Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story misstated the deadline for candidate certification in Ohio. The Ohio Legislature passed a bill extending the deadline so that it is no longer before the Democratic National Convention.
If President Biden decides to end his reelection campaign, Democrats would have time to nominate another candidate before their convention the week of Aug. 19. But in practical terms, the deadline could come sooner.
Ohio previously required candidates to be legally certified by Aug. 7 to appear on the state’s ballot. The Democratic National Committee responded by saying it would hold a virtual roll call vote before the convention to meet the deadline, but the exact date of the vote has not been decided.
The Ohio State Legislature eventually passed and the governor signed a bill extending the deadline until after the convention, meaning an early roll call is no longer necessary, but the Democratic National Convention has signaled it plans to hold one anyway. It has not said when it will take place.
There were fears earlier this year that similar issues might arise in Alabama, but state lawmakers eventually passed a bill to extend the state’s deadline to coincide with the Democratic National Convention.
Things would get even more complicated if Democrats nominate Biden as their nominee in a virtual roll call vote and then change course.
If Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ nominees are approved to appear on the ballot and Biden then withdraws, it is unclear whether Harris would receive any votes in the presidential election because she was already on the ballot as the running mate.
The right-wing think tank, the Heritage Foundation, has threatened legal action against the alternative plan.
