HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The 2024 Presidential Election is just months away. Many questions have surfaced about Independent Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While he has become a very popular independent, it's important to know if he'll even be on the ballot in November
THE QUESTION
Is Robert F. Kennedy Kr. automatically on the 2024 presidential ballot?
THE SOURCES
- Wes Allen, Alabama Secretary of State
- Tennessee Secretary of State Website
- The University of Virginia
- The State of Alabama
- Kennedy24.com
THE ANSWER
No, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. isn't automatically on the 2024 presidential ballot as an independent.
WHAT WE FOUND
It's important to know what an independent candidate truly means. The definition is pretty standard. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said, "It's independent of any kind of party, Republican or Democrat."
One of the famous independent candidates was Theodore Roosevelt. According to the University of Virginia, while when he assumed the presidency in 1901 as a Republican, he started the "Bull Moose" party for the election in 1912. While falling in defeat, Roosevelt still managed to ring in 27% of the votes.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of John F. Kennedy, is running as an independent candidate, with his running mate being California-based Nicole Shanahan. How can they get on the ticket? "To make it to the ballot in Alabama, the independent candidate must present 5000 signatures with addresses to the Alabama secretary of State's office," said Allen. To make sure the signatures are legitimate, Allen said, "We'll take those names and we will verify that they are Alabama residents."
Ballot access laws vary by state. In Tennessee, they only require 275 signatures on a petition, one for each member The Volunteer State has in the Electoral College. Petitioners in Alabama have until August 23rd to submit their signatures.
With any candidate, it's important to do your own research to make sure your vote counts in November. "I would suggest if anybody has any questions about independent candidates to go get on a search engine, look them up, learn more about them."
RFK's campaign will have until Friday, August 23 to deliver its collected signatures to the Secretary of State. Then verification of the signatures will begin - comparing names and addresses placed on the petition to voter registration records. Those names and addresses must match or the signature will not count. The time it will take to verify the signatures will depend on the number collected.
If 5,000 or more signatures are verified, then RFK Jr. should be placed on the ballot.