Ohio’s Republican-controlled state Legislature did not reach agreement on legislation that would have adjusted a deadline to give President Biden ballot access.
President Joe Biden will not appear on the Ohio general election ballot unless the Democratic party provides a legally acceptable solution, according to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican.
The deadline for political parties to nominate their presidential candidates is the pressing issue.
According to Ohio law, the deadline is 90 days before the general election. This year, Election Day is Nov. 5, which makes the deadline Aug. 7.
Once passed and signed by the governor, Ohio bills typically take 90 days to become law unless they are accompanied by an emergency clause.
President Biden is expected to be formally nominated for reelection at the Democratic National Convention, which will be held Aug. 19–22 in Chicago.
In April, Mr. LaRose wrote a letter to state Democrat officials warning that President Biden might not qualify for the general election ballot unless Democrats adjust their convention date or convince Republicans to change state law by May 9.
Both chambers of the Republican-controlled state House and Senate appeared to be on the verge of passing a legislative fix to President Biden’s ballot issue. The chambers could not reach an agreement, and they opted not to pass emergency legislation that would have allowed President Biden to appear on the ballot.
State House Speaker Jason Stephens, a Republican, told reporters on May 21 that lawmakers would not find a resolution in time to adjust the state law.
“There’s just not the will to do that from the legislature,“ he said. ”It’s a hyper-political environment at this at this time of year. And there are some Republicans who just didn’t want to vote on it. And there were some who did [want to]. I think there are other alternatives to it, so why create a stir that’s not necessary.”
In a May 21 letter to Liz Walters, who is chairwoman of the Ohio Democratic Party, Mr. LaRose wrote, “Unless your party plans to comply with the statutory deadline, I am duty-bound to instruct boards of elections to begin preparing ballots that do not include the Democratic Party’s nominees for president and vice president of the United States.
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