Trump ballot challenge goes to WA court
Former President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to the media at a Washington D.C. hotel on January 9. Washington has joined a list of several states examining his eligibility to be on the ballot under the 14th Amendment.
AP Photo/Susan Walsh
OLYMPIA — A Washington court will hear arguments today regarding whether former President Donald Trump will be on the primary ballot, according to an announcement from the Washington Secretary of State.
Trump, along with four other Republican candidates and three Democratic ones, was certified to appear on the ballot by the Secretary of State on Jan. 9, according to the department’s website. The challenge, filed in Kitsap County Superior Court on Jan. 10, contests Trump’s eligibility for the office of President under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the announcement said.
Under RCW Chapter 29A.68, any registered voter can challenge a candidate’s right to be on the ballot. The challenge must be filed within two days after certification and the court is required to hear and rule on the challenge within five days.
Ballots are expected to be mailed to military and overseas voters Jan. 27, and to resident voters Feb. 14-23.
“I am committed to presenting Washingtonians with the opportunity to make their voices heard in the Presidential Primary March 12, which requires printing ballots and sending them to registered voters weeks ahead of Election Day,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs wrote in the announcement. “Our state’s process gives the courts an important role in answering questions about eligibility. I look forward to having this question resolved in a timely fashion.”