MONTGOMERY – State and national Democrats are working to ensure President Joe Biden is on the general election ballot in November.
The announcement comes in the wake of revelations that the Democratic National Convention is after the state’s deadline for political parties to provide a certificate of nomination for president and vice president.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said Tuesday, “If those certificates are not in my office on time, there will be no certification and no appearance on the Alabama general election ballot” for Biden.
According to Alabama code, parties must certify their candidates “no later than the 82nd day preceding the day fixed for the election.” Because the general election is Nov. 5, the 82nd preceding day would be Aug. 15; the Democratic National Convention is scheduled to start Aug. 19.
“The Alabama Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee are in discussions regarding a resolution ensuring President Biden’s ballot access,” Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley said in a statement Wednesday. “While this issue with convention dates has occurred many times in the past, notably with the Alabama GOP in 2004, 2012, and 2020, it appears to only be a problem this year now that the Democrats’ convention is behind the deadline.”
Kelley said Allen was engaging in “partisan gamesmanship” regarding Biden’s ballot access.
“Wes Allen was very eager sign on to an amicus brief to the Supreme Court and engage in the television talk show circuit regarding President Trump’s removal from the Colorado ballot,” Kelley said. “Yet he wishes to engage in partisan gamesmanship when it comes to President Biden’s ballot access in Alabama.
“Rest assured that we are scrutinizing every possible pathway so that President Biden
can be certified and on the ballot on Election Day.”
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