Ohio lawmakers fail to pass plan to get Biden on ballot. What happens now? 1/2
The House and Senate clashed over competing proposals, but Gov. DeWine says 'the president's name is going to be on the ballot'
May 8, 2024
House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, said the prospects of a legislative solution now look dim, but she emphasized that Democrats have other options − including a lawsuit.
Gov. Mike DeWine said President Biden will be on the ballot, whether he gets there through the Legislature or courts.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose called on the House to hold an emergency vote — and to do it quickly
Ohio lawmakers on Wednesday failed to advance a plan to put President Joe Biden on the November ballot, a development that underscored bitter divisions among Republicans who control the Legislature.
The House and Senate floated 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 ballot by Aug. 7 − 90 days beforehand −but Biden won't be nominated until the Democratic National Convention 12 days later.
Wednesday ended with no plan to get the president and presumptive Democratic nominee on Ohio's ballot. And the clock is running out: Secretary of State Frank LaRose said lawmakers had until Thursday to change the deadline.Bills typically take 90 days to become law unless they have an emergency clause attached to them.
Gov. Mike DeWine said Biden will still make the ballot, whether he gets there through the Legislature or courts.
"I don't want to minimize that this has to happen, but I do want to minimize anybody thinking that there's a snowball's chance in hell that this isn't going to happen," DeWine said Wednesday. "The president's name is going to be on the ballot."
House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, said the prospects of a legislative solution now look dim, but she emphasized that Democrats have other options − including a lawsuit.
"We see once again that politicians and the politics and playing games with this piece of legislation ruled the day," Russo said. "I think we've officially sunk lower than Alabama at this point."(Your party fucked up, when did your party do any favors for republicans?)
Ohio Senate diverges from bipartisan House plan
House leaders introduced a bipartisan proposal on Tuesday to put Biden on the ballot and prevent future scheduling conflicts. For 2028 and beyond, parties that couldn't meet the 90-day deadline would be allowed to certify candidates either 74 days before the election or within three days of their convention, whichever comes first.
But Senate Republicans pursued a different path, one that Democrats cast as a poison pill and refused to support. They folded a one-time deadline fix into a bill that would ban foreign citizens and U.S. residents with green cards from donating to ballot campaigns. It's already illegal for non-U.S. citizens to give money to candidates.
"We use the word compromise a lot," Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said. "I think this is a reasonable result. There's some things for both sides to like and dislike. It gets these two issues resolved for the upcoming election."
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/05/08/ohio-lawmakers-vote-to-put-joe-biden-on-fall-ballot-after-dnc-snafu/73601333007/