Robert F Kennedy Jr Secures Spot on First Presidential Ballot in Utah
TL/DR –
Anti-vaccination activist and Independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr has qualified for the 2024 presidential ballot in Utah, his first state. He collected the necessary 1,000 signatures, but still faces the challenge of qualifying in the other 49 US states and the District of Columbia. Kennedy Jr had originally planned to run for the Democratic Party nomination, but later withdrew and announced an independent run.
Anti-Vaccine Activist Robert F Kennedy Jr Qualifies for 2024 Presidential Ballot
Independent candidate and anti-vaccination activist Robert F Kennedy Jr has secured his spot on the 2024 presidential ballot in Utah. Utah election officials confirmed that Mr Kennedy Jr gathered the required 1,000 signatures for ballot access.
Kennedy Jr, a member of a notable Democratic political dynasty, faces the challenge of qualifying in the remaining 49 US states and the District of Columbia. Originally, he intended to run for the Democratic Party nomination but later declared an independent run.
Kennedy Jr is making his mark in the 2024 presidential race among several third-party candidates, including those from the Green and Libertarian parties, left-wing activist Cornel West, and potential candidates from centrist group No Labels. The two major party front-runners, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, both have low favourability ratings.
Without a party backing him, Kennedy Jr’s campaign is navigating various state rules to get his name on the ballot. In Louisiana, the process involves nominating eight volunteer electoral voters and paying a $500 fee. On the other end of the spectrum, California requires nearly 220,000 signatures, equivalent to 1% of the state’s registered voters.
Kennedy Jr’s campaign managed to delay Utah’s early deadline for signature collection by suing on the grounds of it being unconstitutionally restrictive. He criticised the major political parties for their “undemocratic lock” on the process and anticipates spending $15m on ballot access efforts.
Despite his broad-ranging efforts to gain ballot access, it’s unclear how many states he will qualify for, says Valdosta State University associate professor and third-party expert, Bernard Tamas. “He doesn’t have a third-party backing him, and it’s not clear how much of a structure he has to collect signatures,” Tamas states.
Before his political pursuit, Kennedy Jr served as an environmental lawyer and heads the Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group which saw a significant funding surge during the Covid pandemic. Nationwide, he is polling around 13% according to the average compiled by RealClearPolitics.
However, the impact of Mr Kennedy Jr’s campaign on the general election remains uncertain. It’s unclear whether he will draw support from the right or independent voters. Successful third-party campaigns usually have a clear focus or galvanising issue, but Kennedy Jr’s campaign lacks such an aspect.
Mr Tamas adds: “Many Americans theoretically support third parties, but as the election nears, they revert to one of the major parties.”
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