Illinois election board unanimously votes to keep Trump on ballot

The election board does not have jurisdiction to determine whether Trump violated the 14th Amendment, thus its decision is not final. The group who filed the challenge, Free Speech For People, has vowed to "immediately appeal" in court.

According to CNN, the panel was advised to rule against blocking the former president from the ballot by retired judge Clark Erickson, who after overseeing an evidentiary hearing on the issue came to the conclusion that Trump violated the insurrection clause via his conduct on January 6, but the courts should have the final word on his eligibility.

One of the eight members of the board, Republican Catherine McCrory, said there was "no doubt" in her mind that Trump "manipulated, instigated, aided and abetted an insurrection on January 6," but agreed with Erickson, who is also a Republican, that it was "not [her] place to rule on that."

"Thank you to the Illinois State Board of Elections for ruling 8-0 in protecting the Citizens of our Country from the Radical Left Lunatics who are trying to destroy it," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "The VOTE was 8-0 in favor of keeping your favorite President (ME!), on the Ballot. I love Illinois. Make America Great Again!"

The challenge launched against the former president in Illinois is just one of many he faces across the country. In most cases the attempts to keep him off the ballot were dismissed, however following cases in Colorado and Maine, the issue made its way to the Supreme Court, where justices are scheduled to hear arguments beginning on February 8.