Though Democrats have been busy celebrating Joe Biden's recent fundraising successes, a potentially significant election concern has emerged in a key battleground state for 2024.
According to ABC News, the president may have trouble placing his name on the general election ballot in Ohio, a scenario that was detailed in a recent letter sent to the state's Democratic Party chair on Friday.
As the Columbus Dispatch reports, the Ohio Secretary of State's office notified Democratic Party chair Liz Walters last week that unless a state statute is changed -- or the national party convention is held earlier than currently planned -- Biden will be ineligible to appear on the ballot.
The Democratic National Convention is currently slated to nominate its 2024 candidate on Aug. 19, but under Ohio law, that designation must be made by Aug. 7 in order for the individual's name to appear on the state's November ballot.
A rescheduling of the convention is exceedingly unlikely, given all of the planning that goes into an event of that size, as the Dispatch noted.
Alternatively, the Ohio legislature could hasten efforts to pass a new law by May 9 that would facilitate a waiver for the Democrats to ensure their nominee's presence on the state general election ballot.
Outlining the current state of affairs, Paul Disantis, legal counsel to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, wrote to the state party chief, “I am left to conclude that the Democratic National Committee must either move up its nominating convention or the Ohio General Assembly must act by May 9, 2024, to create an exception to this statutory requirement.”
In his letter, Disantis urged swift action, telling the state Democratic Party head, “Please contact me as soon as possible with any information that can assure this office of timely compliance with Ohio law.”
A spokesperson for Walters and the state party stated, “We're looking into it.”
A representative from the Biden campaign told ABC News, “We're monitoring the situation in Ohio and we're confident that Joe Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states.”
Ohio has long been considered a critical swing state in presidential contests, but recent years have been marked by something of a shift, as Fox News notes.
Starting in 2016, the state was marked by a discernable rightward shift, favoring then-candidate Donald Trump in that election and again in his unsuccessful 2020 bid.
Observers have suggested, however, that 2024 could see another sea change in Ohio spurred in part by voter concerns over abortion rights in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision reversing the precedent of Roe v. Wade.
Political pundits remain divided over how things are likely to shake out this time around, but given the undeniably high stakes involved, Democrats are sure to feel a real sense of urgency when it comes to ensuring Biden's presence on the ballot this fall.
