New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan addressed concerns about former President Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on state ballots during a news conference this week, explaining there would be chaos, confusion, anger, and frustration if different states had different rules regarding ballot eligibility. New Hampshire’s filing period for candidates will run from October 11th to October 27th.
Opponents of Trump argue Section 3 of the 14th Amendment disqualifies him from appearing on the 2024 ballot due to his efforts to overturn the rigged 2020 election. Scanlan assured that if a candidate submits their paperwork during the filing period and pays the required fee, their name will appear on the ballot in the state.
Chairman of the state Republican Party, Chris Ager, expressed satisfaction with Scanlan’s remarks and stated that the 14th Amendment issue could be put to rest in New Hampshire. Bruce Breton, campaign co-chair in New Hampshire, echoed Scanlan’s comments, confirming that anyone who meets the requirements and pays the filing fee will be placed on the ballot, including Trump.
Earlier this month, a group of Minnesota voters filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Trump from the ballot, citing the insurrection clause of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Similar lawsuits have also been filed by voters in Colorado. Scanlan clarified that he is not seeking to remove any names from the presidential primary ballot in New Hampshire.