President Joe Biden is at risk of not being on the November general election ballot in the red state of Alabama, according to a Tuesday letter.
Republican Secretary of State Wes Allen informed the Alabama Democratic Party that the national nominating convention date was scheduled for several days after the state’s Aug. 15 state deadline, when the parties are required to provide their presidential and vice presidential nominees for the ballot. Biden received a similar warning from the red state of Ohio on Sunday, where the Republican secretary of state’s office said the Democrats must put forth a ticket by Aug. 7, according to The Washington Post. (RELATED: Dems To Police Third-Party Candidates’ Ballot Access Efforts In Hopes Of Saving Biden)
“It has recently come to my attention that the Democratic National Convention is currently scheduled to convene on August 19, 2024, which is after the State of Alabama’s statutory deadline for political parties to provide a certificate of nomination for President and Vice President,” Allen wrote. “If this Office has not received a valid certificate of nomination from the Democratic Party following its convention by the statutory deadline, I will be unable to certify the names of the Democratic Party’s candidates for President and Vice President for ballot preparation for the 2024 general election.”
The secretary of state noted that its deadline has been publicly available since June 2023, and is in accordance with state law that requires certificates of nomination “no later than the 82nd day next preceding fixed for the election.” The Ohio letter cited similar statutory restrictions, as the state’s deadline is 90 days prior to election day, which is Nov. 5.
NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND – SEPTEMBER 08: U.S. President Joe Biden (R) greets Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), at the organization’s summer meeting at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“If those certificates are not in my office on time, there will be no certification and no appearance on the Alabama general election ballot in accordance with sections 17-13-22 and 17-14-31(a) of the Code of Alabama,” Allen wrote. “With this letter, we are providing ample notification to the leadership of the Democratic Party at the state and national level that the burden of providing those certifications by the statutorily set deadline is a requirement that they must meet.”
Allen penned the letter to Randy Kelley, the chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, and sent a copy to Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison.
“The Alabama Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee are in discussions regarding a resolution ensuring President Biden’s ballot access,” Kelley said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “While this issue with convention dates has occurred many times in the past, notably with the Alabama GOP in 2004, 2012, and 2020, it appears to only be a problem this year now that the Democrats’ convention is behind the deadline.”
“Wes Allen was very eager sign on to an amicus brief to the Supreme Court and engage in the television talk show circuit regarding President Trump’s removal from the Colorado ballot yet he wishes to engage in partisan gamesmanship when it comes to President Biden’s ballot access in Alabama. Rest assured that we are scrutinizing every possible pathway so that President Biden can be certified and on the ballot on Election Day,” Kelley added.
Former President Donald Trump handily won both red states in the 2020 election, when he beat Biden by 25.4 and 8.1 points in Alabama and Ohio, respectively.
Neither Biden’s campaign nor the DNC immediately responded to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.