Can Harris utilize Biden's campaign funds and is she qualified to be on the general election ballot?

Yesterday, President Biden made the unprecedented decision to forgo re-election.

No presidential candidate has ever declared that they would not seek re-election so close to Election Day.

Vice President Harris is currently the clear front-runner for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.

The Planet Chronicle Power Rankings discusses the potential impact of Harris' ascension on the presidential race and the next steps in the Democrats' nominating process.

This guide provides answers to two more burning questions about the move.

How can Harris utilize Biden's campaign funds, and why can she be on all 50 states' general election ballots?

Harris and/or Democrats can likely use Biden's existing campaign funds

The Democratic Party leaders and luminaries have endorsed Harris.

This guide will assume that she is the Democrat presidential nominee, even though the party has not yet officially nominated a candidate and this election cycle has been unpredictable.

At the end of June, the "Team Biden-Harris" campaign had $240 million in cash, which is crucial for Harris's election campaign.

Harris is likely to be able to use it.

The figure above represents the total amount of money raised by the Biden-Harris campaign committee and its allies.

The number of people working for the Biden-Harris campaign committee is uncertain, but the DNC, state parties, and other groups listed above are their own entities.

At the end of June, the Biden-Harris campaign committee had approximately $96 million in cash reserves, according to FEC filings.

Harris is likely to be able to use all of the $96 million.

According to an analysis of FEC rules, Harris would have access to specific funds while running with Biden.

Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, stated to the Wall Street Journal that she would retain access to all the funds in the committee and utilize them to support her presidential campaign.

The Republican chair of the FEC has stated that general election funds in that amount must be refunded unless they are properly reassigned or redistributed.

Precedent suggests that Biden's committee could transfer funds to the Democratic National Committee, even if Harris couldn't inherit the funds directly.

If the money went directly to Harris, Democrats would be in as strong a position as they would be with the money going to Biden.

Another option is to transfer funds to a super PAC, but that is less financially efficient as super PACs cannot coordinate with a campaign and often have higher advertising rates.

Harris can appear on all 50 states' general election ballots

No deadlines have been reached that would prevent or "lock out" Harris from appearing on a general election ballot in any of the 50 states.

Democrats had not yet officially nominated Biden, with the Democratic National Convention scheduled for next month. Yesterday, he was simply the "presumptive nominee." (Republicans had already formally nominated Trump at the Republican National Convention last week.)

No need for changes or swaps on general election ballots.

Before any general election ballot access deadlines, the party must nominate a candidate.

Georgia elections officials support the understanding that ballot access rules are not affected by Biden dropping out of the presidential race, as the Democrats have not yet held a convention to nominate a replacement.

Democrats consider Aug. 7 as the first ballot access deadline in Ohio, although there is disagreement over whether the deadline is that early following legislative changes.

If the party has a formal nominee by the deadline or is convinced that the Ohio deadline is later, Harris will be on every state ballot.