Washington state judge denies effort to remove Trump from ballot

A Washington state judge denied a push to remove former president Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential primary election ballot. 

Following a hearing that lasted less than two hours, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Mary Sue Wilson denied eight registered voters who had petitioned the court to remove Trump’s name from Washington ballots. 

Judge Wilson emphasized that state law says a ballot challenge must be filed within two days of the candidate list being finalized and required her to make a decision within five days of the challenge being filed, according to a report in The Seattle Times.

“The court determines that the secretary of state acted consistent with his duties,” Wilson said from the bench. “An order directing the secretary of state to take different action, an order from this court, is simply not supported by the statutes and not supported by the affidavit of the electors.”

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The push to eliminate Trump from the ballots started a few miles north near Seattle in Kitsap County earlier this month. But a judge there, within 10 minutes of a court hearing, denied the request, noting that the petition should be heard in Thurston, where the state government sits. 

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Wilson reportedly declined to consider a question about Trump’s place on the general election ballot, calling it premature, but noted the possibility of people, “when it is right,” potentially challenging Trump’s spot there, too.

The Kitsap County residents who pushed for Trump’s removal, argued that his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his role in the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol make him ineligible for office.