Barb Byrum Warns ‘Changing Presidential Candidate Could Derail Election Preparations’
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Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum received praise from Democrats on Wednesday for her clear-eyed analysis of the challenges the party would face if it were to replace President Joe Biden on the ballot. Several Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Adam Smith of Washington and Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont, have publicly called for Biden to step aside. Byrum, a former Michigan state lawmaker, addressed these calls on social media platform X, urging caution.
Byrum reminded Democrats that election administrators would face significant difficulties if a new candidate were introduced. “All of those calling for a change of candidacy in the Presidential Race, not so fast,” she wrote. She emphasized that Michigan’s election laws, which require presidential and vice-presidential candidates to be certified within a day of the party’s national or state convention, would be challenging but not the worst-case scenario.
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for August 19-22, and the Michigan State Convention on August 24, making the certification deadline August 26. Ballots for military and overseas voters must be sent by September 21, and absentee ballots must be available by September 26.
Byrum highlighted that these logistical challenges are not unique to Michigan. “Every state has different statutory deadlines for ballot access and for Absentee Ballots to go out, and it is therefore dependent on identifying those dates and requirements 50 times,” she wrote. She noted that some states might have deadlines that have already passed or are imminent.
She warned that changing the candidate could lead to numerous lawsuits in multiple states, which would “delay and derail” local election offices preparing ballots and potentially miss statutory deadlines. “Essentially, efforts to prepare for the election would have to be put on hold,” Byrum said. “That’s not a good thing in Election world.”
Additionally, election equipment undergoes extensive and lengthy testing once ballots are created. “Democrats need to understand the ramifications of the actions that some are talking about,” Byrum stated. “This may extend far beyond the choice for President and put a cloud over the election.”
Byrum also pointed out that such a move could give former President Trump and his supporters “even more ammunition” to cast doubt on the legitimacy of elections, further eroding public trust. “And I will not stand for that,” she asserted. Byrum’s detailed explanation was read over 26,000 times on X and generated hundreds of comments, primarily from voters thanking her for clearly outlining the procedural downsides of replacing Biden.
