Kennedy Campaign Forms "We The People" Political Parties

 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Courtesy Kennedy 24.

The Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Presidential campaign has found a new avenue in their goal to be on ballots in all 50 states, as it announced on Tuesday that some of his supporters have filed political party paperwork in six states.

The "We the People" political party was formed in five states - California, Delaware, Hawaii, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas. The "Texas Independent Party" was created in Texas.

The first three words of the U.S. Constitution are "We the people," a symbol that government derives its power from the people, it serves, something that embodies the spirit of Kennedy's campaign since he became an independent candidate on October 9.

These political party filings will reduce the number of signatures needed to get Kennedy on the ballot in every state by around 330,000, a third of the total needed nationwide.

"Democracy is a lot more than voting," Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. "I'm inspired by how enthusiastic people are to collect signatures, cast ballots, create new political parties, and attend rallies. That kind of energy is what will get us on to the ballot in every state and GOTV (Get Out The Vote) operation as we head toward election day."

Many states offer independent presidential candidates like Kennedy two options to achieve ballot access, as an individual candidate or as the nominee of a new party. Each process often requires different numbers of signatures. 

In most states, the individual candidate process requires fewer signatures. In some states, party ballot access requires fewer signatures, and "is therefore the most direct path to ballot access in those states," according to the campaign. Once a new party makes a ballot in that fashion, they can nominate the candidate of their choice, which in this case, would be Kennedy.

Due to what the campaign calls "idiosyncratic state regulations," two of the new state parties must register voters to their party in place of gathering signatures. In California, 75,000 people must register to "We the People," a process that can be completed online at the Golden State's Secretary of State's website. In Delaware, the home state of President Biden, the party will achieve ballot access by registering about 760 people.