Judge Denies Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Request to Be Removed from North Carolina Ballot
By Elyse Apel (The Center Square)
A judge in Wake County, North Carolina, has ruled against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s request to be removed from the ballot in the state, leading to a temporary halt in ballot distribution.
Wake County Superior Court Judge Rebecca Waters Holt denied Kennedy’s request but granted a 24-hour stay on ballot delivery to allow his legal team to appeal the decision to the state’s Court of Appeals.
Board’s Decision
The North Carolina State Board of Elections had ordered counties to pause ballot distributions following the judge’s ruling. The board had previously voted against removing Kennedy from the ballot, citing the impracticality of doing so after approximately 2 million ballots had already been printed with his name.
Kennedy, affiliated with the We The People Party, had initially been granted access to the ballot in July but decided to withdraw his name following the suspension of his presidential campaign in August.
Lawsuit and Controversy
Kennedy filed a lawsuit against the board, claiming that not removing him impeded his freedom of speech. This legal battle marked the fifth lawsuit filed against the board in a span of 40 days.
In his press conference announcing the withdrawal from the campaign, Kennedy accused “shadowy DNC operatives” of hindering his access to the ballot and declared his endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Current Status
While Kennedy’s name has been removed from the ballots in four battleground states, he remains on the ballot in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Both the board and the court are expected to provide more details about the decision and its implications.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
