The “Presidential Ballot Integrity Act,” introduced by Representative Higgins of Louisiana, seeks to enhance the credibility of presidential ballots by proposing an amendment to the Electoral Count Act of 1887. The act outlines constitutional procedures for counting electoral votes, playing a crucial role in confirming election outcomes. The proposed provision states that electoral votes from states not including a major political party’s nominee on their presidential ballot would not be considered valid, aiming to ensure representation of major party nominees on all state ballots.
Representative Higgins emphasized that if any state fails to include the official nominee of a major political party on its presidential ballot, their electoral votes would not be counted by Congress on January 6th. This legislative move responds to the controversial decision by the Colorado Supreme Court to disqualify President Trump from the 2024 ballot in Colorado, citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
The proposal comes amid legal challenges in 16 other states, alleging Trump’s disqualification under the 14th Amendment due to his alleged involvement in the Capitol Hill protest on January 6, 2021. The bill aims to establish criteria mandating the inclusion of major political party nominees on state presidential ballots, addressing recent controversies and disputes over ballot eligibility across multiple states.
