The North Carolina State Election Commission was named Friday in its fifth lawsuit in 40 days by a fourth different entity or group.
The former presidential candidate's comments came a day after the commission cited logistical reasons for not removing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s name from the ballot, saying the choice violated his right to free speech. At the time of the commission's decision, printing of ballots was well underway, and mail-in absentee ballots were scheduled to be sent out on Friday, opening the 61-day window of opportunity to vote.
Kennedy's request came on the same day, Aug. 23, that he announced he was suspending his campaign activities. The board's decision came six days later. The lawsuit, in which Kennedy is the sole plaintiff, says he “followed all requirements of state law to remove his name,” but “nevertheless, the NCSBE directed county elections boards to continue printing ballots with Kennedy's name on them.”
“Thus,” the lawsuit states, “to the extent that the NCSBE argues that it would be 'unrealistic' to remove him from the ballot, that is a problem the NCSBE created itself.”
Democrats Alan Hirsch, Jeff Carmon and Siobhan Millen voted to keep Kennedy's name on the ballot, while Republicans Stacey Eggers and Kevin Lewis wanted to honor Kennedy's request to remove him.
At least 1.7 million ballots have already been printed, the state board said in a statement.
Kennedy's lawsuit marks the third in nine days for the board, which faced two lawsuits and an investigation in July. U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee and the North Carolina House of Representatives Oversight Committee.
On August 26, the Board of Directors accused in lawsuit of dereliction of responsibility The North Carolina Republican Party and the Republican National Committee were plaintiffs in the lawsuit under the Help America Vote Act.
On August 22, the Board of Directors In the lawsuit, he was accused of failing to secure To lawfully remove from voter rolls people who are identified as non-U.S. citizens who are registered to vote. Again, the plaintiffs were state and national Republican organizations.
July 26th, Overturn the Board's decision The North Carolina Democratic Party asked for the Populist Party's participation in the election, and Kennedy represented the Populist Party in the presidential election.
And on July 22, Three Fayetteville residents have asked for the ruling to be overturned. The complaint was filed against the Commission's decision not to place the Justice for All Party on the ballot. Dr. Cornel West was the Presidential Campaign Director for Justice for All. The plaintiffs were Johnny Thomas Ortiz II, Jimmy Gregory Rogers Jr., and Weldon Murphy.
North Carolina 16 electoral votes The state is considered one of seven key battleground states with 93 electoral votes. The others are Pennsylvania (19), Georgia (16), Michigan (15), Arizona (11), Wisconsin (10) and Nevada (6).
