On Thursday, voter groups from Illinois and Massachusetts joined the growing list of states challenging former President Donald Trump’s eligibility for the 2024 ballot, citing the 14th Amendment’s insurrectionist ban.
In Illinois, the challenge was lodged in partnership with the liberal advocacy group, Free Speech For People. The petitioners have requested the Illinois Board of Elections to conduct a hearing on the issue and prohibit Trump from appearing on both the primary and general election ballots. This is due to his perceived role in the US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
“Donald J. Trump, through his words and actions, after swearing an oath as an officer of the United States to support the Constitution, engaged in insurrection or rebellion, or gave aid and comfort to its enemies, as defined by Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment,” the petitioners stated in their appeal to the board of elections.
The petition further alleges that Trump has neither expressed remorse for the violent Capitol attack by his supporters nor offered any apologies on his or his supporters’ behalf for the January 6 incident. The political affiliations of the petitioners, if any, were not disclosed.
Simultaneously, the same advocacy group filed a challenge against Trump’s eligibility to appear on Massachusetts’ primary and general presidential election ballots. The challengers include former Boston Mayor Kim Janey, a Democrat, and a diverse group of Republican, Independent, and Democratic voters.
These challenges emerge as the US Supreme Court is anticipated to review a state court ruling from Colorado, which declared Trump ineligible to run for office. Although the Colorado ruling is state-specific, a decision from the Supreme Court could potentially resolve the issue nationwide. The adjudication process for such challenges varies from state to state, with some starting in courts and others handled by state election officials, such as a Secretary of State.
Last week, Maine’s secretary of state removed Trump from the state’s 2024 primary ballot, a decision that Trump’s team appealed in state court on Tuesday. The Oregon Supreme Court is also expected to rule on a similar bid to remove Trump from that state’s primary and general election ballots due to his involvement in the January 6 insurrection. However, judges in Michigan and Minnesota have dismissed attempts to block Trump from appearing on the primary ballot in those states. Free Speech for the People has supported the efforts in Oregon, Michigan, and Minnesota.
This report will be updated as new developments occur. CNN’s Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.