Additional Coverage:
On September 3rd, a judge in Michigan decided that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name must remain on the state’s ballot for the upcoming November 5th general election, despite his request to withdraw.
Kennedy, who pursued the presidency as an independent candidate, halted his campaign on August 23rd after initially securing a spot on the ballot in nearly two dozen states. Following his decision to suspend his campaign, Kennedy sought to have his name removed from ballots in 10 key states and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Kennedy had gained access to Michigan’s ballot as the Natural Law Party’s candidate. However, his request to be removed was initially denied by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who argued that the law does not permit such a withdrawal.
Kennedy then escalated the matter to the Michigan Court of Claims, where Judge Christopher Yates upheld Benson’s decision. In his ruling, Judge Yates emphasized that the state is not obliged to comply with last-minute changes from candidates, concluding that the Secretary of State had acted within legal boundaries.
Further, Judge Yates cited state legislation which explicitly prevents candidates nominated by a minor party from withdrawing after the primary election in August. He explained that allowing Kennedy to withdraw would not only be self-serving but would also harm the nominating party by leaving them without a leading candidate. This decision aligns with similar rulings in other states such as Wisconsin, where officials also concluded that Kennedy could not be removed from the ballot according to state regulations.
Kennedy’s legal battles over his ballot status continue in other states, including an ongoing lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Elections, which has also declined his withdrawal request. However, Kennedy has managed to withdraw his candidacy in a few states like Arizona.