Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signs bill to ensure Biden appears on state’s general election ballot

The Democratic National Committee announced that plan earlier this week, preferring to avoid what has become an unpredictable partisan fight and ensure Biden is certified as a candidate before Ohio’s Aug. 7 deadline. The DNC indicated Friday that a Tuesday meeting for its rules and bylaws committee to advance a resolution that would allow the virtual call will take place as scheduled. A full DNC vote would follow.

“Today’s action echoes what we already knew: Since the beginning of this lawsuit, Ohio Republicans have played partisan games and tried to destroy our democracy, while Democrats have defended Ohioans’ right to vote,” the spokeswoman said. DNC senior voice Hannah Muldavin. . “Joe Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states and we are already taking steps to ensure that is the case, regardless of the shenanigans of Ohio Republicans.”

In the past, both parties have had to juggle late summer nominating conventions with earlier state deadlines to certify candidates for the general election. Ohio, for example, eased the deadline four years ago for Democrats and Republicans without much fanfare or controversy. This year, the issue only applies to Democrats in Ohio, as the Republican Party has planned a convention in mid-July.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, warned Democrats last month that Biden was at risk of not qualifying for the ballot. In recent weeks, many Republican lawmakers have conditioned their support for changing the deadline in a vote to ban non-U.S. citizens from donating to state ballot initiative campaigns. DeWine requested that the state Legislature considers both issues in its call for this week’s special session.

Democrats described the restrictions on foreign money and other elements of the legislation as an unnecessary “poison pill” that would weaken citizen-led petitions. Voters in Ohio last year codified the right to abortion in the state constitution, and progressives are supporting a redistricting reform measure set for a November vote.

Republicans hold supermajorities in the state House and Senate, but Republican leaders in both chambers have rarely been on the same page when negotiating legislation, a reflection of the turbulent domestic politics that shook Ohio State House in the last years. The uncertainty frustrated Democrats and prompted Biden and the DNC to begin the virtual call.

In the end, the state House and Senate passed legislation related to campaign finance and Biden’s fix in separate bills. DeWine also announced that he signed the previous bill on Sunday.

“This bill — just a temporary fix — was conditioned on attacking ballot initiatives,” said state Rep. Dontavius ​​Jarrells, a Democrat, in a speech Thursday in support of the Biden-related bill. “The political maneuvering and legislative trickery that brought us here to today’s special session is a stark reminder of why we must end gerrymandering in Ohio.”

Jarrells and other Democrats expressed frustration that the bill only relaxed this year’s certification deadline, meaning presidential nominees from either party could face a similar situation in future elections. Democratic amendments to make the fix permanent were introduced on Thursday and Friday. Republican lawmakers have said they are open to the idea but want more time to seek input from state and local election officials.

“I think we should get some input from the secretary of state,” state Rep. Bob Peterson, the Republican who chairs the House Government Oversight Committee, said Wednesday. “I think we need to talk to local election boards. There are reasons why these deadlines are set so they can get the work done.”