Trump stays on Illinois' ballot as election board declines to ban him over insurrection amendment

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois' election board on Tuesday kept former President Donald Trump on the state's primary ballot, a week before the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on whether the Republican's role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol disqualifies him from the presidency.

The eight-member board's unanimous ruling comes after its hearing officer, a retired judge and Republican, found that a "preponderance of the evidence" shows Trump is ineligible to run for president because he violated a constitutional ban on those who "engaged in insurrection" from holding office. But the hearing officer recommended the board let the courts make the ultimate decision.

The board, composed of four Democrats and four Republicans, agreed with a recommendation from its lawyer to let Trump remain on the ballot by determining it didn't have the authority to determine whether he violated the constitution.