The recent decision by North Carolina’s Supreme Court to remove former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the November ballot has significant implications for the upcoming election in the key battleground state. The ruling, which came on Monday night, may have a direct impact on the race between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to recent polling averages from RealClearPolling, Trump holds a slight 0.1-percentage-point lead over Harris in a head-to-head matchup in North Carolina. However, in a six-candidate race, Harris leads Trump by a 0.4-percentage point margin in the state. With North Carolina awarding 16 Electoral College votes to the winner of the presidential race, the outcome of this contest could play a crucial role in determining the national outcome.
Kennedy, who endorsed Trump after suspending his own presidential bid in August, had indicated that he would remove his name from ballots in states where Trump performed better in head-to-head races against Harris. The court’s decision to remove Kennedy’s name from the ballot followed a 4-3 ruling in favor of upholding a challenge by Kennedy against the state Board of Elections.
The majority opinion, penned by Justice Trey Allen, highlighted the importance of ensuring that ballots are accurate and do not mislead voters. The ruling criticized the state Board of Elections for continuing to print ballots that included Kennedy’s name even after being informed of his intention to withdraw. The decision acknowledged the significant time, effort, and expense that will be required to reprint the ballots but emphasized the importance of protecting voters’ fundamental right to vote their conscience.
While the ruling has been met with dissent from some justices and concerns about the logistical challenges of reprinting the ballots, election officials are now working to redesign and reprint the ballots with Kennedy’s name. The process is expected to cause delays in mailing out absentee ballots, with officials possibly seeking assistance from the U.S. Department of Defense to meet the federal deadline for mailing military and overseas ballots.
Overall, the court’s decision to remove Kennedy from the ballot in North Carolina has the potential to impact the outcome of the election in the state and may influence the national race between Trump and Harris. As election officials navigate the challenges posed by the ruling, voters will be closely watching for any further developments in this closely watched contest.
