Groups of voters in both Massachusetts and Illinois on January 4 filed motions to have Donald Trump removed from the 2024 ballot under Article 3 of the 14th Amendment, adding to the list of states challenging the former president’s eligibility to run for office, CNN reported.
A group of Illinois voters, working with the left-wing activist group Free Speech for People, requested that the state Board of Elections hold a hearing on whether to bar Trump from appearing on the primary and general election ballots over his involvement in the January 6 riot at the Capitol.
In their petition to the elections board, the voters accused Trump of engaging in insurrection and giving aid and comfort to the enemy. The voters argue that Trump “never expressed regret” for his supporters attacking the Capitol.
Free Speech for People also filed a similar challenge in Massachusetts on behalf of voters. Among the names included in the challenge was Kim Janey, the former mayor of Boston.
The latest challenges come after the Trump campaign and the Colorado Republican Party separately filed appeals to the US Supreme Court asking it to rule on the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to remove Trump from the ballot.
In late December, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows removed Trump from the primary ballot. The Trump campaign has appealed her decision in state court.
Each state has its own rules for how ballot challenges are adjudicated. In some states, challenges must be filed in court, while in other states challenges are made directly to state election officials like the Board of Elections or the Secretary of State.
The Oregon Supreme Court is expected to decide soon whether Trump can appear on the state ballot. Free Speech for People is also involved in the effort to block his eligibility in Oregon.
The left-wing group also supported the failed efforts in Michigan and Minnesota.
