Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday signed legislation that ensures President Biden can appear on state ballots in the 2024 general election.
The state’s top elections official warned last month that Biden, 81, risked being left off state ballots in November because his formal nomination to be the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer wouldn’t come until after Alabama’s Aug. 15. certification deadline.
The bill signed by Ivey pushes back the deadline from 82 days before the election to 74 days, giving Democrats enough time to certify Biden as their nominee at the Democratic National Convention, held from Aug. 19-22, and still meet the new deadline.
The GOP-led Alabama House of Representatives passed the legislation earlier on Thursday in a 100-0 vote, with two members abstaining.
The state Senate approved the measure last week.
In 2020, both the Democratic and Republican national conventions fell after the state’s certification deadline, but the parties were allowed to submit provisional certifications to allow Biden and former President Donald Trump to get on the state ballots.
However, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen signaled last month that he would not accept a provisional certification from Democrats this time time around.
Biden faces the same dilemma in Ohio, where state elections officials issued a similar warning to state Democrats last month, reminding them that the president risks being left off ballots in the Buckeye State unless the Democratic convention is moved up or an “exception” is made for the commander in chief.
Republican Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman told reporters last week that negotiations are underway with Democrats on finding a solution to the issue.
Ohio’s ballot deadline is Aug. 7.
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