Minnesota Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit aimed to keep Trump off Minnesota ballots

The Minnesota Supreme Court has dismissed the lawsuit filed by a group called Free Speech for the People aimed to keep former President Donald Trump off the Minnesota Primary and Presidential ballot. 

The lawsuit was filed back in early September and claimed that Trump was ineligible to run for office for his role in the January 6 insurrection. The court’s ruling stated “petitioners have standing and that their claims are ripe as to the issue of whether former President Trump should be excluded from the 2024 Republican presidential nomination primary” but “we reach a different conclusion regarding petitioners’ claim that it would be error for the Secretary of State to place former President Trump’s name on the ballot for the 2024 general election ballot.” 

The court also ruled that “Although the Secretary of State and other election officials administer the mechanics of the election, this is an internal party election to serve internal party purposes, and winning the presidential nomination primary does not place the person on the general election ballot as a candidate for President of the United States,”

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon responded to the ruling and said. “The court has made it clear that former President Trump’s name will appear on the primary ballot, should the Republican party choose to submit him as a candidate. We respect the decision and will uphold the outcome.”

For now it looks like Donald Trump will not only be on the Primary Ballot but also the 2024 Presidential Election ballot but the Minnesota Supreme Court did leave the door open to a potential subsequent challenge if Trump is chosen as the GOP nominee in the Presidential Election.