In a concerning development for President Joe Biden's reelection campaign, Republican secretaries of state in Alabama and Ohio have warned that Biden might not be included on their general election ballots. The issue stems from the Democratic Party's late-August convention, which falls after the state ballot deadlines in both states.

While late August conventions are not unprecedented, the potential lack of ballot access for Biden in Alabama and Ohio has raised eyebrows. However, an analysis by NBC News suggests that there are unlikely to be any similar hurdles for Democrats in other states.

The Biden campaign remains confident, asserting that historical precedent suggests the issue will be resolved without much controversy. They point to previous instances in 2020, where similar ballot access issues were resolved in Alabama, Oklahoma, Illinois, Washington, and Montana. The campaign believes that Biden will be on every state's presidential ballot, regardless of the looming challenge in Alabama and Ohio.

Notably, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen publicly issued a letter warning the Democratic Party of the state's requirement to provide a certificate of nomination for president and vice president by August 15. Failure to meet this deadline would result in no certification and no appearance on the Alabama general election ballot for Biden.

Allen, who had previously voted in favor of relaxing the deadline when the Republican Party faced a similar situation in 2020, emphasized his commitment to upholding state law and maintaining the integrity of Alabama's electoral process. It's unclear whether Allen will encourage his former Republican colleagues in the Legislature to pass similar legislation to resolve the issue.

In Ohio, the situation is equally concerning. State law mandates that presidential and vice-presidential nominees must be certified to the secretary of state or nominated before the ninetieth day before the general election, which translates to August 7.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's chief counsel, Paul Disantis, warned of a potential missed deadline in a letter to Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters. Although the Legislature provided a temporary exception in 2020 when both parties held conventions after the 90-day deadline, the Republican-controlled Legislature seems less inclined to assist Democrats this year.

While some Republican lawmakers, like State Representative Bill Seitz, have expressed openness to changing the law based on past precedent and avoiding hypocrisy, others, including State Senator Niraj Antani, have firmly stated their intention not to support Biden's ballot access.

In response, the Biden campaign maintains that state officials have the ability to grant provisional ballot access certification before the conclusion of presidential nominating conventions. Citing examples from 2020 in which states allowed provisional certifications for both Democratic and Republican nominees, the campaign asserts that Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states.

With two potential avenues available to Democrats - suing for ballot access or conducting an earlier official nomination vote - the outcome of this situation remains uncertain. Biden's campaign insists that past precedent in Alabama and Ohio would heavily favor their case in any potential lawsuit.

As the situation unfolds, Democrats will need to rally support from Republican lawmakers to pass legislative changes and ensure Biden's ballot access in Alabama and Ohio. The implications of these challenges on Biden's reelection campaign loom large, highlighting the importance of addressing ballot access concerns to uphold the democratic process.