Thurston judge to hear motion to remove Donald Trump from WA ballot
A Thurston County Superior Court judge will consider a motion to remove former President Donald Trump from the presidential ballot in Washington state.
Judge Mary Sue Wilson has scheduled a hearing on the matter for 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, at the county courthouse on Lakeridge Drive, according to court documents.
A group of eight Kitsap County voters prepared the motion to remove Trump on Jan. 9 but it was filed on Jan. 10. They argue Trump is ineligible because he and his supporters engaged in insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, to overthrow the election of President Joe Biden, according to an affidavit filed by the group.
Additionally, the voters accuse Trump of aiding and abetting those who took part in violence through his words and financial support.
“This behavior disqualifies him from holding public office under section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and thereby makes him ineligible to appear on the Washington state primary ballot or the general election ballot,” the affidavit says.
That section of the 14th Amendment prohibits anyone who has served as an “officer of the U.S.” from holding any office if they have “engaged in insurrection or rebellion.”
The voters who filed the motion in Thurston County also filed their challenge in Kitsap County. However, Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Bassett declined to consider the merits of the case on Tuesday, according to the Seattle Times. Instead, Bassett said the case should be heard in Thurston County where the state capitol is located.
Washington state law allows voters to file an affidavit to challenge a person’s inclusion on the ballot in the “appropriate court.” This affidavit must be “finally disposed of by the court” no later than five days after it was filed, according to RCW 29A.68.011.
Similar ballot challenges have been filed in states across the country. The Colorado Supreme Court previously ruled Trump engaged in insurrection, thereby disqualifying him from that state’s ballot.
The U.S. Supreme Court has already agreed to review the decision from the Colorado Supreme Court. The outcome of that case will likely resolve the ballot challenges in other states.
Thurston County Superior Court is open to the public, but court officials are encouraging the public to watch the hearing via Zoom. The Meeting ID is 824 3253 6201; the Passcode is 909188.
This story was originally published January 17, 2024 at 12:22 PM.
