A week or two ago, I read reports that Colorado removed former president Trump from their primary ballot. Now reports are coming in that Maine has done the same. I thought the rules on national elections were handled at a federal level. If so, wouldn't it be illegal for states to decide who gets on a presidential ballot in that state?
For debate... Are states allowed to make decisions on who gets to be on an election ballot?
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/maines-secretary-state-explains-why-160356210.htmlMaine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows says she was following Maine's election law and upholding the U.S. Constitution when she disqualified Donald Trump from her state's presidential primary ballot.
Maine is the second state to bar Trump from the ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution — a decision the Trump campaign said it would appeal. It is the only state where a challenge to a candidate's qualification is initially the responsibility of the secretary of state rather than a court.
"In Maine, we're very proud of our voting rights. We were first in the nation in 2022 with voter participation. And we have a statute that makes me different from any other state that I have observed," said Bellows. "My obligation under Maine state law was to issue a decision very quickly. I'm not permitted under Maine law to wait for the United States Supreme Court to intervene in this particular proceeding."
An appeal of the Colorado Supreme Court's decision is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Should the high court decide to review the case, it could have wide-ranging implications for other challenges to Trump's eligibility across the country.
In her decision, Bellows recognized that it "could soon be rendered a nullity" but "that possibility does not relieve me of my responsibility to act."
For debate... Are states allowed to make decisions on who gets to be on an election ballot?