The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that former U.S. President Donald Trump will not be included on the primary ballot in the state. This decision, closely monitored in light of similar efforts in various states aiming to prevent Trump’s participation in a re-election bid, centers around the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment. The relevant section prohibits individuals involved in “insurrection or rebellion” from holding office.
The court specified that its decision would be temporarily suspended until January 4, or until the U.S. Supreme Court offers a ruling on the case. Colorado officials have stressed that January 5 marks the deadline for ballot printing for the state’s presidential primary, a crucial step in the Republican Party’s selection process for a candidate to challenge President Joe Biden in the 2024 election.
In an unprecedented 4-3 ruling, the Colorado Supreme Court determined that Trump’s role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, where his supporters disrupted the certification of Biden’s 2020 election victory, renders him ineligible for the presidency.
“We do not make these determinations lightly,” noted the majority justices in their statement. “We are aware of the significance and gravity of the issues now before us. We are also cognizant of our solemn responsibility to apply the law impartially, free from bias, and uninfluenced by public sentiment regarding the decisions mandated by the law.”
