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May 15, 2019 at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery.
CNN
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Alabama officials have enacted a bill that would allow President Joe Biden to appear on the state’s November ballot. It comes less than a month after the Republican secretary of state warned that Democrats may miss state deadlines to formally nominate President Joe Biden as their nominee.
Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill Thursday extending Alabama’s certification deadline from 82 to 74 days before the election. That would give Democrats time to submit Biden’s name after he officially becomes the nominee at this summer’s national convention.
The state House of Representatives passed the bill early Thursday, and the state Senate passed it early last week. Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers.
Recent developments in Alabama have ended a political drama that might have otherwise devolved into a legal battle between Democrats and state officials.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen warned the state Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee last month that the national convention could coincide with the state’s Aug. 15 certification deadline. The Democratic convention will be held from August 19th to 22nd, but the Republican convention is scheduled to be held. The competition will be held in July.
Allen’s warning came days after Ohio election officials warned that the Democratic convention will be held after the Buckeye State’s Aug. 7 deadline to certify presidential candidates.
In recent years, lawmakers and state election officials have quietly resolved the certification deadline issue by enacting legislation to delay the deadline or accepting provisional certifications from political parties.
Four years ago, when the Republican convention was held a week after the Alabama deadline, Mr. Allen’s predecessor, also a Republican, received an invitation from the national Republican Party in anticipation of President Donald Trump’s nomination. The provisional certification was accepted. The Democratic Party also submitted provisional certification.
But Allen argued that state law does not allow provisional certification.
In Ohio, parties are required to submit names of candidates at least 90 days before a general election, but the path forward is less clear. State officials said they would not accept the interim certification.
Historically, lawmakers have solved problems by passing legislation that pushes back deadlines. Such legal amendments must be enacted by May 9th.
Ohio Republican state Senate President Matt Huffman expressed confidence last month that Biden would get on the ballot, whether through legislation or federal court involvement.
He cited the full U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in March to keep Trump on Colorado’s primary ballot despite a state high court ruling that Trump violated the 14th Amendment’s Insurrection Clause. Pointed out consensus decision.
“A federal court is not going to allow the state of Ohio to say they can’t put Joe Biden on the ballot,” Huffman said on the podcast episode. “That’s not going to happen.”
This article and heading have been updated.
