The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced on Tuesday that it will nominate President Joe Biden through a “virtual roll call” vote ahead of the August convention to ensure his name appears on the Ohio ballot this November.
Urgent Deadline in Ohio
Ohio’s ballot deadline is set for August 7, two weeks before the DNC’s planned in-person presidential nomination at a convention in Chicago. Last week, Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose warned that Biden would not be on Ohio’s ballot unless state lawmakers moved the ballot access deadline to after the Democratic convention. In response, the DNC decided to expedite the nominating process, although the exact date for the virtual roll call has not yet been announced.
“Joe Biden will be on the ballot in Ohio and all 50 states, and Ohio Republicans agree. But when the time has come for action, they have failed to act every time, so Democrats will land this plane on our own,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement. “Through a virtual roll call, we will ensure that Republicans can’t chip away at our democracy through incompetence or partisan tricks and that Ohioans can exercise their right to vote for the presidential candidate of their choice.”
Virtual Roll Call Process
The virtual nomination process will resemble the format used during the 2020 convention, which was adapted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite this, the DNC confirmed that the Chicago convention will proceed as planned, serving as a significant gathering for the party.
Political Maneuvering and Legislative Hurdles
There are typically a few states each election year whose ballot certification deadlines do not align with the party’s official nominating convention. These misalignments are usually quietly resolved by either the state legislature or the secretary of state.
Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine called a special session to pass a law ensuring that Biden appears on the ballot. However, GOP lawmakers would only agree to this change if it included a campaign finance bill that would stop foreign donations to state and local ballot-issue campaigns. The party’s supermajority rejected a Democratic proposal to pass a clean measure that would have simply moved the ballot deadline past the convention without any additional changes.
Similar Issues in Other States
Washington and Alabama also have early certification deadlines that fall before the DNC convention. Democrats in Washington resolved the issue by offering a provisional certification of Biden’s nomination. In Alabama, lawmakers passed legislation earlier this spring that deferred the state’s certification deadline until after the DNC.
Conclusion
The DNC’s decision to expedite the nomination process through a virtual roll call underscores the party’s commitment to ensuring that President Biden is on the ballot in Ohio and all other states. By taking proactive measures, the DNC aims to prevent any potential disruptions to the electoral process and ensure that voters can exercise their right to choose their preferred presidential candidate.
COMMENTS