- Maine has become the second state to exclude Donald Trump from appearing on state ballots.
- The ruling was postponed by Bellows until the state Superior Court made a ruling on the appealable decision.
- Nonpartisan election observers have Maine evaluated as likely Democratic, which means that Maine will likely go to President Joe Biden.
As a result of his involvement in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, Maine has become the second state to exclude Donald Trump from appearing on state ballots in the US presidential primary of 2024.
Shenna Bellows, the secretary of state for Maine, concluded that Trump instigated a rebellion when he disseminated inaccurate allegations of voting fraud during the 2020 election and then encouraged his followers to march on the Capitol to prevent lawmakers from certifying the results.
Primary ballot
The ruling was postponed by Bellows until the state Superior Court made a ruling on the appealable decision. A swift objection to the “atrocious” judgment would be filed, according to Trump’s team.
Trump’s attorneys have refuted the claim that he participated in an uprising and maintained that his freedom to free speech shielded his comments to fans on the day of the 2021 disturbance.
Though it only relates to Maine’s March primary, the decision may have an impact on Trump’s candidacy in November’s general election. Concerning Trump’s eligibility worldwide under the 14th Amendment’s Section 3, the decision is expected to increase the pressure on the US Supreme Court to make a decision.
Nonpartisan election observers have Maine evaluated as likely Democratic, which means that Maine will likely go to President Joe Biden. Nonetheless, because of a peculiar arrangement that permits the state to divide its four Electoral College votes, Trump was able to secure one electoral vote from Maine in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Maine’s election supervisor, Bellows, was compelled to rule on disqualification before the courts took it up, unlike in other states. Asserting that the courts will handle any ballot objections, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber listed Trump among the approved candidates for the state’s March 5 primary election.
