Maine Secretary of State to Appeal Ruling on Her Decision to Exclude Trump From Ballot – The New York Times

Maines top election official said on Friday she intended to appeal the ruling by a state Superior Court judge this week that placed on hold her decision to exclude former President Donald J. Trump from the states Republican primary ballot.

In a statement, the official, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, said she welcomed the guidance of the U.S. Supreme Court, which is expected to hear arguments on a similar case on Feb. 8. But in the meantime, she said, she will seek the input of Maines highest court.

I know both the constitutional and state authority questions are of grave concern to many, Ms. Bellows wrote in a short statement on Friday. This appeal ensures that Maines highest court has the opportunity to weigh in now, before ballots are counted, promoting trust in our free, safe and secure elections.

In a ruling late Friday, the chief justice of Maines highest court, Valerie Stanfill, described the lower courts order as generally not appealable. She ordered Ms. Bellows to provide an explanation by Tuesday on why an appeal should be not dismissed.

Ms. Bellows, a Democrat elected by the State Legislature, ruled on Dec. 28 that Mr. Trump did not qualify for the state ballot in Maine because he engaged in insurrection by encouraging the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The 14th Amendment disqualifies government officials who engaged in insurrection or rebellion from holding office.

Her decision made Maine the second state to bar him from the ballot, after a Colorado court reached the same conclusion. Similar ballot challenges have been filed in at least 35 states; many remain unresolved though the primary season is already underway.

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Maine Secretary of State to Appeal Ruling on Her Decision to Exclude Trump From Ballot - The New York Times