Staff Reports
The Alabama House of Representatives, led by the GOP, recently passed a bill ensuring that President Joe Biden will be on the state’s ballot for the November election. This legislation, which received unanimous support from all 93 representatives, changes the state’s certification deadline from 82 days before the general election to 74 days. This change will allow the Democratic National Committee enough time to certify Biden as their nominee before their convention in August.
Alabama Lawmakers Pass Legislation Securing Biden’s Spot on Ballothttps://t.co/GyUPCMDWiC
— Shari (@HelpSaveOurUSA) May 3, 2024
The bill sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Merika Coleman, expressed her satisfaction with the bipartisan support for this legislation, claiming that it ensures President Biden’s access to the Alabama ballot. Meanwhile, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen had previously warned the Democrats about the conflict between the timing of their national convention and Alabama’s certification deadline.
It is worth noting that Alabama Republicans faced a similar situation four years ago when their certification deadline clashed with the national convention. Former Republican Secretary of State John Merrill had accepted a provisional certification from the national GOP in anticipation of former President Donald Trump as the nominee. However, despite the Biden campaign’s request for a provisional agreement, Secretary of State Allen has emphasized that state law does not allow for provisional certification.
It is interesting to observe how the Biden campaign is also encountering similar challenges in Ohio. However, unlike in Alabama, Ohio lawmakers are not expected to make exceptions. Ohio’s law requires parties to submit their nominees 90 days before the general election, with this year’s deadline falling on August 7. So far, there have been no introduced bills addressing the state’s deadline in Ohio, suggesting that no exceptions are likely to be made.
