Article Summary –
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential campaign could face a setback in Nevada due to the failure to name a running mate when filing his petition, leaving the 15,000 signatures collected in the state potentially void. As Kennedy is set to reveal his running mate, the campaign still has time to collect new signatures, with the deadline for submission on July 5, and the petition filing deadline on August 9. It is unclear if other states requiring named running mates for ballot access will face similar issues, but the only state that has confirmed Kennedy’s place on the ballot is Utah.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Faces Ballot Access Hurdle in Nevada
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to announce his vice presidential choice this Tuesday. However, an unforeseen hiccup has emerged in Nevada, disrupting the independent candidate’s journey to secure ballot access in the state.
Although Kennedy’s campaign recently celebrated obtaining over 15,000 signatures in Nevada, surpassing the requirement for November ballot inclusion, a flaw in the filing process could nullify these efforts. The campaign didn’t include a running mate’s name when submitting Kennedy’s petition, an oversight according to Nevada’s candidate guidelines.
Nevada’s law mandates that petitions of independent presidential candidates should contain both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates’ names to be deemed valid, a fact confirmed by the Nevada secretary of state’s office.
Documents from the Nevada office showed that Kennedy’s petition only named him, violating the rules and making the campaign’s gathered signatures invalid. This hurdle puts Kennedy further away from his aim of securing a spot on all 50 state ballots. However, the campaign can start collecting signatures again after announcing Kennedy’s running mate on Tuesday. The deadline for submitting signatures to Nevada is July 5, while the petition must be filed by August 9.
Kennedy’s campaign hasn’t submitted the signatures to the Nevada office yet and didn’t respond to requests for comments.
Kennedy’s Ballot Status
Utah is the only state that confirmed Kennedy’s appearance on the ballot. Each state has different protocols for independent candidates to be included on the ballot—one of the most challenging aspects for a candidate outside the major parties.
In New Hampshire, independent candidates need to submit at least 3,000 signatures and a Declaration of Intent in June to the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office. It’s still uncertain whether signatures collected in other states requiring a named vice-presidential candidate will be affected.
Kennedy supporters have successfully collected sufficient signatures in Hawaii to establish the “We The People” party, which can nominate Kennedy as its presidential candidate. However, both New Hampshire and Hawaii require a vice-presidential candidate’s name for Kennedy to gain ballot access.
The Kennedy supporting super PAC, American Values 2024, previously announced plans to spend $10-15 million on signature collection. However, following a Democratic National Committee complaint alleging collusion between the PAC and Kennedy’s campaign, American Values 2024 ceased collecting signatures for Kennedy.
The PAC, after claiming to have met signature thresholds in Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, and South Carolina, is now focusing on countering attempts from the Democrats and Republicans to weaken third-party campaigns.
“We’re no longer collecting signatures and will continue to battle attempts to interfere with voters’ constitutional right to want independent candidates on the ballot,” the PAC said earlier this month in a press release.
The Nevada secretary of state’s office sent a reminder to all independent presidential candidates on March 7 that their filings should include a declaration of candidacy and a petition, designating a nominee for Vice President.
In contrast, major parties traditionally announce their vice-presidential candidate close to their nominating conventions. The Democratic and Republican National Conventions will be held Aug. 19-24 and July 15-18, respectively.
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