The State of Ohio, primarily controlled by Republicans, seems to be raising yet another potential stumbling block for the Democrats ahead of the November elections. They are cautioning that the Democratic Presidential candidate, Joe Biden, might fall short of meeting the deadline for inclusion on the State’s ballot.
The core of the issue stems from the Democratic National Convention’s (DNC) pushed back timeframe because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most states mandate that the DNC must officially and formally finalize their choice of the presidential candidate around 90 days prior to the election. The decision to delay the DNC, seemingly a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus, has therefore resulted in a precarious situation in the Midwestern bellwether state.
The DNC has been rescheduled to occur the week of August 17, yet the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office states that a certified list of candidates who will appear on the November ballot must be submitted by the Democrats on August 5. The state office primarily held by Republicans iterates previous instances of a strict adherence to the prescribed timeline. It remains to be seen whether the office will exhibit a similar unbending approach this time, although speculation on non-compliance seems high.
On the other hand, Ohio’s Democratic Party has signaled its reassurances as it attempts to navigate these turbulent waters. Party officials are fairly confident that the legal framework bestows upon them the leeway necessary to negotiate this predicament, stating that the law prudently allows parties to exclusively determine their respective candidates. Thereby, they hold the opinion that the extended timeline of the DNC won’t interfere with Biden’s candidacy for the November ballot in Ohio.
But underlying the confidence of their assertions, there clearly exists a ripple of concern. The political implications could be significant in a state that is often viewed as a crucial battleground in Presidential elections. Ohio has been considered an election bellwether for several decades; since 1896, Ohio has failed to align with the national election winner only three times. As such, Biden’s potential exclusion from Ohio’s ballot could drastically impact the election dynamics.
The strain between the Republicans and Democrats in Ohio is reflective of the larger stress within the US political arena. The pandemic has already sparked off numerous debates about mailing ballots and extended voting hours, as the nation grapples with unprecedented changes that could indeed shape the upcoming elections. In these unpredictable times, the insistence on a strict election schedule by Ohio’s Republican-controlled Secretary of State’s office demonstrates the rising tension and the uncertain waters that lie ahead.
In conclusion, this development casts a spotlight on the broader challenges that the pandemic presents to the electoral process and underscores the determined nuances of the intense political fray. It serves as a reminder that the events of the coming months could decisively contour history’s narrative of the monumental 2020 US Presidential elections. As things stand in Ohio, the clock is ticking, and the Democrats are under pressure to ensure Biden’s name is on the ballot come November. Only time and the political agility of the involved parties will reveal the final outcome.