There’s a potential hurdle for President Biden in securing a spot on Ohio’s general election ballot due to a timing conflict highlighted by the state’s leading election authority. Frank LaRose, the Republican Secretary of State of Ohio, flagged an issue to Democratic leaders, pointing out that their planned national convention date falls after Ohio’s deadline for presidential candidate certification.
LaRose’s communication, first disclosed by ABC News, pointed out that the Democratic National Convention is set for August 19, 2024, overshooting Ohio’s August 7 deadline. In a letter to Liz Walters, the Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman, LaRose indicated that to resolve this discrepancy, either the Democratic National Committee would need to reschedule its convention or the Ohio legislature must amend the law to allow an exception, all before a May 9, 2024, cutoff for legal changes to take effect.
While the Biden campaign has not officially responded to these developments, they expressed through ABC News a watchful eye on the situation and maintained confidence in Biden’s appearance on ballots nationwide.
In parallel, the Democratic Party is reportedly dealing with internal strife regarding its voter registration tactics, as an internal memo leaked on the same day suggests. This memo reveals a growing concern within the party that their nonpartisan voter registration initiatives might inadvertently boost support for former President Trump. According to the Washington Post, there’s a debate within the party about whether to continue these efforts, given the surge in Trump’s popularity among previously unregistered voters. The memo suggests a strategic shift to focus on registering voters in areas with strong Biden support, highlighting a tension between the party’s traditional emphasis on expanding voter access and the current political dynamics favoring Trump.
