PORTLAND, ME — The Maine Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of a former New Jersey governor on Thursday, maintaining his exclusion from Maine’s primary ballot. The court’s decision came swiftly, following Wednesday’s hearings on the matter.
Earlier in December, the governor filed an appeal, alleging sufficient signatures were submitted before the deadline. He cited delays in municipal clerical processes for the shortfall in certified signatures. However, the state’s director of elections reported that only 844 of the submitted signatures were certified, falling short of the required 2,000.
In a related development, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows referenced a Colorado ruling that led to the removal of former President Donald Trump from their primary ballot. This decision has impacted her final verdict on Trump’s eligibility for the Maine primary.
Eight candidates successfully met the Maine primary submission deadline. For the Democrats, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Dean B. Phillips are on the ballot. The Republican candidates include Doug Burgum, who recently suspended his campaign, Ryan L. Binkley, Ron DeSantis, Nikki R. Haley, Vivek G. Ramaswamy, and Donald J. Trump.