# Trump banned from ballot? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [February 16, 2024, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634 "2024-02-16T02:26:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EnolaStraight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@EnolaStraight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnolaStraight)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/1 "2024-02-16T02:26:20Z")
The states of Maine and Colorado (amongst others trying to) have removed Trump from the ballot as Republican Nominee. Does that ban include write-in ballots? I’m sure Republicans, Conservatives, and the Far Right will still go for “their” choice for president. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/2 "2024-02-16T02:56:30Z")
If a candidate is disqualified from running for or holding office, I’d assume write-in votes for said candidate would be the equivalent of write-in votes for Mickey Mouse. IOW, pointless and worthless. I can’t imagine that any state laws that permit them to disqualify a candidate allow an end-around via write-ins. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/3 "2024-02-16T03:00:29Z")
The OP is incorrect. Those states have acted to remove trump from the ballot of the republican primary to determine who the nominee will be. That is a very different thing. For the states that permit write-ins at all, Republican party rules will determine whether the write-ins will count. Remember that primaries are essentially private elections run by each party according to their own rules. The state government supplies the bureaucratic apparatus to create ballots, operate polling places, and count the results. What each party does with that total count is their business, not the states’ ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/4 "2024-02-16T05:40:49Z")
For the primary, it doesn’t matter because both states had filing deadlines in the last week of December for write-in candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/5 "2024-02-16T05:49:29Z")
I am not saying you are wrong (I do not know) but it seems really weird that a write-in candidate needs to file with the state. Kinda defeats the purpose I think. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/6 "2024-02-16T05:53:55Z")
Most states require write-in candidates to register. Otherwise they’d have no idea which John Smith you were voting for. I’m not sure there really is a purpose. Write-in votes are just weird, period. Most countries (and some US states) just don’t have them at all. They’re a relic of the time before we had standardized pre-printed ballots. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/7 "2024-02-16T06:11:19Z")
Answer (in part) for Colorado. As I am registered Libertarian (I’m not, but it means I get to pick which primary ballot I submit AND get less junk contacts) I have in my hand the (D) and (R) ballot for the March Primary. If I select the Republican one, I have the following choices: Vivek Ramaswamy Asa Hutchinson Nikki Haley Ron Destantis Chris Christie Ryan L Binkley Donald J. Trump Write-In \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Now, given the challenges and changes, how will the validity of the candidates be evaluated? Unknown. But that’s how the ballot reads RIGHT NOW for the upcoming primary. Oh, the instructions for write-in say the following: “If a race does not contain a write-in line, you cannot vote for a write-in candidate.” I’ll note that the (D) ballot does NOT have such an option at this time. ETA - pondering which to submit, leaning towards Niki Haley just to pump up her numbers and irk the Orange Despot, but safer and smarter to submit the (D) with Biden to show additional support for those wavering. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/8 "2024-02-16T16:35:12Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > ETA - pondering which to submit, leaning towards Niki Haley just to pump up her numbers and irk the Orange Despot, but safer and smarter to submit the (D) with Biden to show additional support for those wavering. I’m thinking here in Texas, the smartest choice might be to vote in the Republican primary and vote for the least insane Republicans in the primary. I mean, it’s largely not going to matter which Democrat I choose in most races, as things are gerrymandered such that few of the districts are very contested. But in the ones gerrymandered Republican, I can choose the less insane ones. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2024, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/9 "2024-02-17T13:46:14Z")
> Trump banned from ballot? No. However **he has** been banned from the **Ballet**. Because creepy thing with young dancers. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-banned-from-ballot/997634/10 "2024-02-29T05:02:45Z")
Another one: > **[Cook County judge orders Donald Trump removed from Illinois primary ballot...](https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/02/28/cook-county-judge-orders-donald-trump-removed-from-illinois-primary-ballot-for-his-role-in-jan-6-riot-at-u-s-capitol/)** > > A Cook County judge ruled that former President Donald Trump’s name should be struck from the March 19 Illinois Republican primary ballot because he engaged in insurrection.