Ohio’s Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, has issued a scathing rebuke to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), accusing them of disregarding Ohio’s ballot certification deadline and jeopardizing President Joe Biden’s inclusion on the November ballot.
BREAKING: Unless DNC acts, Biden will not appear on Ohio’s November presidential ballot – Secretary of State pic.twitter.com/cmS74trXaG
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) May 22, 2024
LaRose reiterated Ohio’s legal mandate for political parties to certify their candidates at least 90 days prior to any election. However, with the DNC convention scheduled for August 22, Biden’s official nomination would fall short of this requirement by 15 days, potentially rendering his candidacy in Ohio invalid.
In a letter addressed to Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Liz Walters, LaRose emphasized his obligation to uphold state law and prepare ballots accordingly. He underscored his willingness to explore solutions, including alternative nomination dates or legislative intervention, but lamented the lack of cooperation from the Ohio legislature.
LaRose also responded to false claims from the mainstream media about the issue in a post on X, sharing a screenshot of an NPR article claiming that he had threatened to exclude the president from the state ballot and noting that “The Biden campaign is considering suing to ensure the president is on the ballot, after the Republican secretary of state said he would bar him over what is normally a minor procedural issue.” LaRose fired back by pointing out that he did not make any such threats, as he is just enforcing the law as it is written, while the entire problem was caused by the Democrats’ failure to follow the law.
“I didn’t schedule the Democratic Party’s convention. The Democratic Party did. I didn’t write Ohio’s current ballot access law. Democratic legislators did. Ironically, both can also fix this. I also appreciate that some might find the law minor or procedural, but I don’t get to decide which ones to enforce. Ballot access rules on the front end of an election are just as important as ballot counting rules on the back end. When you start bending rules, you might as well not have them,” he wrote.
I didn’t schedule the Democratic Party’s convention. The Democratic Party did. I didn’t write Ohio’s current ballot access law. Democratic legislators did. Ironically, both can also fix this.
I also appreciate that some might find the law minor or procedural, but I don’t get to… pic.twitter.com/EHlIDKoVJU
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) May 23, 2024
Speaker of the Ohio House, Jason Stephens, conceded that there is a lack of political will within the legislature to address the issue, leaving the fate of Biden’s candidacy in Ohio uncertain. Despite proposals from both the Ohio Senate and House, no progress was made during the last legislative session on May 8.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine expressed confidence that a resolution would be reached, either through legal recourse or legislative measures. However, with time running out to rectify the situation, concerns are mounting about the potential disenfranchisement of Ohio voters who wish to support the Democratic nominee.
The Biden campaign has maintained optimism about the President’s presence on the ballot in all 50 states. However, the DNC’s failure to address Ohio’s ballot laws raises significant concerns about Biden’s candidacy in the state, potentially undermining democratic principles and voter participation.
