Lawmakers in Ohio urged to include Biden on November’s presidential ballot

Ohio Governor Urges Lawmakers to Avoid Partisan Clash Threatening Biden’s Ballot Access

Ohio’s governor is pushing state lawmakers to avoid a partisan clash that could bar US President Joe Biden from the key swing state’s presidential ballot in November. The state’s top election official recently stated that Democrats are nominating their candidate too late to comply with Ohio’s ballot access laws.

The conflict arises from Ohio’s requirement for political parties to officially confirm presidential and vice-presidential nominees to the elections chief 90 or more days before the general election. This means that Biden and his vice president, Kamala Harris, must be certified as the Democratic candidates by August 7th.

Governor Mike DeWine, a moderate Republican, is calling for a rare special session to pass a law allowing Biden to appear on the ballot. DeWine emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Ohio is running out of time to get Joe Biden, the sitting President of the United States, on the ballot this fall.”

While the Biden campaign remains confident that the issue will be resolved without drama, the state’s Republican House speaker has indicated that the legislature will not make a legislative fix to the problem. This could potentially force the Biden campaign to seek legal action to ensure Biden’s presence on the ballot.

Ohio, once considered a swing state, has become increasingly conservative in recent years. The fight over Ohio’s ballot access comes after a similar partisan clash earlier this year that threatened former President Donald Trump’s ballot appearance in several states.