Why Biden won’t be on the ballot in New Hampshire 

Why Biden won't be on the New Hampshire ballot

All eyes are on Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, the first in the nation, but even if President Biden runs for a second term in 2024, it will not be included in the Granite State's Democratic vote.

His absence comes amid a dispute between state and national Democrats over New Hampshire's place on the party's presidential nominating calendar, due to the national Democratic Party's desire to diversify its early voting electorate rather than state law. It was done while I was there.

I'll explain what happened.

DNC announces new calendar

As part of a long-standing plan to realign the party's lineup, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has created a new schedule that removes New Hampshire from the first-place slot and moves up South Carolina's primary to begin the voting process. did.

The Biden-backed realignment was aimed at adding more diversity to the party's calendar and elevating the voices of people of color by featuring more demographically diverse states earlier in the schedule. The states that vote or caucus first are widely believed to be key to the cycle's trajectory and momentum.

“For the past 50 years, candidates have dropped out or been marginalized by media and commentators because of poor performance in small states early in the electoral process, before voters of color have cast their ballots. ,” Biden wrote in his 2022 letter. D.N.C.

But the plan is I got angry New Hampshire Democratic Party.

“The DNC denied New Hampshire the nation's first primary, and it's not theirs to take it away,” New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley said at the time.

New Hampshire maintains its top spot

Under the DNC's plan, New Hampshire Democrats would vote on Feb. 6, three days after the Feb. 3 South Carolina Democratic primary.

Granite State rebelled against that schedule by asserting state law. need Its primaries are to be held at least seven days earlier than other states.

Therefore, the New Hampshire Democratic Party plans to hold its first campaign in the nation on January 23, the same day as the Republican primary in that state, and about two weeks before the Democratic campaign in the Palmetto State in defiance of the DNC. It is scheduled to be done.

“State law requires the New Hampshire Secretary of State to conduct the nation's first primary election, and he intends to follow the law. Nothing has changed. We will see great Democratic turnout on January 23rd. I'm looking forward to seeing you^rd” the state party told The Hill earlier this month.

Biden won't apply for primary ballot

After New Hampshire announced its intention to hold a primary in January, Mr. Biden decided not to put his name on the state's ballot.

Biden's re-election campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, wrote in a letter to Buckley in October that Biden has an “obligation” to comply with DNC regulations and not participate in the campaign. I wrote.

“After formally winning the nomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the President looks forward to having his name appear on the New Hampshire general election ballot as the Democratic candidate, where he will be running the Granite state next November. “I will campaign vigorously to win even one vote,” Rodriguez said at the time.

Biden is the Democratic front-runner in New Hampshire and on the national stage, and while his move not to file in the Granite State is not expected to have much of an impact, Biden's challengers do well. If this happens, it could raise questions about the president's campaign. .

A new Marist poll released Friday shows him leading the Republican front-runner, former President Trump, by seven points in a hypothetical showdown in the state.

“The reality is that Joe Biden won the NH FITN primary in January, won renomination in Chicago, and will be reelected next November. New Hampshire voters know Joe Biden and We believe in him, which is why he has a double-digit lead over President Trump in New Hampshire,” Buckley said. Said That's when Biden announced his plan.

NH and the National Democratic Party quarrel over delegates

Earlier this month, after hearing that the New Hampshire Democratic Party intended to host the delegate selection process, the Democratic National Committee called the Jan. 23 primary “harmful” and called the “state's delegate selection process… It cannot be used as the first decision step in a process.” ”

“The NHDP needs to take steps to educate the public that January 23rd is a non-binding presidential election event and meaningless, and that the NHDP and presidential candidates should take every step to avoid participating. “There is,” the paper said. letter The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee emphasized that Tuesday's primary election should not affect delegates to this summer's national convention.

New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella (R) then issued a cease-and-desist order against the DNC, and the national party reiterated its claim of “false, deceptive and misleading statements” that the primary was “pointless.” He argued that it should be stopped.

“Regardless of whether the DNC refuses to award delegates to the party's national convention based on the results of the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary on January 23, 2024, this New Hampshire election will not be 'meaningless.' No,” the paper said. letter.

Normally, the states would have decided on state allocations. 23 representatives pledgedbut the DNC says there will be zero delegates up for grabs in Tuesday's contest.

Biden supporters promote write-in campaign

Biden supporters in New Hampshire plan to write in the incumbent's name, following guidance from the Democratic National Committee not to participate in unsanctioned Tuesday races.

'Private grassroots' efforts of Granite State Democrats and independents struggle to ensure Biden continues to win the state against Self-help author Marianne Williamson and Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips (Minnesota).

“On New Hampshire primary night, the world's attention will be focused on the first votes of the 2024 election. And thousands of New Hampshire voters will show the world that they support President Joe Biden. That is important.” by “Light in Joe Biden” campaign website.