Maine’s top election official appeals the ruling that delayed a decision on Trump’s ballot status

By DAVID SHARP
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s secretary of state is appealing a judge’s ruling that put on hold her removal of former President Donald Trump from the ballot. Democrat Shenna Bellows concluded last month Trump didn’t meet ballot qualifications under the insurrection clause in the U.S. Constitution, citing his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. That made Bellows the first election official to ban the Republican ex-president from the ballot under the 14th Amendment. But a state judge this week returned the case to Bellows with instructions to await the outcome of a similar Colorado case at the U.S. Supreme Court before withdrawing, modifying or upholding her original decision. Bellows filed a notice of appeal Friday.