Ohio Governor Calls Special Session to Fix Biden Ballot Access

Ohio Republican Governor Mike Dewine said he is calling a special legislative session to ensure Joe Biden’s name will be on the November ballot.

According to Ohio law, the nominations for president and vice president must be submitted to the Ohio Secretary of State 90 days before the November election. This year’s deadline is August 7th.

However, the Democrat National Convention is scheduled from August 19th to August 22nd, approximately two weeks after Ohio’s deadline.

On May 8th, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a statement about the dispute, saying a law would need to be passed to fix the issue. His statement said:

“The facts are still very clear on this. The Democrats scheduled their nominating convention too late to comply with Ohio law, and they’ve admitted that this unforced error creates a problem for their presidential candidate that needs to be fixed. For weeks now I’ve said the easiest way to do that is to pass temporary legislation that adjusts the deadline by which they can certify their nominee to my office. Unfortunately, the Ohio House couldn’t get that done today, it appears because Democrats are more interested in protecting foreign billionaires who want to bankroll Ohio’s elections than in getting their presidential candidate on the ballot. The House still has time to act with an emergency vote, and it’s in the best interest of Ohio voters, as well as our ability to quickly and effectively prepare for a general election, that they find a way to do so.”

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DeWine said not getting Biden on the ballot is unacceptable. He told reporters during his press conference,

“Ohio is running out of time to get Joe Biden, the sitting President of the United States, on the ballot this fall.

Failing to do so is simply not acceptable.”

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During his press conference, DeWine criticized the Ohio House of Representatives for failing to fix the issue, which he said the Ohio Senate had already done. DeWine said the House failed to act on multiple occasions.

DeWine called the situation “ridiculous” and “absurd.”

Democrats also offered to submit a provisional certification to the Secretary of State’s office, but Ohio’s Attorney General advised them that that proposed remedy would violate Ohio law. According to LaRose, a legislative fix is necessary.

House Bill 114 is one of the bills being considered to address Biden’s ballot access issue. However, Democrat House Minority Leader Allison Russo says the bill contains a “poison pill.”

Russo posted on her X account:

“Re @GovMikeDeWine proclamation: this is like being sold spoiled milk at the grocery store. Only one of the Senate-led bills he mentions actually contains a Biden fix in it (Sub.HB114). In addition to HB114’s poison pill language chilling Ohioans’ right to direct democracy, the “fix” would take effect (around Aug. 29) AFTER the bill’s new presidential certification date (Aug. 23). Bills aren’t retroactive.

The only “fix” here is the one being made to hold gerrymandered power.”

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HB 114 cleared the Ohio Senate but was not voted on in the House.

The special session is set to begin on May 28.