The presidential campaign for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is confident in gaining ballot access in Nebraska, having submitted 5,023 signatures — more than twice the required amount — to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office this week.
Pending verification from Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Nebraska will be the 10th state to grant ballot access to the Kennedy campaign — joining Utah, Michigan, California, Delaware, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Texas, South Carolina, and Mississippi. The Independent candidate will need the verification of at least 2,500 valid signatures to be placed on the Nebraska ballot.
The Kennedy campaign said they believed they had enough signatures back in early April, shortly after Kennedy named attorney and tech entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his vice presidential running mate.
A bulk of these signatures likely spurred from Kennedy’s mid-December rally in northwest Lincoln. Kennedy gave his stump speech to hundreds of area voters, covering subjects he’s become known for platforming such as corporate consolidation, government corruption and the proliferation of chronic disease.
“Today is a historic day as we submit paperwork to get Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the ballot in the Cornhusker State,” said Midwest Regional Director Lane Koch. “It’s been a privilege to work with our dedicated volunteers to ensure voters have an independent option at the ballot box this November.”
The campaigns ballot access operation is fully funded with more than $15 million raised, purporting to have enough signatures for ballot access in 13 other states — New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Idaho, Iowa, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Florida, Minnesota, Tennessee, Alaska, and Washington.
RFK Jr. has also been fighting to qualify for the upcoming June 27 presidential debate hosted on CNN. President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump are the only candidates who have qualified to participate, according to Reuters.
To receive a podium at the debate, candidates must appear on enough state ballots to potentially win the presidency and also receive at least 15% in four separate national polls. Kennedy has received at least 15% in only three accepted polls to date and has not achieved ballot access in enough states.
The deadline for candidates to qualify for the debate is 12 a.m. ET on Thursday, June 20.