After months of legal battles by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to gain ballot access across the country, his now-suspended campaign might have an equally difficult time removing him, NPR reported Tuesday.
Kennedy on Friday announced the suspension of his campaign and offered his support to former President Donald Trump. During his announcement, Kennedy encouraged his supporters to continue to vote for him in non-competitive states such as California and Tennessee, but to vote for Trump in the hotly contested swing states.
"In about 10 battleground states where my presence would be a spoiler, I'm going to remove my name, and I've already started that process and urge voters not to vote for me," Kennedy said.
However, Kennedy might have to remain on the ballot in the electoral battlegrounds of Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
"Every state has different procedures and deadlines with regard to ballot access and withdrawal, but the later a withdrawal happens, the harder it is for a state to remove a name from a ballot," David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research told NPR. "Some states have deadlines that have passed, and many states have already begun the process of printing ballots."
While Florida, Ohio, and Arizona might honor Kennedy's request to be removed, it might not be possible in other states.
"The Natural Law Party held their convention to select electors for Robert Kennedy Jr. They cannot meet at this point to select new electors since it's part the primary," Michigan Bureau of Election spokesperson Cheri Hardmon told Michigan Public Radio.
Before Kennedy's announcement Friday, he had collected enough signatures to appear on the ballot in 47 states, but officially appeared on only 22.