ALABAMA- Today, the Alabama Legislature passed Senate Bill 324, which would alter the deadline for the certification of candidates for public office in order to allow for President Joseph Biden to appear on the November 2024 presidential ballot in Alabama.
Immediately upon receiving notice from Secretary of State Wes Allen, Alabama Legislature Democrats introduced companion bills to cure the issue, with House Minority Leader Daniels introducing House Bill 448 and Senator Merika Coleman, Chair of the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus, introducing Senate Bill 324.
Senate Bill 324 will amend the deadline for certification of candidates, from 82 days to 74 days. Under the 82-day deadline in existing law, the Democratic National Convention to be held on August 19, 2024, would be unable to certify a candidate to appear on Alabama ballots. This mutual solution was crafted in cooperation with the Secretary of State, as an improvement upon the one-time-fix enacted for the Republican nominee during the 2020 presidential election. The passage of Senate Bill 324 signifies a collaborative success and a victory for the democratic process.
Leader Daniels carried Senate Bill 324 in the House of Representatives. According to Leader Daniels, “The most important thing is that we’ve been able to fix the issue quickly and I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle to work on a permanent solution, since this has affected both political parties over the years as convention dates often change. This legislation had unanimous support from the Alabama House Democratic Caucus, as well as our colleagues in the Senate Democratic Caucus. This bill ensures that Alabamians will be able to vote for the candidate of their choice.”
Senator Coleman, the bill sponsor, commented, “This is a great day in Alabama when in a bipartisan manner, we passed this legislation to ensure that President Joe Biden gains access to the ballot in Alabama. The Republicans that spoke on this bill highlighted the times they’ve had to do the same for their party’s nominee. I’m thankful to all of my Democratic colleagues in both bodies who worked to get this done to ensure that all Alabamians have the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice. I’m committed to working with them and the Secretary of State’s Office to come up with a more permanent fix so we won’t be in this position again.”
Having passed both chambers, the bill now awaits the Governor’s signature to be enacted into law.
Article submitted by the Alabama House Democratic Caucus.
All rights reserved, Gumptown Magazine, LLC. Copyright 2024.
