Before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would drop out of the presidential election in battleground states, ensuring nationwide ballot access was the challenge.
BURIED LEDE: RFK, Jr. NOT Ending Campaign In All States, Only In 10 Battleground States!
Now, it appears getting off the ballot in battleground states is his mission.
"The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted Tuesday to keep Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the presidential ballot, despite his request to be removed," the Associated Press reports.
RFK Jr. will remain on Wisconsin's presidential ballot in November
The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 5-1 to keep his name on the ballot, citing state law, despite RFK suspending his campaign last week pic.twitter.com/cwiGgLZPHS
— Matt Smith (@mattsmith_news) August 27, 2024
From the Associated Press:
Kennedy’s campaign sent the Wisconsin Elections Commission a letter dated Friday asking that his name be removed from the ballot. Although Kennedy has said he would try to remove his name from the ballot in battleground states, he has made clear that he wasn’t formally ending his bid and said his supporters could continue to back him in the majority of states where they are unlikely to sway the outcome.
Republican members of the commission pushed to grant Kennedy his wish to no longer be on the ballot after he suspended his campaign last week and endorsed Trump. But the commission deadlocked under opposition from Democrats who pointed to Wisconsin state law that says once a candidate has filed for office, they must remain on the ballot unless they die.
“We know Trump and Kennedy are playing games,” Democratic elections commission member Mark Thomsen said. “Whatever games they’re playing, they have to play them with Kennedy on the ballot.”
According to Bridge Michigan, RFK Jr. will still appear on the ballot in Michigan.
BREAKING: Michigan Secretary of State denies RFK Jr. to remove his name from the ballot.
Kennedy suspended his independent presidential campaign in some states saying he believed that remaining on the ballot in battleground states "would most likely hand the election to the… pic.twitter.com/azHSYxhn12
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) August 27, 2024
Per Bridge Michigan:
Kennedy will remain on the Michigan ballot because state election law doesn’t allow candidates to remove their names once a party has nominated them and it’s after the primary.
“Minor party candidates cannot withdraw, so his name will remain on the ballot in the November election,” Cheri Hardmon, spokesperson for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, said in an email to Bridge Michigan.
BREAKING:
-Wisconsin Elections Commission just voted 5-1 to keep RFK Jr’s name on the Wisconsin ballot.
-Michigan's Democrat Secretary of State also just ruled she will keep RFK Jr.’s name on Michigan ballot.
ELECTION INTERFERENCE.
— Evan Kilgore 🇺🇸 (@EvanAKilgore) August 27, 2024
Democrats in Michigan and Wisconsin are now ruling that RFK must appear on the ballot even after he withdrew from the race
Are you paying attention yet?
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) August 27, 2024
NPR reports:
But an NPR review finds it may not be possible for Kennedy to remove his name from ballots in the majority of seven swing states: Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
“Every state has different procedures and deadlines with regard to ballot access and withdrawal, but the later a withdrawal happens, the harder it is for a state to remove a name from a ballot,” said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research. “Some states have deadlines that have passed, and many states have already begun the process of printing ballots.”
Before his announcement, Kennedy's campaign said it had gathered enough signatures to appear on 47 ballots and officially gained access in 22 states.