Ohio lawmakers on Wednesday failed to advance a plan to put President Joe Biden about the state November ballotunderscoring bitter divisions among Republicans who control the state Legislature.
The House and Senate introduced separate proposals this week that would change the certification deadline to 74 days before the Nov. 5 election. Under current law, state officials must certify the vote by Aug. 7 — 90 days in advance — but Biden won’t be nominated until the Democratic National Convention, 12 days later.
Wednesday ended with no plans to put the president and the presumptive Democratic nominee on the Ohio ballot. And time is running out: Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said lawmakers had until Thursday to change the deadline. Bills generally take 90 days to become law unless they have an emergency clause.
Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Biden would be on the ballot whether he gets there through the Legislature or the courts.
“I don’t want to minimize the fact that it has to happen, but I want to minimize anyone who thinks there’s a chance in hell that it doesn’t happen,” DeWine said Wednesday. “The president’s name is going to appear on the ballot.”
House Minority Leader Allison Russo said prospects for a legislative solution now appear dim, but she stressed that Democrats have other options, including a trial.
“We see once again that politicians and political gamesmanship with this bill dominated the day,” Russo said. “I think we’ve officially sunk lower than Alabama at this point.”
Ohio Senate deviates from House’s bipartisan plan
Parliamentary leaders presented a bipartisan proposal Tuesday to put Biden on the ballot and avoid future scheduling conflicts. For 2028 and beyond, parties that could not meet the 90-day deadline would be allowed to certify their candidates either 74 days before the election or within three days of their convention, whichever comes first.
But Senate Republicans took a different path, one that Democrats presented as a poison pill and refused to support. They included a single deadline in a bill that ban foreign citizens and U.S. residents with green cards to donate to election campaigns. It is already illegal for non-US citizens to donate money to candidates.
“We use the word compromise a lot,” Senate President Matt Huffman said. “I think it’s a reasonable outcome. There are some things that both sides may like and dislike. This will resolve both of those issues for the next election.”
Democrats say the legislation, initially passed by the Senate in February, would create obstacles for groups wanting to put questions on the ballot. For example, it would require election campaigns to register as political action committees, which critics say could burden hyperlocal efforts like alcohol options.
Republicans…
