President Joe Biden is confronted with a fresh hurdle in Ohio, where the Democratic National Convention’s timing may pose a challenge for him to appear on the state’s general election ballot.
A letter from Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s legal advisor, obtained by Newsweek, highlights a potential conflict in Ohio law regarding the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) nomination process and the state’s deadline for certifying the party’s presidential nominee.
According to Paul Disantis, chief counsel for LaRose, the DNC’s convention, scheduled for August 19, 2024, occurs after Ohio’s August 7 deadline for certifying a presidential candidate. Disantis urged prompt attention to the issue and set a deadline for resolution in the letter, initially reported by ABC News.
Disantis pointed out a potential need for the DNC to advance its nominating convention or for the Ohio General Assembly to create an exception to the statutory requirement by May 9, 2024, based on Ohio Revised Code 3505.10(B)(1).
Ohio, once a battleground state, saw former President Donald Trump win by eight points in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Recent polling averages by RealClearPolitics and FiveThirtyEight show Trump leading Biden by margins of 10 points or more in Ohio.