Biden’s ballot access in Ohio and Alabama is in the hands of Republican election chiefs, lawmakers

By JULIE CARR SMYTH and KIM CHANDLER
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Democratic President Joe Biden’s campaign is wrangling with Republican-dominated state governments in Ohio and Alabama to assure he is listed on their fall ballots. Both states’ certification deadlines precede the Democrats’ August national convention. Biden campaign lawyers have asked their election chiefs to accept provisional certification until his nomination can be formalized. Alabama’s secretary of state says he lacks legal authority to do that. His Ohio counterpart says the Republican-led Legislature needs to approve an extension. The notion of striking a presidential candidate from a ballot began with last year’s legal campaign to remove Donald Trump from various state ballots over the U.S. Capitol riot.