OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said that a Washington state law preventing felons from running for president cannot be applied to presidential elections, paving the way for former president Donald Trump to appear on the November ballot.
The announcement follows Trump being convicted of 34 felonies in New York court and a Saturday Seattle Times column positing that the former president cannot appear on the ballot.
“Although any such determination would have to be made by a court, I do not believe states can add to the requirements set in the U.S. Constitution for candidates for president,” Hobbs said.
The secretary of state went on to say that neither major political party has even submitted candidates for the general election ballot yet.
“Both major political parties [have] until August 20 to submit their nominees for president and vice president to appear on the November 5 General Election ballot. Neither has submitted nominees yet,” Hobbs said.
Despite Trump’s felony convictions, he can still constitutionally run for president and will likely appear on the ballot in all 50 states in November.
