Posted on 04/10/2024 8:41:00 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
First, we learned that President Joe Biden's spot on the Ohio ballot was in danger and analyzed how that might play out. We still don't even have a definitive answer to that question, but an almost identical situation has now cropped up in Alabama. The Alabama Secretary of State, a Republican, has informed the Alabama Democratic Party Chairman, letting him know that the deadline for certification of candidate names on the ballot for November falls four days before the DNC is set to begin in Chicago. The rules in Alabama appear to allow for some provisional options to avoid this issue, but Wes Allen, the Secretary of State, appears to be taking a hard line on the question for now. (Associated Press)
President Joe Biden could be left off the ballot in Alabama, the state’s elections chief said Tuesday, because the state’s certification deadline comes several days before the Democratic Party’s convention.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, a Republican, made the statement Tuesday, a day after a similar concern was raised in Ohio that Biden could be left off the ballot in that state.
Allen sent a letter to Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley saying that the state’s Aug. 15 certification deadline is four days before the Democratic National Convention is set to begin. Allen indicated that Biden’s name will not appear on the ballot unless the deadline is met.
To be clear, just as we discussed in the Ohio case, the fault for this mess lies with the DNC. Somebody there approved the date of the convention without finding out if it would run afoul of the submission deadlines in all of the states. If they had scheduled the convention for early July, they likely wouldn't have had any of these problems. Yes, they would have needed to work with some of the states to potentially move up their primaries a bit, but with enough advance notice, that could have been done. Also, while the decisions were being made, it was still not entirely clear whether or not Biden might drop out and they wanted more time to scramble for a replacement.
With that said, the Democrats are correct in pointing out that there is a rather simple way to address this. The rules allow them to submit a provisional ballot certification in time for the deadline and then finalize them after the convention vote. In 2020, several states did precisely that for both GOP and Democrat nominees.
In terms of the political optics, it's not a very good look to ignore an available option to address what amounts to little more than a technicality and try to effectively "cancel" someone in this fashion. Most of these rules were established back when ballot paperwork had to be filled out by hand and then physically transported to a central office for filing and approval. It's 2024 now and it can all be done electronically with the signed documents catching up afterward. But the interparty divisions and hostility have probably reached the point where people aren't so concerned about political optics.
However, those optics could be particularly vexing in this specific case because of the ongoing challenges faced by Donald Trump. Republicans across the board have correctly decried Democrats' efforts to keep him off the ballot in various places as blatant attempts at election interference. Would not an attempt to then keep Joe Biden off the ballot via an easily corrected technicality be the same thing? If the Alabama Secretary of State moves ahead with his current position it will simply reek of hypocrisy. And it's not as if Biden was going to carry Alabama to begin with. Trump carried the state by more than 25 points in 2020 and Biden is even less popular today. This is all truly much ado about almost nothing.
As if that’s going to happen.
I know! I know!
Rhonda Santis can be the Democrat nominee!
Follow the law. Or they are setting up Trump as an illegitimate President because they know they can’t win. I remember the protests after he go t elected the first time.
An afternoon in a federal courtroom and a ruling will change that. No way they keep him off the ballot.
Possible foil hat theory. They keep him off Ohio and Alabama where he has zero chance. That lets them set up a stolen election claim.
Rules can apparently be bent for Dumbocrats but for Trump, the rule of law stands! Such cheating hypocrites. 🤬
As in his previous presidential campaign Biden has a backup plan....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGymiFlyl0E
Never underestimate biden’s ability to screw up something.
That thought occurs to me also. Being excluded from two state ballots would sure be a nice cover for a big landslide election loss. AND would give the Dems cover to steal it when the electoral college votes.
And they would do it without a hint of irony.
Whatever, I am going to continue to pray that their efforts to steal the election blow up in their faces.
Yes. I bet the DNC Convention date was intentional for that exact reason.
Thus happened in 2020 also, but the Republican convention was after the dead line. The Alabama state legislature voted to allow Trump to be on the ballot. Biden will be on the 2024 ballot.
Thanks.
I was told Biden would be swapped out.
pretty sure obidung don’t need no stinkin’ votes from any state to win. it’s in the baseme...oops, I meant bag already. he won’t leave quietly.
The rules were established in 2020. Like everything else the Biden Administration doesn’t worry about the rules. They will just make it campaign issue.
Probably setting up a situation where a democrat governor bans Trump from the ballot at the last minute, making Trump go to court or having state assembly vote on it, to be vetoed, then finally allowed to be on ballots. Then that state would send its own electors, electors for Biden even if Trump wins the state. Any state can send electors of its choosing, even if it is contrary to the winner of the election. Sounds far fetched but keeping Trump out of the White House is top priority, democrats are all in for fraud and cheating, just to hold on to power. You have no democrat friends,they are all your enemy. They are seared with a hot iron, evil and malcontents, bitter and malicious.
DNC created the situation. For the states to abrogate their own long-standing laws to cover for the DNC is wrong - and the appeasement will create even more demands for appeasement.
The DNC has a legal option left to them. They should use it, and not demand the states alter their laws outside the legislative process.
Again, Biden/Democrats aren’t going to win Alabama anyway.
AND Biden won’t be the nominee.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.