The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled to remove former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from state ballots ahead of the general election. This decision upholds an appeals court ruling that his name should be taken off the ballot, resulting in the need to reprint ballots. Justice Trey Allen, in the majority opinion, stated that protecting voters’ fundamental right to vote their conscience is worth the time and expense required to reprint the ballots. Kennedy had previously fought to be on as many state ballots as possible, but recent polling indicated he could hurt Donald Trump’s chances in November if he remains on the ballot.
Kennedy suffered a setback when Michigan’s Supreme Court ruled that he must remain on the ballot in that state after dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump. The legal battle over Kennedy’s appearance on the North Carolina ballot has delayed the mailing of ballots, as election officials were initially told not to send them out on Sept. 6 as planned. The court’s decision cited the state constitution’s Free Elections Clause in rejecting efforts to block the enforcement of the appeals court’s order. The majority argued that having Kennedy’s name on the ballot could disenfranchise voters who mistakenly believe he is still a candidate. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to the ruling.
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