Alabama Secretary of State Says Convention Date Could Keep Democrats off Ballots

The date of the Democratic National Convention might keep Joe Biden and Kamala Harris off Alabama's ballots in November's general election, Secretary of State Wes Allen said Tuesday.

In a letter to the Alabama Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee, Allen said Alabama code section 17-14-31(b) demands parties must certify their candidates “no later than the 82nd day preceding the day fixed for the election" to appear on ballots here.

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The election is set for November 5, 2024, and Allen says 82 days before that would be August 15, 2024. That's four days before the National Democratic Convention is scheduled to begin and Biden and Harris are presumed to be nominated as the party's candidates for President and Vice President.

Allen says this could prevent the Democrats from being allowed on Alabama ballots.

“It has recently come to my attention that the Democratic National Convention is currently scheduled to convene on August 19, 2024, which is after the State of Alabama’s statutory deadline for political parties to provide a certificate of nomination for President and Vice President,” Allen wrote in a letter to Randy Kelley, Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party. “If this Office has not received a valid certificate of nomination from the Democratic Party following its convention by the statutory deadline, I will be unable to certify the names of the Democratic Party’s candidates for President and Vice President for ballot preparation for the 2024 general election.”

The National Republican Convention is in July and GOP candidates would not be affected by this law.

“If those certificates are not in my office on time, there will be no certification and no appearance on the Alabama general election ballot in accordance with sections 17-13-22 and 17-14-31(a) of the Code of Alabama" Secretary Allen wrote. "With this letter, we are providing ample notification to the leadership of the Democratic Party at the state and national level that the burden of providing those certifications by the statutorily set deadline is a requirement that they must meet.”

For more on this as it develops, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.