Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reached the minimum threshold — 1,000 signatures — to qualify for placement on the presidential ballot in Utah as an independent candidate, the first state where the upstart populist has qualified.
Kennedy has campaigned across the U.S. with the hopes of gathering enough signatures across states to appear on state ballots as an independent candidate. As each state sets its own requirements, and the costs for collecting signatures and filing across states can be prohibitive for candidates without party backing, it is unlikely that Kennedy will qualify for candidacy in every state.
Last month, American Values 2024, a super PAC supporting the third-party candidate, announced a plan to spend nearly $15 million to get Kennedy on the ballot in ten states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, New York and Texas. All are important to winning the 2024 race.
Kennedy hails from a Democratic dynasty, the son of former senator and U.S. attorney general Robert F. Kennedy and a nephew of President John F. Kennedy. Formerly an environmental activist, he gained political prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic by questioning his party’s position on vaccines and accusing left-leaning outlets of spreading misinformation. He officially left the Democratic Party last year, becoming an Independent candidate.
The deadline to file is the day of Utah’s primary elections, March 5.
The state’s original filing deadline was January 8, but Kennedy’s campaign sued the state over the early filing due date, saying it was “unconstitutionally” restrictive. In response, the state last month moved the deadline from January 8 to the current date of March 5, allowing independent candidates more time to meet the threshold.
With a background as an environmental lawyer and a reputation as a COVID-19 vaccine skeptic, Kennedy performs best among independents and younger voters.
According to a recent Quinnipiac poll, Kennedy performs better than Biden and Trump among independents. Kennedy received 36 percent of independent votes, Biden 32 percent, and Trump 26 percent. Among voters ages 18-34, Kennedy beats Trump and Biden with 40 percent of the vote compared to Biden’s 36 percent and Trump’s 21 percent.
Kennedy’s campaign is set to host a press conference later today in the Utah State Capitol to formally announce his ballot status in state. Utah is the first state where the campaign has submitted signatures.