RFK Jr. off the ballot in New York, remains on in Wisconsin following court decision

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to manage his presence on state ballots encountered obstacles on Friday, with mixed results in New York and Wisconsin. After announcing his decision in August to suspend his independent presidential campaign and endorse Donald Trump, Kennedy has been navigating legal challenges to appear on certain state ballots while removing his name in key swing states.

In New York, despite gathering over 100,000 signatures, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with Democratic opponents who argued that Kennedy’s residency on his petition was invalid. Kennedy listed a New York address where he rents a room, but a lower court ruled that this did not meet the state’s residency requirements, as he primarily resides in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Kennedy successfully removed his name from ballots in swing states like Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina to avoid drawing votes away from Trump. However, in Wisconsin, the state’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Kennedy’s name will remain on the ballot. The court determined that candidates can only be removed if they die, upholding a previous ruling.

Wisconsin’s decision comes after over 418,000 absentee ballots were distributed, with 28,000 already cast. The ruling may hold significance in the state, where past elections have been decided by slim margins.