Bush supporters may be forced to write-in their vote in some states in ’04

Voters in Alabama, Idaho, and Indiana haven’t supported a Democratic presidential candidate in the last five election cycles. Neither party bothers to campaign in these states anymore — the result is a foregone conclusion. I figure the only way to stop Bush from winning in these states is to keep his name off the ballot. Well, as it turns out…

Last week I mentioned that the Republican Party has moved its nominating convention to Sept. 2, 2004, the latest any party has ever done so, in an effort to shamelessly capitalize on the commemorations of the third anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I had hoped the move would backfire when Americans grew disgusted by the partisan attempt to exploit a national tragedy, but it turns out the GOP may have a different problem.

Every state in the Union has a deadline for certifying presidential candidates, ensuring them a place on the state’s election ballots. It turns out, however, that a handful of states have a deadline of Aug. 31, a full three days before Bush takes the stage at Madison Square Garden. If the GOP won’t officially nominate Bush until Sept. 2, Bush may have to be a write-in candidate in those states with the earlier deadlines.

In the immortal words of Nelson Muntz, “Ha ha.”

Alabama, California, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Indiana, and West Virginia all are required by state law to certify presidential candidates on their ballots by the end of August.

Some states are more than willing to accommodate the GOP’s unprecedented schedule. Lawmakers in Idaho have already changed their state’s deadline. The Indiana legislature recently considered a similar move and the Alabama legislature also has taken up a bill.

It’s more problematic (for Republicans) in California, the largest electoral state in the nation. As the Washington Post explained yesterday, California election officials are scheduled to print about 15 million ballots almost immediately after its Aug. 26 deadline. A spokeswoman for the secretary of state said she did not know of any effort to move the deadline or how the state might accommodate the Republicans. “It’s not clear at this point,” Terri Carbaugh said. “It certainly poses a dilemma.”

I know this probably isn’t worth getting excited about. It’s inconceivable to me that an incumbent president running for re-election would find himself left off any state ballot. Changes will be made, schedules will be updated, and ballots will be reprinted, if necessary. Yet the GOP’s brazen attempt to exploit 9/11 for political gain is pitiful. Any chance this write-in problem is some kind of karmic payback? Nah, I didn’t think so either.