Maine took a significant step on Thursday, becoming the second state to exclude Donald J. Trump from its primary election ballot. This decision was made by the state's top election official, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who ruled that the former president's post-2020 election actions, aimed at retaining power, made him ineligible to seek office again.
In her announcement, Secretary Bellows cited Mr. Trump's involvement in the January 6 Capitol attack as the reason for disqualifying him from the ballot. A few citizens had contested his eligibility, asserting that his role in inciting the insurrection rendered him unfit to pursue the presidency once more, as per the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.
“I am mindful that no secretary of state has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. I am also mindful, however, that no presidential candidate has ever before engaged in insurrection,” stated Ms. Bellows, a Democrat. Meanwhile, California's election official later confirmed that Mr. Trump would remain on the ballot in the state, where officials have limited authority to remove candidates.
