A group of Illinois voters filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging former President Trump’s eligibility to vote for president after the Illinois State Board of Elections voted for him hours before leaving him on the ballot.
Four voters endorsed by the nonprofit group Free Speech for the People argue that Trump: not on the ballot paper Because his actions surrounding the January 6th Capitol riot violated the 14th Amendment’s “Insurrection Clause,” and he should therefore be disqualified.
Two states, Colorado and Maine, are pursuing 14th Amendment claims against President Trump, and similar lawsuits have been dismissed or postponed in dozens of states. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on his eligibility next month, but it is unclear whether the court will rule on the merits of the case.
The Colorado case is the only 14th Amendment challenge to succeed in court. Until the Supreme Court rules, Trump’s name will continue to appear on state ballots.
The Illinois State Board of Elections unanimously announced Tuesday that Trump should remain on the ballot. One board member prefaced the vote by saying he did believe the former president had initiated an insurrection.
“I want to be clear that this Republican believes there was an insurrection on January 6th. There’s no question about it,” board member Catherine McCrory said. “But that being said, it’s not my place to judge that today.”
Illinois challengers also filed a request in state court. to hasten that decision He cited the “vital public interest” in the case and the rapidly approaching election deadline in the challenge. The state has until Friday to finalize its presidential primary ballots, challengers said.
The challengers requested a court hearing on the merits on February 5th.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
