Ohio lawmakers faced a deadline to adjust a ballot deadline that precedes the Democratic National Convention and ensure that President Joe Biden appears on the fall ballot. The Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose proposed a ban on foreign money from initiative campaigns, which became a sticking point in negotiations. Senate Republicans wanted to use Biden’s situation as leverage to pass a ban on foreign nationals contributing to ballot campaigns, stemming from the involvement of Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss in recent ballot campaigns in Ohio.
In order to garner necessary Republican votes to help Biden, Senate President Matt Huffman struck a compromise to combine the foreign nationals legislation with adjusting the ballot deadline. Both proposals were folded into another bill allowing candidates to pay for child care with campaign funds. The measure passed the Senate along party lines after a fractious debate, with Democrats calling the combining of measures a “dirty trick” and “the worst kind of politics.” Huffman expressed confidence that Biden would appear on the ballot, but House Speaker Jason Stephens was working on a different solution that included moving this year’s ballot deadline to accommodate conflicts faced by presidential candidates.
Stephens’ plan to move the ballot deadline to August 23 stalled after informal passage, leading to an eruption in the House when a vote on the Senate’s ballot fix was not called. LaRose condemned the inaction in the House and pointed out that Democrats seemed more interested in protecting foreign billionaires like Wyss than getting their presidential candidate on the ballot. He accused Democrats of depending on dark money from Wyss for funding their campaigns and news operations. State Sen. Bill DeMora accused LaRose of politicizing his office and blamed Republican infighting for the lack of a resolution, calling the situation a debacle that fell on the Republican supermajority in both chambers.
The ongoing partisan debate over adjusting the ballot deadline and banning foreign money from initiative campaigns has led to a stalemate in Ohio’s legislature. The fight to ensure President Joe Biden appears on the fall ballot has become entangled in a larger struggle for control and influence within the Republican-dominated state government. The role of foreign money in state ballot campaigns, as highlighted by the involvement of Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, has further complicated the situation and raised questions about the integrity of Ohio’s election process. As both parties continue to trade accusations and blame, the fate of Biden’s appearance on the ballot remains uncertain, with potential implications for future election processes in the state. The focus now shifts to whether lawmakers can put aside their differences and find a resolution that satisfies all parties involved while upholding the democratic principles of free and fair elections.
