Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will continue to be listed on the Wisconsin presidential ballot, despite his attempt to withdraw his name. This decision comes after the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling stating that candidates can only be removed from the ballot upon their death.
Kennedy’s potential role in a second Donald Trump administration has been the subject of speculation. Earlier this year, Kennedy, then running as an independent presidential candidate, engaged in discussions with Trump about potentially endorsing his campaign and assuming a senior position within his administration. In August, Kennedy suspended his campaign and officially endorsed Trump, citing his belief that he lacked a viable chance of winning the election and that his continued candidacy might actually benefit the Democratic Party.
This unanimous ruling from the Wisconsin Supreme Court adds another twist to Kennedy’s efforts to remove his name from ballots in key battleground states, where the competition between Republican Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is intensifying. The decision was made after over 418,000 absentee ballots were already sent to voters, with nearly 28,000 already returned.
In September, Kennedy filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin, aiming to have his name removed from the ballot. He argued that third-party candidates face unfair treatment under state law, which distinguishes them from Republican and Democratic presidential contenders. However, Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke ruled that Wisconsin law explicitly states that candidates remain on the ballot after submitting valid nomination papers unless they die. The judge also highlighted the fact that numerous election clerks had already printed ballots bearing Kennedy’s name.
The presence of independent and third-party candidates could significantly impact the outcome of the election in Wisconsin. Four of the last six presidential elections in the state were decided by narrow margins ranging from 5,700 to 23,000 votes. In 2016, Green Party candidate Jill Stein received over 31,000 votes, surpassing Trump’s winning margin of just under 23,000 votes. Some Democrats attributed Trump’s victory in the state and the presidency to Stein’s candidacy.
This ruling adds another layer of complexity to the already tight race between Trump and Harris in Wisconsin, highlighting the potential influence of independent and third-party candidates in this crucial battleground state.
