Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is suing the North Carolina State Board of Elections in a last-ditch try to get his identify eliminated the state’s poll forward of the 2024 presidential election.
The lawsuit filed in Wake County Superior Courtroom Friday says the board’s denial of his request to take away his identify as a third-party presidential candidate violated state election regulation and his proper to free speech, in accordance with The Information & Observer and WRAL.
“With November election looming and poll deadlines fast-approaching, Kennedy has no alternative however to show to this Courtroom for rapid reduction,” the lawsuit states.
Since he suspended his marketing campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump in August, Kennedy has sought to withdraw his identify in states the place the race could possibly be shut, akin to North Carolina.
On the identical time, Kennedy made an effort to stay on the poll in states like New York the place his presence is unlikely to make a distinction within the battle between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Until the court docket intervenes, Kennedy’s identify will seem on the North Carolina poll in November.
On Thursday, the North Carolina board’s three Democrats outvoted two Republicans to reject the request to take away Kennedy and his working mate, Nicole Shanahan, from the poll’s “We The Individuals” celebration line.
The Democratic majority stated it was too late, on condition that 67 of the state’s 100 counties had begun printing ballots, the primary of which have to be despatched out by Sept. 6.
The primary vendor for a lot of the counties already printed greater than 1.7 million ballots, and reprints would value tons of of 1000’s of {dollars}, Board Government Director Karen Brinson Bell stated.
“After we discuss in regards to the printing a poll we aren’t speaking about … urgent ‘copy’ on a Xerox machine. This can be a rather more advanced and layered course of,” Brinson Bell advised the board.
The 2 Republicans disagreed and stated the board may delay the statutory deadline for absentee ballots.
Olivia Diaz is a corps member for The Related Press/Report for America Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points.
