Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced on Wednesday that she has certified the 2024 presidential primary ballot, which includes former President Donald Trump as a Republican candidate. This comes as Trump and the Colorado Republican Party are appealing a state Supreme Court ruling that disqualified him from the ballot under the 14th Amendment.

Trump remains on the ballot pending appeal

Griswold said in a press release that Trump will be on the ballot unless the U.S. Supreme Court declines to take the case or affirms the Colorado Supreme Court ruling. The state Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Dec. 19 that Trump was ineligible for office because he had engaged in insurrection against the U.S. government on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol.

The ruling was based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which was added after the Civil War to prevent former Confederates from returning to government. It says that anyone who swore an oath to support the constitution and then engaged in insurrection or rebellion against it cannot hold government office.

Griswold said that Trump violated the constitution and was disqualified from the Colorado ballot. She urged the U.S. Supreme Court to act quickly given the upcoming presidential primary election.

Colorado GOP challenges the ruling

The Colorado Republican Party and the nonprofit American Center for Law and Justice filed a petition on Wednesday asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the state Supreme Court ruling. They argued that the state interfered with the party’s ability to select its candidates and that the state lacked any constitutional authority to make a subjective claim of insurrection.

They also claimed that the state Supreme Court ruling violated Trump’s due process rights and the First Amendment rights of the party and its voters. They said that Trump was never convicted or impeached for insurrection and that the state court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment was unprecedented and erroneous.

The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to take the case or not. The court has never ruled on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment before.

Colorado prepares for the primary election

The Colorado presidential primary election is scheduled for March 7, 2024. The state’s primary ballots are due at the printer on Jan. 4, or until an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is finished. The state has two separate ballots for the Democratic and Republican parties, which voters can choose from.

According to the certified ballot, Trump is one of 12 Republican candidates, along with former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and others. On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden is the only candidate.

Colorado is one of the first states to hold its presidential primary election, along with California, Texas, and several other states. The outcome of the primary could have a significant impact on the 2024 presidential race.