KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
President Joe Biden remains adamant he will continue to run for president despite a growing list of politicians and celebrities calling on him to end his bid for reelection.
Democratic delegates, the people who will formally select each state’s choice for presidential candidate, told KSHB 41 News they’re still in Biden’s corner.
“I was elected to vote for Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention. My vote is pledged to him," said Jae Moyer, and at-large delegate from Kansas. "There being a question of whether or not my vote goes to anyone else really isn’t on the table."
Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas, a delegate in Missouri, appeared on CNN Wednesday throwing his support behind Biden.
“He is not only committed, but he’s looking forward to getting out on the road, spending more time with the American people to make his case that he is the competent candidate; he is the one with a clear agenda for the future,” Lucas said.
Fellow Missouri delegates Geoff Gerling and Jackson County Legislator Jalen Anderson also pledged to support Biden at the Democratic National Convention which runs from Aug. 19 to 22 in Chicago.
The Republican National Convention is earlier, taking place in Milwaukee from July 15 to 18.
Missouri and Kansas have different timelines on when political parties need to formally certify their presidential candidate.
Kansas does not have a deadline.
Data from the Secretary of State’s office shows in past presidential elections, the parties formally certified their candidate with Kansas in the days following their conventions.
Missouri requires parties to certify their candidate 12 weeks before the general election, which would be April 13 this year.
But the Democratic National Convention doesn’t end until August 22.
Missouri has a clause giving political parties seven business days after their convention if the convention ends after the 12-week deadline.
Complicating matters is another Missouri rule that certifies the ballot 10 weeks before an election. That certification will happen on Aug. 27.
But the seven-day rule technically gives Democrats until Sept. 3 to submit their candidate’s name.
A spokesperson for Missouri’s Secretary of State said the office has communicated with the DNC that it will need to certify its candidate’s name shortly after the convention.
Missouri can make amendments to the ballot up until Sept. 10, which is eight weeks before the election.
“As an election official, I watch it all the time to see what’s going on, but of course we have no control over it,” said Tammy Brown, a director of the Jackson County Election Board.
She’ll await final certification from the Secretary of State before preparing November’s ballot.
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