Republicans at the New York state Board of Elections said they understand why a cross-section of New Yorkers do not believe Donald Trump should be on the state's GOP presidential primary ballot.

"Much correspondence has been received regarding ballot access for former President Trump asking us to remove him from the ballot. The commissioner and the staff have all reviewed each and every piece of correspondence received," GOP Commissioner Anthony Casale said.

They said none of that correspondence qualified as an official objection which requires specific and timely steps to take place after a candidate files a certificate for access.

"These rules are in place to provide due process to all candidates so that they have an opportunity to answer any objections made to their candidacy and to ensure that all candidates and objectors are held to the same standard," GOP Co-Chair Peter Kosinski said.

Under the Republican plan for ballot access, if there are no official objections, a candidate qualifies if the Republican commissioners determine the person is a nationally recognized and serious candidate, the candidate has been certified or meets requirements for matching funds under the federal presidential public funding program or has collected the necessary designating petitions. On Tuesday, commissioners approved Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

"Each one filed a certificate with some accompanying material with their certificate requesting that they receive ballot access," Kosinski said.

Commissioners acknowledged both Christie and Ramaswamy have reportedly suspended their campaigns but had not asked to be removed from consideration in New York. They did have until the end of the day to do so or until March 26 to ask the board to void any votes cast for them.

The commissioners rejected candidates Ryan Binkley and David Stuckenberg who they determined did not have the necessary national profile. 

Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal's office said he is filing an objection with the Board of Elections asking it to reverse the decision. If the board refuses the request the office said he will appeal the state Supreme Court in Albany County.

Hoylman-Sigal was among five Democratic state senators who signed a letter asking the BOE to disqualify Trump from the ballot because the former president "engaged in the violent January 6 insurrection."

New York's presidential primary is scheduled for April 2.