Frank LaRose, prominent Ohio Secretary of State, made a critical announcement this Wednesday that President Joe Biden won’t be featured on the state’s November ballot. The decision arrived after the local legislature failed to push the certification date beyond the Democrat National Convention, where the formal conferral of Biden as the party’s standard-bearer will take place. The designated deadline for the certification of Ohio’s ballot is the 7th of August, which happens to be 12 days before the commencement of the DNC Convention in Chicago on August 19.
LaRose, a dedicated public servant, has repeatedly emphasized his keen interest in preserving voters’ choice in the Presidential election. However, as Ohio’s top-notch elections officer, he is also bound by the need to uphold the existing legal framework. In his notion snared on X, he voiced that due to the current political circumstances, the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, unfortunately, wouldn’t be part of Ohio’s voting ballot.
This change, according to LaRose, does not stem from any personal inclination or preference, but due to a legal contradiction created by the party itself. The Democrat party, till now, hasn’t offered a solution compliant with the ruling legal framework. He deemed this lack of a workable solution as the prime reason for the anomaly.
Communicating his concerns and outlining the prevailing complications, LaRose directed a letter to Liz Walters, the Ohio Democrat Chairwoman. In his missive, he elaborated that the Speaker of the Ohio House publicly revealed that a legislative resolution ensuring Biden’s presence on the ballot seems far-fetched.
To address the concern, LaRose proposed two potential countermeasures for consideration. Firstly, altering the date by which the Democrats would formally put forth their presidential contender. Secondly, initiating action by the Ohio General Assembly to formulate an exception to the prevailing statutory requirement.
Despite proposing the aforementioned solutions, with legislative settlement now off the table, LaRose emphasized the pressing nature of the situation. Reminding Chairwoman Walters about their swiftly approaching deadline, he stressed how this critical situation continues to remain unanswered.
Earlier, concerted efforts by the state legislature to shift the certification date were palpable. Unfortunately, despite their collective endeavors, they weren’t able to reach a consensus. The state House and Senate pushed forward different pieces of legislation to rectify the problem at hand.
However, despite the political push, the chambers couldn’t reach a shared agreement. This impasse arose after the Senate attempted to amalgamate a restriction precluding foreigners and green card holders from making financial contributions to ballot campaigns.
The timing of the Democrat National Convention has thrown a wrench into the mechanisms of not only Ohio but also a couple of other states. The later scheduling has forced states like Alabama and Washington to contemplate altering their respective certification deadline.
Last week, Alabama made the apt decision to readjust their scheduling, showcasing the strength of their constitutional processes. Washington, another state wrestling with the same dilemma, is also anticipated to follow in Alabama’s footsteps soon to rectify the situation.
BREAKING: Ohio Secretary of State Says Joe Biden Will Not Be On November Ballot appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
