Maine Bars Trump from 2024 Primary Ballot
Maine’s Democratic secretary of state has made a groundbreaking decision by removing former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows cited the Constitution’s insurrection clause as the basis for her action, making her the first election official to unilaterally take such a step. This decision carries potential Electoral College consequences, as Maine is one of two states that split their electoral votes.
While Maine only has four electoral votes, the fact that Trump had won one of Maine’s electors in the 2020 election means that his absence from the ballot in that state could have significant implications if he emerges as the Republican general election candidate. The race is expected to be closely contested, making every electoral vote crucial.
Secretary of State Bellows based her ruling on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which was invoked in December by the Colorado Supreme Court to remove Trump from the ballot in that state. Colorado, a predominantly Democratic state, is not expected to be competitive for Republicans in the upcoming election.
Bellows concluded that Trump’s role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol violated Section 3, disqualifying him from running for his former position. The decision came after a bipartisan group of former lawmakers and other state residents challenged Trump’s eligibility.
Trump’s legal team, however, requested that Bellows recuse herself from the case due to tweets they deemed bias. In these tweets, Bellows referred to the U.S. Capitol attack as an insurrection and expressed disappointment that Trump was not convicted by the U.S. Senate after being impeached by the U.S. House.
While Bellows’ decision can be appealed in Maine’s courts, the final say on Trump’s political future will likely be determined by the U.S. Supreme Court early next year. Activists have been urging state election officials across the country to remove Trump from their primary ballots under Section 3. Prior to Bellows’ ruling, all of these requests had been rejected as officials awaited court guidance on interpreting the clause, which has rarely been invoked since the post-Civil War era.
Maine law required Bellows to hold a public hearing on the matter, which she conducted in December. She allowed both sides to present additional arguments after the Colorado Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that Section 3 disqualified Trump from the ballot.
This decision by the Maine secretary of state highlights the potential challenges Trump may face if his eligibility is determined on a state-by-state basis. Although Trump lost Colorado by a significant margin in 2020, his absence from the ballot in Maine could impact his campaign’s Electoral College vote count. Maine allocates its electoral votes based on congressional districts, and Trump has previously won the state’s second congressional district.
The secretary of state’s office has confirmed that it has not previously removed a presidential candidate from the ballot. However, candidates for lower offices have been disqualified in this manner.
It remains to be seen how Trump’s appeal will fare at the U.S. Supreme Court, which has never ruled on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The court’s decision will have far-reaching implications for all states, including Maine.
As activists continue to press for Trump’s removal from primary ballots across the country, the legal landscape surrounding Section 3 is gradually taking shape. Trump’s future political prospects depend on how this issue unfolds, as the clock ticks toward the 2024 election.
