In a move echoing similar efforts in various states, voters in Illinois have submitted a petition aiming to prevent Donald Trump from appearing on the Republican primary ballot. This mirrors endeavors in over a dozen states seeking to bar the former president from a potential return to the White House, citing his alleged involvement in the Capitol attack on January 6.
Grounded in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, known as the "insurrection clause," the petition relies on the prohibition of individuals from holding office if they had previously sworn to defend the Constitution and subsequently "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" or provided "aid or comfort" to enemies.
The comprehensive 87-page document, endorsed by five individuals across the state, builds a case asserting that Trump fueled the actions of fervent supporters who stormed the Capitol on the day Congress certified Joe Biden's election victory.
While the Illinois State Board of Elections has yet to schedule a hearing for the petition, spokesperson Matt Dietrich informed the Associated Press that the board is set to address 32 other objections to the proposed ballot later in January.
Similar actions have been taken in Colorado and Maine, where officials have already barred Trump's name from primary election ballots. In Massachusetts, a group of voters, affiliated with the advocacy group Free Speech for People, has also initiated an effort to remove Trump from the state's primary ballot.
Trump has appealed the decision in Maine and has petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn a December ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that removed his name from the state's ballot. His legal team argues that Trump's actions do not constitute insurrection, contending that Colorado's ruling contradicts the principles of "government of the people, by the people, [and] for the people."
The Supreme Court is anticipated to rule on the Colorado Supreme Court's decision in the coming weeks, although the exact timeline remains uncertain.