Scheduling conflict may end up removing Biden from Ohio ballot

US President Joe Biden might face legal challenges in appearing on the Ohio ballot over a scheduling conflict. According to Ohio’s secretary of state, the Democratic National Convention may take place too late for Biden to contest general elections in the state.

“The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to convene on August 19, 2024, which occurs more than a week after the August 7 deadline to certify a presidential candidate to the office,” Secretary of State Frank LaRose wrote in a letter to Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Liz Walters.

Legal trouble

According to Ohio’s legal provisions, a party needs to put forward the nomination by August 7. However, the DNC is expected to start on August 19 in Chicago, Illinois, which is 12 days late to the nomination deadline.

If left unsolved, the legal challenge could end up removing Biden from the state ballot altogether.

Remedies

Frank LaRose in his letter talked about two potential solutions.

Solution number 1: The Democratic Party can hold the nomination convention before August 7.

Solution number 2: The party can circumvent the August 7 deadline by getting the Ohio state legislature to “create an exemption to this statutory requirement” by May 9 in accordance with state law.

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Paul DeSantis, the attorney with the office of the Ohio Secretary of State, said, “I am left to conclude that the Democratic National Committee must either move up its nominating convention or the Ohio General Assembly must act by May 9, 2024 (90 days prior to a new law’s effective date) to create an exception to this statutory requirement.”

Biden’s reaction

A spokesperson for the Biden campaign stressed that the president will appear on all 50 state ballots. The campaign is “monitoring the situation in Ohio and we’re confident that Joe Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by NBC News.

Being a major party, the Democratic Party appears on the ballot in all 50 states.

Ohio is a key state for Biden, where ex-president Donald Trump emerged victorious in the 2016 and 2020 elections.

(With inputs from agencies)