Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
New Jersey's top election official has rebuffed a bid by Democrats to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the November ballot. https://t.co/IOZAhxGGv0
— David Wildstein (@wildstein) September 3, 2024
filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Wisconsin Elections Commission in an attempt to remove his name from the presidential ballot in the state.
“The presidential candidates who made the cut are:
-Kamala D. Harris, Democrat
-Donald J. Trump, Republican
-Jill E. Stein, Green Party
-Chase R. Oliver, Libertarian
-Claudia De la Cruz, Independent.”
https://t.co/q0sa2Z8gb1— Jeff E. Schapiro (@RTDSchapiro) September 4, 2024
The lawsuit argues that independent candidates like Kennedy are treated unfairly because they operate under different deadlines for ballot access compared to party-affiliated candidates. Kennedy ended his campaign on Aug. 23, which was past the deadline for independent candidates to withdraw from the ballot.
“Mr. Kennedy is withdrawing for the 2024 general election in #Va and, therefore, his name should not appear on the general election ballot.” https://t.co/q8B0EHO0F0
— Jeff E. Schapiro (@RTDSchapiro) September 4, 2024
The commission voted 5-1 to keep Kennedy on the ballot after Democratic commissioners blocked their Republican counterparts from removing him in an earlier vote.
Kennedy’s ballot removal lawsuit
“The only way he gets to not be on the ballot is to up and die, which I’m assuming he has no plans on doing,” WEC chairwoman Ann Jacobs said last week.
“The statute is absolutely clear on this.”
A Michigan court just ruled that RFK Jr. must remain on the ballot since he already accepted the nomination of the Natural Law Party – A blow to the Trump campaign and their strategy of limiting voter optionshttps://t.co/DifvSgfbdc
— Travis Akers (@travisakers) September 3, 2024
Kennedy’s attorneys argue that the differing deadlines for party-affiliated and independent candidates to certify their declaration of candidacy violate equal protection for candidates and Kennedy’s rights to free speech and association. Wisconsin is not the only battleground state where Kennedy appears likely to remain on the ballot. Elections officials in Michigan and North Carolina have also said Kennedy cannot withdraw from the ballots.
A judge in Michigan ruled this week that Kennedy must remain on the ballot, though Kennedy’s lawsuit against North Carolina’s elections board is pending. The push from Republicans to remove Kennedy’s name from the ballot in battleground states stems from fears his presence could draw votes away from Republican nominee Donald Trump. In Wisconsin, more Republicans than Democrats supported Kennedy, according to data from the Marquette University Law School Poll.
There will be eight presidential candidates on Wisconsin’s ballot in November, including Green Party candidate Jill Stein and independent candidate Cornel West.
- JSOnline.”Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sues to pull name from Wisconsin’s presidential ballot”.
- BloombergLaw.”RFK Jr. to Appear on Michigan’s November Ballot, Judge Rules (1)”.
- APNews.”RFK Jr. appeals ruling that knocked him off New York’s presidential election ballot”.