RFK Jr.'s request to be removed from Wisconsin ballot after endorsing Trump is denied.

RFK Jr.'s request to be removed from Wisconsin ballot after endorsing Trump is denied.
RFK Jr.'s request to be removed from Wisconsin ballot after endorsing Trump is denied.
  • On Tuesday, the Wisconsin Elections Commission decided to maintain Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s name on the state's November ballot.
  • Kennedy on Friday suspended his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump.
  • The former third-party candidate's plan to remove his name from ballots in key battleground states was thwarted by the decision, which would have likely helped Trump's electoral chances.
  • In Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, and North Carolina, Kennedy's name is likely to remain on the ballot.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission on Tuesday decided to keep Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s name on the state's November presidential ballot, preventing his plan to remove it from key battleground states that will determine the 2024 presidential election.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission decided to keep Kennedy's name on the ballot, as per state law which states that anyone who files nomination papers and qualifies to appear on the ballot cannot decline nomination.

Trump's representative did not promptly respond to CNBC's inquiry regarding the state's decision.

On Aug. 23, Kennedy abandoned his pursuit of the presidency and backed Trump as the Republican candidate.

In Arizona, Kennedy stated that his name would remain on ballots in most states, even though he was appearing with Trump.

Kennedy stated that he would remove his name from the ballots in about ten battleground states where his presence would be detrimental to other candidates, and urged voters not to vote for him.

The move is commonly seen as an attempt to aid Trump by limiting the number of Kennedy voters who can cast their ballots in states that could determine the outcome by a small margin of voters.

It was predicted that Kennedy's withdrawal from the race would aid Trump more than it would benefit Harris, the Democratic nominee.

Kennedy is more popular with Republicans than Democrats, making Trump better positioned to win over Kennedy voters than Harris.

If Kennedy's name is not on the ballot, this strategy may be effective.

Kennedy's plan to withdraw from the race and remove his name from the ballot in crucial states is not going as smoothly as expected.

In November, Kennedy's name is likely to remain on the ballot in battleground states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, and North Carolina.

In April, Kennedy was nominated by the Natural Law Party to run for a spot on Michigan's ballot.

According to Cheri Hardmon, senior press secretary for Michigan's secretary of state, it is too late for the Natural Law Party to choose new electors, so Kennedy's name will remain on the ballot.

In Michigan, candidates from minor parties are not allowed to withdraw from the race, according to Hardmon.

In North Carolina, Kennedy will be the We The People Party's nominee on the ballot.

Patrick Gannon, a spokesman for the North Carolina State Board of Electors, informed CNBC in an email that as of Tuesday, the party has not informed the board of any plans to change its nomination.

If "We The People" officially withdraws his nomination, the State Board would need to determine whether it is feasible to remove his name from ballots and reprint them at that time.

As of Tuesday morning, more than half of North Carolina's 100 counties had already started printing ballots, with mailing of absentee ballots commencing on Sept. 6, according to Gannon.

According to Nevada state law, a candidate must submit a withdrawal of candidacy in person no later than seven business days after the filing deadline, and any efforts by Kennedy to remove himself from the Nevada ballot would come too late.

Kennedy had to withdraw from the race by August 20th as the deadline for independent candidates in Nevada was on August 8th.

According to each state's secretary of state, Kennedy has withdrawn his candidacy in Arizona, Florida, Ohio, and Texas. He is also likely to remain off the ballots in Pennsylvania and Georgia, where his candidacy was being contested in state courts.

by Josephine Rozzelle

Politics