Maine Disqualifies Trump from Primary Ballot

In a move echoing a recent decision by the Colorado Supreme Court, Maine has barred former President Donald Trump from its presidential primary ballot, invoking a constitutional provision designed to prevent insurrectionists from holding office. This decision, coming just weeks before the 2024 election kicks off, sets the stage for a legal showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Maine’s Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, made the decision after a group of citizens challenged Trump’s eligibility, contending that he should be disqualified for his alleged role in inciting the insurrection on January 6, 2021. The Colorado Supreme Court had reached a similar conclusion earlier, prompting a legal battle that is now poised for the highest court in the land.

Bellows, a Democrat, acknowledged the unprecedented nature of her decision, stating, “I am mindful that no secretary of state has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. I am also mindful, however, that no presidential candidate has ever before engaged in insurrection.”

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was adopted in 1868 after the Civil War to prevent former Confederates who had sworn an oath to the Constitution from holding office if they engaged in insurrection. Though rarely invoked in recent decades, critics of Trump have pointed to this constitutional provision following the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.

The decisions by Maine and Colorado are currently on hold, allowing Trump to pursue appeals. The legal battle raises questions about whether Trump, who is currently slated to appear on primary ballots in both states, can run for president again. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to provide guidance on this obscure constitutional amendment.

While Colorado and Maine have sided with those challenging Trump’s eligibility, courts in Minnesota and Michigan have ruled that election officials cannot prevent the Republican Party from including Trump on their primary ballots. Michigan’s Supreme Court argued that political parties should determine candidates’ eligibility for the presidential race.

As the 2024 election looms and the possibility of Trump’s third White House run remains uncertain, election officials in Colorado, Maine, and over a dozen other states with primaries on March 5—Super Tuesday—are anxiously awaiting firm answers on ballot inclusions. The U.S. Supreme Court is anticipated to play a pivotal role in resolving this nationwide issue, with both the Colorado Republican Party and Trump himself expected to file appeals challenging the disqualifications. Trump’s campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, accused Bellows of being a “virulent leftist” interfering in the presidential election, emphasizing concerns about the suspension of civil rights for American voters in certain states.