GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten (D), who represents much of West Michigan, has joined calls for President Biden to step aside for a new candidate.
Now, some are raising questions on how a new candidate could impact preparations for the election.
13 ON YOUR SIDE spoke with clerks from Ottawa and Ingham counties who said Michigan's deadline for having candidates from the major parties certified is approaching.
"Michigan and the federal government actually have imposed relatively stringent deadlines and timelines on our ballot production," said Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck. "Under federal law, we're required to have ballots on hand 45 days prior to the date of any federal election in order to essentially ensure that any overseas military or overseas citizen voter receives a ballot in time."
Sept. 21 is when ballots must be ready for overseas voters to vote absentee.
The Democratic National Convention is taking place from Aug. 19-22.
Michigan's State Convention will be held on Aug. 24, as the state's statutes require their candidate to be certified by Aug. 26.
The statutory deadline for certifying the ballot is Sept. 6.
"August 26 clerks have to have those names to be able to program the election and really start getting ready for the November election and making sure that we meet our deadlines to have ballots available to voters," said Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum.
Byrum has taken to the social media platform X to express her concerns about changing presidential candidates close to these deadlines.
"As long as the existing deadlines are followed for political party convention nomination processes, as long as those existing deadlines happen, you know, I think we will be able to perform our responsibilities as normal and get ballots to voters no matter what," said Roebuck.
Both Roebuck and Byrum expressed concerns about potential lawsuits that could hamper ballot preparations.
"Lawsuits will delay the election administration, the programming of the election, the printing of ballots and it will disrupt the process," said Byrum.
Roebuck said potential lawsuits could delay steps such as the sending of hundreds of proof letters per county, to ensure that names and information are correct for local elections, congressional races and proposals.
"The production of the physical printing of those ballots, when you look at the millions of ballots that do need to be printed in the state, we have only a few print vendors who are certified to specifically print ballots," said Roebuck.
Byrum also said other states have their own requirements and deadlines, which could further complicate matters nationwide.
"Rarely are political operatives considering the actual process of election administration and so that's why I want to get out front," said Byrum. "Michigan clerks stand ready to carry out our elections and all of our statutory and constitutional duties."
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