Aug 27, 2024 - 16:58
By npr.org

RFK may be unable to withdraw his name from ballots in some swing states

After spending several months and millions of dollars overcoming onerous requirements to try to get on the ballot in all 50 states, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now facing new barriers to get off the ballot in some states.

Last Friday, Kennedy announced he was effectively ending his independent presidential campaign, encouraging his supporters to vote for him in noncompetitive states, but to support Republican Donald Trump in others.

“In about 10 battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, I'm going to remove my name, and I've already started that process and urge voters not to vote for me,” Kennedy said.

But an NPR review finds it may not be possible for Kennedy to remove his name from ballots in some key swing states, including Nevada 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. And while the campaign did not specify what states he would seek to leave, below is where things stand in 10 of the closest states (in alphabetical order).

Of course, it's unclear how many people in a swing state would actually vote for Kennedy, should he be unable to remove himself from that state's ballot.