CA Secretary of State rejects Lt. Governor’s request to remove Trump from ballot
“As California’s chief elections officer…I must place the sanctity of these elections above partisan politics.” – Secretary of State Shirley Weber
Issues list of candidates including the former president but leaves option open pending any decision by the U.S. Supreme Court
By Allen D. Payton
Sacramento, CA – California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. responded on Friday, Dec. 22 to the letter from California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis requesting the removal of former President Donald Trump from California’s 2024 presidential primary ballot. (See related article)
In her letter, Weber reinforced that, because this is an issue of particular concern to the public, she is obligated to address it within legal parameters and in the best interests of all California voters.
“It is incumbent upon my office to ensure that any action undertaken regarding any candidate’s inclusion or omission from our ballots be grounded firmly in the laws and processes in place in California and our Constitution,” she wrote.
“As California’s chief elections officer, I am a steward of free and fair elections and the democratic process. I must place the sanctity of these elections above partisan politics,” Weber continued. “Removing a candidate from the ballot under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment is not something my office takes lightly and is not as simple as the requirement be at least 35 years old to be president.”
“I am guided by my commitment to follow the rule of law,” she added.
While Trump is on the March 5 primary election ballot, Weber concluded her letter with, “My office will continue to assess all our options, including those that may arise as a result of any action taken by the United States Supreme Court or other changing circumstances.”
The full text of her response letter can be found here.
On Thursday, Dec. 28, Weber issued the Certified List of Candidates for the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election which included Trump as one of the nine Republicans on the state’s primary ballot. The list also includes eight Democrats, with President Biden at the top of the alphabetical list.
The list of presidential candidates includes three Peace and Freedom party candidates, with Cornel West the most well-known among them, as well as one candidate each from the American Independent Party, Green Party and Libertarian Party.
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s name will not appear on the state’s presidential primary ballot. When asked the reason his campaign explained, “Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is running as an independent candidate for the presidency and therefore will not be participating in any primary elections, including the California March 5 Presidential Primary. As an independent, he will be working towards securing a place on the ballot for the general election in November 2024 by collecting the necessary signatures and meeting state requirements.”
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CA Secty of State LTG EKounalakis vs Donald Trump
