Maine’s top court Wednesday evening declined to weigh in on whether former President Donald Trump can stay on the state’s ballot, keeping intact a judge’s decision that the US Supreme Court must first rule on a similar case in Colorado.
Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows concluded that Trump didn’t meet ballot qualifications under the insurrection clause in the US Constitution but a judge put that decision on hold pending the Supreme Court’s decision on the similar case in Colorado.
In a unanimous decision, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court dismissed Bellows’ appeal of the order requiring her to await the US Supreme Court decision before withdrawing, modifying or upholding her decision to keep Trump off the primary ballot on Super Tuesday.
“The Secretary of State suggests that there is irreparable harm because a delay in certainty about whether Trump’s name should appear on the primary ballot will result in voter confusion.
This uncertainty is, however, precisely what guides our decision not to undertake immediate appellate review in this particular case,” the court said.