The Colorado secretary of state will include former President Donald Trump on the 2024 Colorado primary ballot after Republicans filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Colorado GOP appealed to the Supreme Court after the state Supreme Court initially decided to remove Trump from the primary ballot. Following the appeal, Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced that she would include Trump on the primary ballot by the January 5 certification deadline, unless the U.S. Supreme Court affirms the lower court’s ruling or declines to take up the case.
Griswold justified the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify Trump, stating that he engaged in insurrection and was disqualified under the Constitution from the Colorado ballot. She urged the U.S. Supreme Court to act quickly, given the upcoming presidential primary election, Fox News Digital reports.
President Trump is BACK on the ballot in Colorado!
Our voices were heard. We will NOT let the Radical Left take over!
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) December 28, 2023
This situation has created a legal conflict, with Colorado and Michigan offering contradicting rulings on Trump’s eligibility for the primary ballot. The Colorado Supreme Court stayed its ruling until January 4, allowing time for an appeal. The U.S. Supreme Court, facing two dueling rulings, may have to decide the case before Super Tuesday on March 5, setting a legal precedent for the country.
The January 5 certification deadline comes with logistical challenges, as ballots for the 2024 primary need to be sent out to military voters by January 20. Ballots are set to be mailed out to voters on February 12, and primary voting begins on February 26. It remains unclear what would happen to released ballots if the U.S. Supreme Court declines the appeal or does not take up the case after they are sent out.
The Colorado Supreme Court, in a 4-3 vote earlier this month, overturned a lower court ruling that initially allowed Trump to appear on the ballot as a presidential candidate.
The initial ruling stated that a president is not among the officials subject to disqualification on a ballot. The Colorado GOP criticized the court’s decision, arguing that it disregarded political parties’ First Amendment rights to select candidates and the people’s right to choose elected officials.
