Democrats’ election shake-up not a problem for North Carolina ballot prep

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — With a little more than 100 days out from the Nov. 5 election, Democrats continue to form a united front around Vice President Kamala Harris, while Republicans work to change tactics in the face of their potential new opponent.

Media outlets reported late Monday that the vice president had secured enough support from delegates to be the partners presumptive nominee.

The Hill reported that the Democratic National Convention had plans to hold a “virtual roll call” on Aug. 7 to allow delegates to electronically vote for a candidate.

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Even with this, the party would more than likely not solidify a nominee until the DNC in Chicago 12 days later.

With this, some in the Republican Party have begun to take a legal approach, which has led to misrepresentation on social media.

Fox News reports that the Heritage Foundation has begun to look at placing legal roadblocks to stop Democrats from removing President Joe Biden from the ballot.

They argue that deadlines have passed in key states to remove a candidate from a ballot, and doing so now would be illegal.

However, those in the legal community have said the argument may not hold water.

Ballot Access News reports that “no states require a qualified party to certify its nominees for national office earlier than August 21st.”

It was also pointed out that since a Biden-Harris ticket hadn’t been cemented through the DNC process than their names have not be placed on a ballot.

Michael Dickerson, the director of the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections could not speak on laws in other states, but said ballots in North Carolina are not finalized until 75 days from the election.

Parties have until that time to inform the state who their party nominee will be.

Dickerson stressed that, “once we print that ballot … all bets are off and then your name is on that ballot.”

He explained that once the deadline hits, his team almost immediately begins to print out and finalize ballots which will then be tested to make sure they are readable underneath the voting machines.

“We have to get absentee ballots out within 60 days out from the election,” he explained.

While he said situations where a party’s main presidential candidate drops out this far in an election are unheard of, he explained this does happen in some of the local elections fewer people follow.

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