In 2020, both Ohio and Alabama had ballot deadlines after the Republican National Convention; in both states, there was no real conflict over placing the Trump-Pence ticket. Ohio legislators passed a law shrinking the ballot grace period from 90 days to 60 days for that cycle, while Alabama accepted a letter from the Republican National Committee promising to “certify the party’s nominees as soon as the official nomination is complete.”

But Democrats are taking the new challenges seriously, and see four paths to resolving any ballot access questions.

The first: Submitting letters from the Democratic National Committee which confirm that the party will nominate the president and vice president, as Republicans did in Alabama four…