‘It’s not impossible though’: Democratic county clerk’s claim replacing Joe Biden on Michigan ballot will be challenging spurs debate

DEXTER, MICHIGAN: A county clerk, who is a Democrat herself, stated that the Democratic Party would encounter significant challenges in replacing President Joe Biden on the Michigan ballot.

Michigan is a crucial state for Democrats to win, and it has voted for the presidential victor in every election since 2008, per the New York Post.

On Wednesday, July 10, former Michigan lawmaker and now-Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum posted on X, “Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum, here. To all of those calling for a change of candidacy in the Presidential Race, please note that the election administration community is going to have some serious issues with that.”

What did Barb Byrum say about difficulties in replacing Joe Biden on Michigan ballot?

Barb Byrum has strong ties within the Michigan Democratic party and had previously held the same statehouse position representing the same district as her mother.

According to Byrum, the main challenge to replacing the 81-year-old incumbent POTUS in Michigan is the legal deadline for adding candidates to the ballot, which is less than a month and a half away.

“To be clear, Michigan wouldn’t even be the worst of the problems. Our statute requires that a major party’s Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates be certified to the State within one business day of that party’s national or state convention, whichever is later,” she tweeted.

“The Democrats are holding their National Convention from August 19-22 and their Michigan State Convention on August 24th. The deadline is therefore August 26th,” Byrum added.

This indicates that if Democrats intend to replace President Biden, they'll have to move quickly in order to compete in Michigan.

The deadline for sending ballots to military and absentee voters is also quickly approaching.

Byrum mentioned, “Ballots to Military and Overseas voters must go out by September 21st, 2024 and [absentee voter] Ballots must be available to Michigan Voters by September 26th, 2024 by law.”

The Ingham County Clerk noted that this deadline may have already passed in other states, which is even more alarming for those hoping to replace Joe Biden on the ticket.

“My cursory understanding of other states is that that deadline may already have passed for some states, or may be in the VERY near future,” she said.

"Even if Democrats are able to unanimously approve a replacement in time to meet these deadlines, their problems will not be over.

Byrum claimed that “you would almost assuredly see lawsuits flying fast and often in any number of states, if they attempt to make a change.”

These lawsuits, as well as the necessary requirement to test election equipment, would cause delays that “may impact local clerks’ ability to meet their statutory deadlines,” Byrum stated.

Considering all the obstacles in replacing the Commander-in-Chief as the Democratic nominee, it will be an uphill task for the party to do so in sufficient states to secure the presidential election victory.

Recently, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other influential Democrats have signaled their willingness to consider the prospect of President Biden relinquishing his candidacy for another contender. This comes after Biden's disastrous performance at the presidential debate against Donald Trump on June 27.

Concerns over Biden's age and his ability to lead the country for another four-year term have mounted after the debate.

However, if Democrats opt for a new nominee, they will need to act swiftly.

Internet reacts as Democratic county clerk outlines hurdles in replacing Joe Biden

People online shared their thoughts and opinions regarding the considerable challenges the Democratic Party would face if they're planning on replacing President Biden as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 election.

One X user argued, "Who is talking about switching a candidate *after* the convention? Literally the convention is for nominating a candidate and it's never done before that."

Another user remarked, "So what you're saying is sooner is better than later."

One user asked, "If he stands down, what then?"

Another claimed, "Better in include the fact that in some states "early voting" starts in mid-September. That's only 2 months away!"

Another X user queried, "How can deadlines have already passed when as of today, neither party has a nominee?"

Finally, this user tweeted, "Still sounds like it’s not impossible though. We just need to move faster I guess."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.