President Joe Biden’s candidacy faces a critical hurdle in Ohio as Secretary of State Frank LaRose warns that the president is on track to miss the state’s filing deadline for the ballot. According to Ohio law, state officials must certify the ballot 90 days before the election, which is August 7. However, Biden won’t be officially nominated until the Democratic National Convention on August 19.
LaRose pointed out that the Democratic Party has not yet proposed a solution to this conflict with Ohio’s law. In a letter to Liz Walters, Chairwoman of the Ohio Democratic Party, LaRose stated, “My office still has not received communication on behalf of the Ohio Democratic Party or the Democratic National Committee that clarifies the party’s intent to comply with Ohio’s ballot access deadline.”
Despite his insistence on adhering to the law, LaRose emphasized that it is not his choice to exclude Biden from the ballot. He blamed the Democratic Party for creating a situation with “no legally acceptable remedy.” He stated, “It’s in the best interest of voters to have a choice in the race for president. I’m also duty-bound to follow the law as Ohio’s chief elections officer.”
House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) acknowledged the dysfunction and skepticism regarding a legislative fix for the issue. She noted, “I think we’ve seen that folks have not been able to put aside partisanship and hyper-partisanship and infighting.”
Some Democrats have suggested adopting a “provisional certification,” but LaRose has declared he will not make exceptions. Meanwhile, Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) assured that Biden would be on the November ballot, suggesting that if the legislature doesn’t act, the issue will be resolved by the courts.
Biden campaign spokesperson Charles Lutvak expressed confidence that the president’s name will appear on the Ohio ballot. “Election after election, states across the country have acted in line with the bipartisan consensus and taken the necessary steps to ensure the presidential nominees from both parties will be on the ballot,” Lutvak said. “This election is no different — Alabama, with full Republican support, and Washington state are already taking action to ensure that voters can exercise their right to vote for the candidate of their choice in November.”
For conservatives, this situation underscores the importance of adhering to election laws and the potential consequences of political maneuvering. The focus now is on whether the Democratic Party will respect Ohio’s legal framework or rely on judicial intervention to secure Biden’s place on the ballot.
