Ohio’s Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, has voiced concern that the timing of the 2024 Democratic National Convention may prevent President Joe Biden from appearing on the state’s general election ballot. In a letter to Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Liz Walters, LaRose noted the scheduled convention date of August 19, 2024, is over a week past the August 7 deadline for certifying candidates for the ballot.
The Biden campaign, however, has expressed confidence that the president will appear on all 50 state ballots, saying it’s closely monitoring Ohio’s situation.
LaRose suggested potential remedies? The Democratic Party could consider moving its convention date forward, or alternatively, it could petition the Ohio legislatures to form an exception to the rule by May 9 as prescribed by state law.
Even though the Democratic Party features on election ballots across all 50 states, the current scheduling could still pose a significant procedural challenge for the party and its primary candidate.
Conflict over the scheduling comes as a potential setback to Biden’s 2024 campaign in Ohio, a key battleground state which holds noticeable weight in national election outcomes. Ohio has 17 Electoral College votes.