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RFK Jr. Campaign Sues Nevada Election Official Over Ballot Requirement As Push For Debate Stage Nears Eleventh Hour

Independent US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) is suing Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar over his refusal to certify the candidate's petition signatures, which are needed to get on the state's 2024 ballot.

The Hill

While RFK Jr. didn't choose his now running mate Nicole Shanahan until March, his lawsuit claims that Aguilar's office approved his signatures in January. However, Aguilar's office in March still claimed that signatures were invalid.

Kennedy, who chose the California philanthropist as his vice presidential running mate a few weeks after declaring for the ballot, is arguing that Aguilar has violated both his First Amendment rights and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

Kennedy, who chose the California philanthropist as his vice presidential (VP) running mate a few weeks after declaring for the ballot, is arguing that Aguilar has violated both his First Amendment rights and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

As of right now, RFK Jr. has about two months to collect the necessary 10K signatures if he wants to qualify for the November election. To do  so in Nevada, state law says you must, alongside a VP candidate, submit a "declaration of candidacy and a petition of candidacy" by early August.

The Nevada Independent

As of now, RFK Jr. has about two months to collect the necessary 10K signatures if he wants to qualify for the November election. To do  so in Nevada, state law says you must, alongside a VP candidate, submit a "declaration of candidacy and a petition of candidacy" by early August.

The lawsuit claims that Nevada's law violates the equal protection clause because it requires independent candidates to declare a vice president before candidates from the major parties have to.

However, the lawsuit claims that Nevada's law violates the equal protection clause because it requires independent candidates to declare a vice president before candidates from the major parties have to.

Kennedy's ballot efforts are also aimed at gaining him access to the upcoming presidential debates, which would make him the first independent candidate to do so in over 30 years. He most recently filed in New York, for which he collected 135,519 signatures, or three times the amount necessary.

RFK Jr. Sues Nevada Election Official Over Ballot Access

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RFK Jr. Sues Nevada Election Official Over Ballot Access

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