by JD Davidson
Republican and Democratic Party leaders remain confident that President Joe Biden will run in Ohio’s November election, but no one believes that will be achieved with an amendment from the Legislature.
Both House Speaker Jason Stephens, R-Kitts Hill, and Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, said lawmakers did not want to vote on changing state law that would allow Biden to appear on the ballot despite the timing of the Democratic convention. .
Russo told reporters she believed a solution would have to come through a lawsuit or through the Democratic Party.
In a statement Wednesday, Russo said: “While political dysfunction appears to have closed the door to a legislative solution to ensure President Biden is on the November ballot, there are multiple paths that were always better options to meet the August 7 deadline. Every elected and involved party official is well aware that the deadline is fast approaching. The Secretary of State’s latest letter does not contain any new or additional information. “In November, voters will get what the Constitution guarantees them – President Joe Biden on the ballot and the opportunity to exercise their freedom to vote.”
IN early April, Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s chief legal counsel sent Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Liz Walters a letter explaining that Ohio’s presidential confirmation deadline is Aug. 7.
The Democratic National Convention and the nomination process won’t begin until August 19 in Chicago. Biden has enough delegates pledged for the nomination and is the expected candidate.
Under state law, a political party nominating and certifying candidates must confirm the names of candidates to the Secretary of State no later than 90 days before general election day.
Councilor LaRose Paul Disantis said either state lawmakers need to change the law or national Democrats need to change the nomination date.
On Tuesday, LaRose sent another letter to Walters, this time stating that the party had not yet met the state’s ballot access deadline.
LaRose wrote in her letter: “As the remedy is withdrawn, I must remind you that the deadline is rapid approaching and the matter remains unresolved. “If your party does not plan to meet the legal deadline, I must 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.”
– – –
Ohio native J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience at newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He served as a reporter, editor, editor-in-chief and publisher. Davidson is the magazine’s regional editor Central Square.
“President Joe Biden” photo by Kamala Harris.
