Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently lost a federal appeal in Michigan to have his name removed from this year’s presidential election ballot. Despite suspending his campaign and endorsing former President Donald Trump, Kennedy was denied by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to withdraw his name from the ballots. The Michigan Natural Law Party, which nominated Kennedy earlier this year, opposed his request to remove his name from the ballot, citing concerns about future candidate placements on ballots. Benson stated that candidates cannot withdraw after accepting a minor party’s nomination and that removing Kennedy’s name would cost the state $500,000 in Wayne County due to already printed ballots.
A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Denise Hood, ruled in favor of Benson on Wednesday, stating that the harm to Michigan voters, the Natural Law Party, and Benson outweighed any potential harm to Kennedy. Judge Hood emphasized the importance of enforcing state election law requirements and stated that reprinting ballots at this late hour would impede the voting process in Michigan and cause a burden to election officials. Additionally, allowing Kennedy to unilaterally withdraw from the ballot would leave supporters of the Natural Law Party without a candidate on the ballot. This ruling dealt a blow to Kennedy’s efforts to be removed from the ballot in Michigan.
The decision to keep Kennedy on the ballot in Michigan comes after he suspended his campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump. Despite this, his name will remain on the ballots for the upcoming presidential election. Kennedy’s attempt to remove his name from the ballot faced opposition from the Michigan Natural Law Party, which nominated him earlier this year. The party expressed concerns about future candidate placements on ballots and advocated for retaining Kennedy’s name on the ballot. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson also opposed Kennedy’s request, citing the cost of reprinting ballots and the inability for candidates to withdraw after accepting a minor party’s nomination.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Denise Hood to keep Kennedy on the ballot in Michigan emphasizes the importance of enforcing state election law requirements and avoiding disruptions to the voting process. Judge Hood determined that the harm to Michigan voters, the Natural Law Party, and Benson outweighed any potential harm to Kennedy. By retaining Kennedy’s name on the ballot, the Natural Law Party’s supporters have a candidate in the presidential election. This decision has implications for the upcoming election in Michigan and reflects the legal considerations involved in candidate withdrawals and ballot placements.
Overall, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s federal appeal to have his name removed from Michigan’s presidential election ballot was denied, with U.S. District Judge Denise Hood ruling in favor of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Despite Kennedy’s suspension of his campaign and endorsement of former President Donald Trump, his name will remain on the ballots due to concerns about the voting process and the Natural Law Party’s candidate placements. This ruling highlights the complexities of election law requirements and the impact on candidates and parties in the electoral process. Kennedy’s efforts to withdraw from the ballot faced legal challenges and ultimately resulted in his name being included in Michigan’s upcoming presidential election.
