Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stuck on ballots in three key battlegrounds despite dropping out
WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s name will likely remain on the November ballot in at least three top battleground states ? despite the independent ex-presidential candidate suspending his campaign last week and endorsing former President Donald Trump.
When Kennedy announced his exit from the race Friday, he said he would "remove" his name from the ballots in about 10 battleground states where he could potentially be a "spoiler" and take votes away from Trump.
But Kennedy's attempts to withdraw his candidacy in some states came either after ballots were already approved in these states, the deadline to withdrawal had passed or withdrawing wasn't even an option.
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His name will appear on the ballots in Wisconsin and Michigan, the Wisconsin Elections Commission and Michigan Secretary of State's office confirmed. And in North Carolina, another key swing state, absentee ballots with Kennedy's name on it have already been printed before they're mailed to voters beginning next week on Sept. 6.
A spokesman for the North Carolina State Board of Elections told CBS News that the We The People Party, which formally nominated Kennedy, has not informed the state of any plans to change its nomination.
Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina are all closely contested battleground states where Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris are polling within the margins of error of each other.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted Tuesday to approve its ballot for the November election with Kennedy on the ballot as well as other third-party candidates liberal academic Cornel West and Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
Kennedy will also remain on Minnesota ballot, among others
Kennedy's request to withdraw his name from the Wisconsin ballot was rejected because the state's law says anyone who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot cannot decline nomination. That person, in this case Kennedy, will appear on the ballot "except in case of death of the person," the law says.
Kennedy's name will also remain on the ballot in Minnesota, a historically Democratic state that the Trump campaign has worked to turn red, the Minnesota Secretary of State's office told USA TODAY.
Kennedy's name, meanwhile, will not appear on the ballots in four other top battlegrounds states: Pennsylvania Georgia, Nevada and Arizona. In these states, Kennedy was either successfully able to withdraw before the deadline or his candidacy had not yet been approved.
More: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he understands family's disappointment after he endorsed Donald Trump
In Georgia, a judge recently ruled Kennedy did not qualify for the state's ballot because of questions about his residency ? a decision similar to one in New York, where a judge blocked Kennedy from the ballot for provided a false residence.
Others states where Kennedy successfully withdrew his candidacy and won't appear on the ballot include Ohio, Texas and Florida.
When he suspended his campaign, Kennedy signaled his intent to remain on ballots in states that are not expected to be closely contested between Trump and Harris to give his supporters in these places an opportunity to still vote for him.
Contributing: Hope Karnopp and Lawrence Andrea of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. dropped out. So why is he still on the ballot in key states?
