Convention is set for July 15-18, well before Ohio’s deadline.