Democrats Will Nominate Biden Virtually So He Can Get on Ohio’s Ballot

Stephanie Lai
·2 min read

(Bloomberg) -- The Democratic National Committee plans to nominate President Joe Biden in a virtual roll call ahead of their convention to ensure that he is on the ballot in Ohio.

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The DNC change is intended to avoid the possibility that Biden could be left off the ballot in that state, which has a certification deadline of Aug. 7 for nominees. The Democratic convention is slated to begin on Aug. 19 in Chicago.

Ohio lawmakers are working to remedy the issue. But Democratic officials on Tuesday said the party would not wait for the state and intended to move ahead with a virtual roll call, citing the 2020 convention as a precedent. Much of the convention’s events, during the Covid-19 pandemic, were conducted remotely, including a prerecorded roll call.

The committee didn’t specify a date for the virtual roll call, but the process will be completed before Ohio’s deadline, according to the DNC, who detailed the plans on condition of anonymity. A party committee vote to proceed with the plan will occur June 4.

“Joe Biden will be on the ballot in Ohio and all 50 states,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement. “Through a virtual roll call, we will ensure that Republicans can’t chip away at our democracy through incompetence or partisan tricks and that Ohioans can exercise their right to vote for the presidential candidate of their choice.”

The virtual process threatens to rob Biden of a highly symbolic moment during the convention, but allows party officials to script the in-person proceedings as they did in 2020. A virtual roll call could also allow Biden’s campaign to avoid potentially embarrassing floor protests focused on his handling of the Israel-Hamas war, which has highlighted Democratic divisions.

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