Last year, Illinois pushed back on MAGA-fueled fascism by banning book bans. And yesterday, the Prairie State went further, becoming the third state to take federally indicted Donald Trump off the primary ballot.
Following Colorado and Maine's lead, Judge Tracie R. Porter of Cook County said the State Board of Elections "shall remove Donald J. Trump from the ballot for the general primary election on March 19, 2024, or cause any votes cast for him to be suppressed."
As with the other two states, the ruling was based on Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, which bars individuals who have "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from holding federal office.
From The New York Times:
The decision creates uncertainty for the state's March election, in which early voting is already underway.
It also adds urgency for the U.S. Supreme Court to provide a national answer to the questions that have been raised about Mr. Trump's eligibility to appear on ballots in more than 30 states. …
But the decision by Judge Porter, a Democrat, was stayed until Friday, which means Mr. Trump can remain on the Illinois ballot at least until then. A spokesman for the Trump campaign said the ruling was unconstitutional and vowed to appeal.
It is not yet clear what Judge Porter's ruling would mean practically for Republican voters in Illinois if no higher court steps in before Friday.
In her ruling, Judge Porter said she "realizes the magnitude of this decision" and its "impact on the upcoming primary Illinois elections." But, she added, Mr. Trump was ineligible "based on engaging in insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and his name should be removed from the ballot."
