By Deba Uwadiae and Okon Ekpenyong

In order to avoid an embarrassing situation that will probably preclude the sitting President of the United States, Joe Biden from being on the Ohio State ballot in the November 5, 2024 General Election, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has called a special session of the Ohio General Assembly to begin on Tuesday, May 28^th for the General Assembly to pass legislation that addresses ensuring both major party presidential candidates will be on the Ohio ballot in November.

The General Assembly will also address legislation that would prohibit campaign spending by foreign nationals.

“Ohio is running out of time to get the sitting President of the United States on the ballot this fall. Failing to do so is unacceptable,” said Governor DeWine at an evening press conference.  

“It is important that when Ohioans cast their vote for President of the United States, United States Senator, and many other offices this fall, they have the opportunity to cast a vote for either of the major party candidates for those offices.”

While acknowledging the efforts of the Ohio Senate to ensure that all the major political parties’ Presidential candidates are on the November ballot, Governor DeWine said that ‘the House of Representatives has failed to do this. They have failed to take any action. This is a ridiculous and sorry situation.”

Article III, Section 8 of the Ohio Constitution authorizes the Governor on extraordinary occasions to convene the General Assembly by proclamation.

In the proclamation, Governor DeWine explained that “Section 3505.10(B)(1) of the Ohio Revised Code requires major political parties to certify the names of their joint candidates for president and vice president to the Secretary of State at least ninety (90) days before the general election;

and WHEREAS, a major political party is set to nominate its joint candidates for president and vice president at its national convention on August 19-22, 2024, which is less than ninety (90) days before the 2024 general election;

and WHEREAS, failure of a major political party to have its joint candidates for president and vice president on the general election ballot will reduce the number of voters thus impacting down ballot races such as the U.S. Senate race;

and WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the State of Ohio that the joint candidates for president and vice president for both major political parties be on the Ohio ballot in the 2024 general election.”

In his response, the Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said that “For weeks, we have been pushing to find a legislative solution to having President Biden on the ballot. Ultimately, the will to do so wasn’t there in the Republican caucus. 

“Everyone agrees that we need to ban foreign political contributions from ballot issue campaigns in Ohio, and we have been driving towards a solution.

“We have language that has input from campaign finance experts and important interested parties to deal with the issue. This is language that squarely and directly bans foreign influence in Ohio’s issue campaigns, while not also inadvertently limiting the rights of citizens to have their voices heard.

We look forward to real solutions that will actually pass both chambers next week and solve problems.”

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