Ballot Access Breaking News: Kennedy is Officially on the Ballot in Florida and has Satisfied Signature Requirements in Minnesota

By Leah Watson, Breaking News Reporter, The Kennedy Beacon

On June 7, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. submitted enough signatures for ballot access in Minnesota. His campaign’s press announcement disclosed that Kennedy submitted 3,330 signatures to get on the ballot, surpassing the minimum requirement of 2,000 signatures from eligible voters. 

On the same day, the campaign also announced that Kennedy is officially on the ballot in Florida through the Reform Party of Florida. The Reform Party had voted to nominate Kennedy two weeks earlier but needed to reestablish itself with the state in order to appear on the ballot after folding last year, primarily because it wanted to wait until it could support a viable candidate.

“As long as we had that ballot line in Florida, we were going to be solicited by every person that just wanted to run for president but never had a shot at anything or was just trying to validate their own ego,” said the Chairman of the Reform Party, Nicholas Hensley, at a public Reform Party meeting over Zoom.  

The Reform Party focused on winning local elections, moving up to municipal candidates and state elections. The party was not considering backing federal or presidential candidates, that is, until they were approached by Kennedy.

According to Hensley, the Kennedy campaign first reached out to the Reform Party in February. After significant negotiations, the party decided that this was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the systemic issues in the United States head-on.

“Because we are the party of Perot, and because Kennedy is amassing a massive following of independent voters, we see that the opportunity is now to rally the entirety of the American people to fix our political system,” said Sam Gibbons, another member of the Reform Party.

Taking on Kennedy was a last-minute decision, but the Reform Party is facing the challenge and excited to be at the same table as the Democrats and Republicans. The Reform Party believes that Kennedy can win, and become a champion for voting reform.

“People will be able to vote their conscience; they will not be compelled to vote out of fear,” said Gibbons.

Kennedy is officially on the ballot in nine states: Utah, Michigan, California, Delaware, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Texas, South Carolina, and Florida. In total, these states represent 168 electoral votes. Kennedy has also fulfilled signature requirements in ten additional states: New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Idaho, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, and now Minnesota; however, he is not yet officially on the ballot in these states. 

To participate in the upcoming CNN debate against President Biden and former president Trump, Kennedy must have viability for 270 electoral votes by June 20. Additionally, Kennedy must receive 15% favorability in four national polls that comply with CNN’s standards of polling.

As shown in the 270 to Win website map below, the 9 states where Kennedy is officially on the ballot represent 168 electoral votes.