Minnesota Voter Sues State After GOP Blocks Candidates From Running Against Trump In Primary

Jim Martin, a Lake Elmo, Minnesota voter, has sued the state of Minnesota, over the new statewide legislation that enables political parties to dictate which names appear on the presidential primary because President Donald Trump would be the sole name on the March 3 ballot.

The small-business operator filed a lawsuit over the Super Tuesday ballot lineup. He stated, “by stripping us of our ability to govern ourselves and equipping the central committees with the power to decide who can and more importantly who cannot govern, we Minnesotans are driven downwards into the disparaging pits of authoritarianism.”

Martin continued, “I want to be in an American election. It’s something that sets us apart from the rest of the world.”  In turn, State Republican Chairwoman, Jennifer Carnahan, defended the state, arguing that it is her duty to help re-elect the current president. The Republican Party responded with a three candidate write-in proposal.

The 2020 state-election will be Minnesota’s first presidential primary since 1992, after the legislature passed a law forgoing precinct caucuses ‘straw poll‘ style referendums. The ballots, which neglect to include the pure Democratic Party, would be comprised of the two major political parties in the state – Republicans and the Democratic-affiliated Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

The Super Tuesday ballot line up that the Minnesota GOP created, excludes every other Republican candidate in the race and lists Trump as the sole Republican candidate option.

Other candidates like former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld are challenging Trump for the GOP nomination.

Martin’s lawyer, Erick Kaardal, told CNN in an interview [that], “Minnesota’s laws allow political party chairs to select the candidate(s) on the primary ballot. The state GOP chose Mr. Trump exclusively. Our complaint alleges that the statute violates the state constitution’s ban on the state legislature granting exclusive privileges to individuals.”

The lawsuit could impact on the statewide early voting process, which is set to commence on Jan. 17. State officials warned the Supreme Court earlier this week that unless the ballot lineup is determined by early January, it is unlikely that the state will have adequate time to print and distribute Super Tuesday ballots on time.

Article by Emily Bevacqua