President Biden’s name may not appear on Alabama’s general election ballot in November due to a key deadline issue in the state’s election process. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen sent a letter to officials of the Alabama Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee, warning them that the national convention is scheduled after the deadline for certifying a presidential candidate in Alabama. The party must provide a certificate of nomination for president and vice president by August 15 to appear on the state’s general election ballot.
The letter stated that if the valid certificate of nomination is not received by the statutory deadline, the names of the Democratic Party’s candidates for President and Vice President cannot be certified for the 2024 general election ballot. Allen cited Alabama code section 17-14-31(b), which requires parties to certify their candidates no later than 82 days before the election. The general election for president and vice president is scheduled for November 5, 2024, making August 15, 2024, the 82nd day preceding it, just four days before the National Democratic Convention is set to begin.
This warning from Allen comes after Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a similar letter to party officials in Ohio. LaRose warned the Ohio Democratic Party that their national convention is scheduled to occur after Ohio’s deadline for certifying a presidential candidate. The letter stated that the Democratic National Convention is scheduled to convene on August 19, 2024, which is more than a week after Ohio’s August 7 deadline for certifying a presidential candidate.
In response to these warnings, the Democratic National Committee must either move up its nominating convention or the Ohio General Assembly must create an exception to the statutory requirement by May 9, 2024. Failure to meet these deadlines could result in President Biden’s name missing from the general election ballot in both Alabama and Ohio. Biden’s re-election campaign, the Alabama Democratic Party, and the DNC have yet to respond to the warnings issued by the secretaries of state in Alabama and Ohio.
It is crucial for political parties to adhere to the deadlines set by state election laws to ensure that their candidates appear on the general election ballot. Missing key deadlines could have significant implications for the candidacy of President Biden in both Alabama and Ohio. Both secretaries of state have emphasized the importance of following the statutory requirements to ensure a fair and legitimate election process in their respective states. It remains to be seen how the Democratic National Committee will respond to these warnings and whether any action will be taken to meet the deadlines set by Alabama and Ohio.
