Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate for president, is facing legal challenges from a Democrat-aligned super PAC, Clear Choice Action, which aims to hinder third-party presidential candidates. The group has filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois, alleging that Kennedy falsified his home address on state paperwork and that there were "irregularities" with his petition signatures.
In Pennsylvania, Clear Choice Action argues that Kennedy did not submit the required number of signatures for ballot access. Kennedy's campaign announced in June that it had submitted more than 9,000 signatures, nearly double the required amount. The super PAC contends that Pennsylvania law required Kennedy to submit more signatures than he gathered.
According to CBS News, Kennedy testified in court on Tuesday to dispute the lawsuit. Stefanie Spear, press secretary to the Kennedy campaign, said, "We have won every ballot access legal challenge so far and look forward to defeating the DNC in Pennsylvania and giving the people of the Keystone State the option of voting for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this fall."
In New York and Illinois, similar challenges have been filed by Clear Choice Action. The Illinois State Board of Elections is scheduled to review the matter on August 23.
The legal challenges could impact the timing of ballot processing in Pennsylvania. County boards of election are allowed to begin mailing ballots to voters who requested them on September 16, but they can only do so if any legal challenges to ballot access are concluded in time for accurate ballots to be printed.