Plot twist: WA has a law against felons running for office

[Nevilledog]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/plot-twist-for-trump-wa-has-a-law-against-felons-running-for-officeb

No paywall link
https://archive.li/43wnJ


If local Republicans knew what was good for them, they would now move to drop Donald Trump from Washington’s fall ballot.

I know, they won’t. They’re in too deep. Trump won 76% of our state’s GOP presidential primary vote. It’s become like a cult, as the party seems eager to debase itself by shedding all its longstanding talk about the rule of law and personal responsibility — as well as any chances of winning here in Washington — to sink ever deeper into the muck of Trump.

So here’s another reason to dump Trump from the Washington ballot. If Republicans don’t do it, somebody else probably will.

It turns out Washington has a law on the books against convicted felons running for office.
It was first established back when Washington was a territory, in 1865, that anyone convicted of “infamous crimes” could be blocked from holding elected office. That was modified in 1959, and then again more recently, to the scheme we have today.

Any registered voter can “challenge the right of a candidate to appear on the general election ballot” for any of five causes, state law says. One of those causes is flashing in bold neon lights today: “Because the person whose right is being contested was, previous to the election, convicted of a felony by a court of competent jurisdiction, the conviction not having been reversed nor the person’s civil rights restored after the conviction.”

How about 34 felonies?

*snip*

[NoRethugFriends]

1. He will be on the ballot in Washington. And it doesn't matter anyhow because Washington is Democratic

[BComplex]

2. the conviction not having been reversed nor the person's civil rights restored after the conviction."

The supreme court will be making sure his conviction is overturned.

[Aviation Pro]

5. The Scummy Sinister Six have no standing in state law

The conviction will not be overturned at the federal level.

[0rganism]

7. Colorado has a story to tell about that...

States' rights only for the neo-confederates

[soldierant]

15. It has to go through at least oe higher court before it gets there.

And the SCROTUS (thr R stands for Republican, for anyone like me who has a gutter mentality) season is almost over.)

But as has been pointed out, he wouldn't win Washington anyway. So I don't know that it may=tters.

[Hugin]

3. The SCrOTUS will KO that lickity-split...

State laws and Constitutions don’t matter until they do. Then, their wives will have them wave some flag around upside down.

[stopdiggin]

4. what is meant by 'civil rights restored' ?

in NY a convicted felon may register, and vote, if not actually incarcerated ...
Does that cover it - or is there more involved?

[JMCKUSICK]

6. Does federal election law Trump WA?

Are these laws only for statewide office?

https://www.atg.wa.gov/ago-opinions/offices-and-officers-state-county-eligibility-candidate-conviction-felony-or-gross

Found this in the google machine
It seems to nullify that argument.

A second and much more recent example

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article262097132.html

[surfered]

8. I agree with previous replies.

It’s an interesting idea, but this Supreme Court is in the tank for Trump and won’t allow it. Colorado proved that: the 14th Amendment doesn’t mean what it says.

And FYI, the Emoluments Clause doesn’t mean what it says either.

The originalists aren’t really originalists after all.

[lindysalsagal]

10. Should be the next Lincoln Project ad: original means biblical.

[lindysalsagal]

9. Makes me wanna move there. Did Biden win Washington?

[BWdem4life]

16. Of course he did

WA hasn't gone red since Reagan. But it's a big state - where you live will determine the number of Magats you meet, and there are plenty even in Seattle.

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Ha, states are free to set the death penalty for women having an abortion, but must allow

felons to be on their ballot for federal office.

[Ping Tung]

12. Trump would have a better chance of growing hair on his fingernails than he has

of winning Washington. We immigrated from L.A. in 1981 to Portland. Then from Portland to WA in 1993. We never looked back.

[Takket]

13. i would imagine they could only impose that ruling on a statewide office, not a Federal one

[brooklynite]

14. No it doesn't

It has a law against felons running for WASHINGTON STATE offices.

You CANNOT impose an additional requirement for a Presidential candidate beyond those in the Constitution.

Add to which, if WA tried to apply this to Trump, it would be as unsuccessful as the 14th Amendments were.