This new year may be bringing more than the usual new beginnings. If you’ve been keeping up with the news, or the calendar, election season is brewing. This new year could possibly mean a new president. Whether or not you’re disappointed by this year’s contenders, including the current President Joe Biden, a controversial runner may be in trouble. At one point, he was banned from almost every social media app, but could Trump be blocked from the ballot?
The 2024 Presidential Primary Elections are in September, and many states are attempting to remove former President Donald Trump from their ballots. These states, backed by advocacy groups and critics of the former president, are doing so based on the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which states that public officials are disqualified from reelection if they have “engaged in insurrection.” This would be the first time this section of the amendment is used to disqualify a presidential candidate.
Many states including Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Arizona and California have attempted to apply this to Trump’s involvement in the January 6th, 2021 Capitol insurrection.
The majority of these attempts have been blocked by lawsuit dismissals though Colorado and Maine have been the most determined. Both states have removed Trump from their Republican primary ballots though whether that remains is up to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Colorado case will present oral arguments in early February, so for now it’s a waiting game.
According to the Associated Press, Trump lost Colorado in the 2020 election by 13 points, meaning he doesn’t need the state to win the 2024 election. However, if Colorado wins this case it creates an opening for other states to follow suit.
Follow the list of states that have attempted to take action on the map below created by the New York Times.
The effects of this election on Penn State’s campus have yet to arise but in the coming months, we are sure to hear more. Maybe even the Willard Preacher will chime in! Whatever happens, VALLEY will keep you in the loop!
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