Readers are split on Donald Trump ballot eligibility
Should courts or voters decide if the former president is eligible for the ballot? Boston.com readers were equally split on the issue.
The Supreme Court said on Jan. 5 it will decide next month whether former President Donald Trump can be kept off the ballot in Colorado over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The nation’s highest court said it would review Donald Trump’s appeal of the Colorado Supreme Court decision barring him from the state’s Republican primary ballot, under Section 3 of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment. The provision disqualifies government officials who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from holding office.
Donald Trump
Arguments from the justices will be held on Feb. 8, during what is normally a winter break for the court. However, with presidential primaries fast-approaching, “the justices acknowledged the need to reach a decision quickly, as voters will soon begin casting presidential primary ballots across the country,” according to the Associated Press.
Trump is also appealing a ruling by Maine’s Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows that deems him ineligible to appear on that state’s ballot under the same provision. Both the Colorado and Maine rulings are on hold until the appeals play out.
Massachusetts has become the latest state to challenge the former president’s ballot eligibility. A mix of Republican, Independent, and Democratic voters, as well as former acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey and two law professors, filed a challenge on Jan. 4 to Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin’s office to bar Trump from appearing on the state ballot under the same provision as Maine and Colorado. The State Ballot Commission must rule on the challenge by Jan. 29.
We asked our readers how they felt about the court rulings in Colorado and Maine. Of the 263 respondents to our poll, readers were nearly split equally on the issue. A slight majority (50%) said they did not agree with the court rulings to bar Trump from the ballot, with 49% approving of the decisions.
At the heart of the issue for many readers was whether courts or voters should decide if a candidate is eligible for the presidency. Others were unsure if the Supreme Court should weigh in on the issue at all.
Below is a sampling of responses from Boston.com readers who shared their thoughts on former president Donald Trump’s ballot eligibility.
Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.
Do you agree with the recent court rulings barring Trump from the ballot?
No
“Just let the voters decide what’s best for their party, not courts and/or attorney generals. All decisions today establish a future precedent. Be careful what you do today as you might not like what happens tomorrow.”
– Chris, North Andover
“I absolutely believe that the Supreme Court ought to weigh in on the recent court rulings that have sought to remove Donald Trump from the primary ballots of states like Colorado. Though I am vociferously critical of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, I am reminded of her statements regarding the scandals involving former Boston City Councilors Kendra Lara and Ricardo Arroyo: ‘All of us are on the ballot…that is the highest form of accountability for all elected officials’…Let the people decide.”
– Mink S., Dorchester
“Since it is a federal election, I believe it is a matter for the Supreme Court to decide, not up to the individual states. He has not been convicted of a felony and therefore should be allowed to be on the ballots.”
– Donna, Hopedale
“[This is] clearly a political move. This will be extinguished in the Supreme Court.”
– J.B., Clinton
“If Trump is convicted of leading, causing, or somehow orchestrating the insurrection, then take him off the ballot. Otherwise, let the people decide if he should be president through our free election process.”
– Steve, Dedham
“[It’s a] political move not based on any real legal precedent. It will backfire in both states.”
– John C., New Hampshire
Yes
“I think the narrow legal question about whether Section 3 of the 14th Amendment applies to the office of President is a red herring. Of course the drafters intended it to cover all federal offices, any other reading would be nonsensical. The real question is twofold: whether the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol was an insurrection, and whether Trump engaged in it himself. The first question is rather easy, since the perpetrators of Jan. 6 used violence to attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. That was their avowed goal, and all of the convictions arising from that day have proven that beyond a reasonable doubt. The second question is not as simple, since Trump is hiding behind the specific words he spoke, and he never said ‘go attack the Capitol.’ However, I believe that the intent of the rally that Trump participated in was to stop the transfer of power, and the words he used incited the crowd to do so. Furthermore, the fact that he participated in creating groups of fraudulent electors, and that he did nothing to stop the attack on the Capitol for hours despite having the ability to do so indicate his intent. Those items all taken together show that Trump engaged in an insurrection, despite him never throwing a punch. So, he should be barred from the ballot.”
– Robert, Melrose
“Someone convicted of a crime can’t vote in the US, why should someone who started an insurrection and is a danger to our democracy be able to run for president?”
– Katie, Canton
“Our Constitution, in its simplicity, is quite clear on this issue. Trump’s behavior on January 6, 2021 is well documented and all the evidence needed. If the Supreme Court does end up getting involved, we will see if the justices choose the Constitution or politics.”
– Joseph Z., Boston
“This is as clear a case of what that amendment was created for as has been seen since the amendment was written. No, he shouldn’t be on the ballot. Yes, I understand that this makes his followers even more rabid. The threat of them doesn’t mean he is above the law. Presidents aren’t kings.”
– D.D., Somerville
“We cannot allow the voters to determine if a major clause in the Constitution should be ignored. SCOTUS, do your job!”
– Bob E., Manchester, N.H.
“I believe the Supreme Court should stay out of it. It is in the Constitution as a safeguard against people like Trump who want to get rid of democracy.”
– Jan P., Dracut
Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
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