Ohio’s Republican governor signs measure ensuring Biden appears on the fall ballot

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a measure to ensure President Joe Biden will appear on the state ballot in November.

DeWine, a Republican, signed the measure — which relaxes a state candidate filing deadline — Sunday along with a related bill that imposes a ban on foreign nationals contributing to state ballot campaigns. Both will take effect Aug. 31.

The Republican-dominated Legislature had approved the two measures last week during a rare special session. The contribution ban had been demanded by the Senate, which approved the measures Friday, a day after the House passed them.

The contribution ban also broadened the definition of “foreign nationals” to include lawful permanent residents of the U.S., also known as green card holders. The provision was added to the House bill, with proponents saying it would close “a glaring loophole” in the bill, but several lawmakers questioned whether it eventually would lead to the courts striking down the entire measure as unconstitutional.

The special session was ostensibly called by DeWine to address that Ohio’s deadline for making the November ballot falls on Aug. 7, about two weeks before the Democratic president is set to be formally nominated at the party’s Aug. 19-22 convention in Chicago.

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