Trump's exclusion from primaries: Maine state to await supreme court decision
Photo: former U.S. President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The state of Maine will not be able to proceed with the process of excluding the name of former President Donald Trump from the ballots for the presidential primaries until the Supreme Court of the United States makes a decision on the case under consideration in the state of Colorado, according to Bloomberg.
On Wednesday, January 17, Supreme Court Justice Michaela Murphy of the state of Maine rejected Trump's request to suspend the case. Instead, she returned the case to the secretary of state for him to await the Supreme Court's decision in the case, which could be crucial in the 2024 presidential race.
"The court believes it is essential to factor in the risk of voter confusion should multiple administrative or judicial decisions addressing President Trump’s eligibility to appear on the primary ballot issue before the Supreme Court rules," the judge wrote.
The decision is aimed at minimizing "any potentially destabilizing impact of inconsistent rulings and will promote greater predictability in the weeks leading up to the primaries," as stated in the document.
The court ruling instructs the Secretary of State of Maine, Shenna Bellows, to make a new decision within 30 days after the Supreme Court's decision, which may alter, annul, or confirm her conclusion from last month about excluding Trump from the election ballot.
U.S. elections and challenges with Trump's candidacy
The upcoming presidential elections in the United States are scheduled for November 5, 2024.
According to forecasts, the primary candidate for the Democrats will be the incumbent American leader, Joe Biden.
On December 28, Donald Trump's name was removed from the primary ballots in the state of Maine. Shenna Bellows, the head of the state election commission, stated that the decision was based on the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment prohibits individuals involved in or supporting an insurrection, as recognized by the court regarding the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021, from participating in elections.
On December 20, the Colorado Supreme Court also prohibited Trump from participating in the primaries in the state under the 14th Amendment.
Trump's team appealed this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the judges have already begun reviewing the case. A decision is expected on February 8, and it is likely to have nationwide implications.
