House and Senate committees approval legislation to ensure ballot access to Biden-Harris tiket

Apr. 18—Alabama House and Senate committees have advanced bills to extend the time political parties will have to nominate their Presidential candidates ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

Sen. Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham) filed SB324 in response to a letter Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen sent to state and national Democratic leaders last week which said the scheduled Democratic National Convention would miss Alabama's deadline to put the party's most likely nominee, incumbent President Joe Biden, on November's ballot.

An identical House bill was filed by Minority leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville)

Alabama law says parties must certify their candidates no later than 82 days before the scheduled election, fixing the state's deadline as Aug. 15. The Democratic convention is scheduled to begin Aug. 19.

"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," Allen wrote in a letter to Randy Kelley, Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party.

The bills from Coleman and Daniels would push the State's deadline back to 74 days making the new deadline Aug. 23.

Alabama has one of the earliest certification deadlines in the country which has caused issues for both parties in recent elections. State lawmakers took similar measures ahead of the 2020 election to accommodate the Republican National Convention.

Vice Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee — which gave a favorable report to Coleman's bill — pointed to this as he gave the legislation his personal endorsement.

"I'd like to think that if the shoe were on the other foot then this would be taken care of and I think Alabamians have a deep sense of fairness when it comes to politics and elections. I want to let everyone know that I will be supporting this bill," Givhan said.

Both bills will now move to their respective chambers for approval.