WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — A Wake County judge rejected Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s request to be removed from the ballot in North Carolina Thursday, according to Raleigh CBS affiliate, WNCN.
The judge is giving Kennedy's legal team 24 hours to file an appeal. This means mail-in ballots will not go out to voters on Friday morning while this plays out.
WNCN reports that the board denied Kennedy's request, saying it is not practical to reprint the ballots and meet the state's absentee voting deadline. The Mecklenburg County Board of Elections Director Michael Dickerson said he was prepared to mail about 14,000 absentee ballots to voters all over the world and by law, he is to do so 60 days prior to voting day.
Political Science Professor at Western Carolina University, Chris Cooper told WNCN that the outcome probably would have been different if the request was given a month or two ago.
" At this point, we've already printed out the ballots. We've already spent millions of dollars," Cooper said.
Cooper also said there's likely a strategy behind the lawsuit. He thinks Kennedy wants to keep his name in the mix but not cost former President Donald Trump the election by taking away key votes in swing states.
"RFK Jr. tried really hard to get on the ballot and now he's trying really hard to get off the ballot and I don't recall the same candidate engaging in both activities," Cooper added.
Cooper predicts if Kennedy's name stays on the ballot in the Tar Heel state, he's likely to tip the scales in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.
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