MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — President Joe Biden has responded to the possibility of not appearing on the November ballot in Alabama.
This came after Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen warned Democrats that the convention was scheduled after the state's deadline. Allen said the deadline is Aug. 15, and Biden said every state will be on the ballot.
The Biden campaign said state officials have the authority to grant interim access to certify candidates. The same situation occurred in 2020, when the deadline for the Republican National Convention passed.
Alabama and three other states used provisional voting rights in that election year. That means the state Legislature would need to act to change the requirements this year.
“We don't want to exclude anyone from voting, whether they're Republican or Democrat,” said state Sen. Linda Coleman Madison (D-Birmingham). “I think people should have a choice,” she said.
State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) said the law has been around for a long time. He said it's ultimately a Democratic issue, but he hopes Alabamians can vote for whoever they want.
“We’ll see what happens,” Albritton said. “Hopefully they can come to a conclusion or a solution to that problem. I want people to have a choice.”
Coleman-Madison said Democrats should be considered, citing low voter turnout in Alabama.
“But I look forward to working together in the spirit of democracy and fairness to give everyone the opportunity to vote,” Coleman-Madison said.
With 10 days left in the legislative period, Albritton said there is a lot on the agenda and more work remains to be done. So it's unclear whether lawmakers will take up the measure.
