President Joe Biden’s candidacy faces a significant hurdle in Ohio as Secretary of State Frank LaRose warns that the President is on track to miss the state’s filing deadline. According to Ohio law, state officials must certify the ballot by August 7, 90 days before the election. However, Biden won’t be officially nominated until the Democratic National Convention on August 19.
LaRose pointed out that the Democratic Party has yet to propose a solution that aligns with Ohio’s legal requirements. 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.”
LaRose emphasized that his duty is to uphold the law, not to exclude Biden from the ballot. He placed the blame on the Democratic Party for creating this conflict, noting there is “no legally acceptable remedy.” He stressed, “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 ongoing dysfunction and was skeptical that a legislative fix would be found in time. She highlighted the pervasive partisanship and infighting that have hampered a resolution, saying, “And I think we’ve seen that folks have not been able to put aside partisanship and hyper-partisanship and infighting.”
Some Democrats suggested that the state could adopt a “provisional certification,” but LaRose has declared he will not make any exceptions. However, Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) assured that Biden will be on the November ballot, indicating that if the legislature does not 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. “And 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.”
