Wisconsin Governor Approves Bill Allowing Candidate Name Withdrawal from Ballots
In a move aimed at addressing ballot regulations, Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor has signed into law a bipartisan bill allowing candidates to withdraw their names from election ballots. This legislative change comes in the wake of an event last year involving Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who sought to remove his name from the presidential ballot.
Previously, Wisconsin only allowed a candidate’s name to be removed in the event of their death, a rule that came under scrutiny when Kennedy, running as an independent in 2024, attempted to withdraw from the Wisconsin ballot. Kennedy had ended his presidential campaign in August and endorsed then-President Donald Trump. While he was able to remove his name from ballots in several swing states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada, he remained on the ballots in Michigan due to timing issues and in Wisconsin due to existing state law.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Wisconsin’s removal policy was among the strictest in the nation. Despite these restrictions, Kennedy pursued legal avenues, taking his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. However, his emergency plea was denied, as early voting had already commenced in Michigan and Wisconsin.
The newly signed law allows individuals running for state and federal positions to formally withdraw their names, with the exception of major party candidates whose selection processes differ. Independent presidential candidates, such as Kennedy, now have the option to remove themselves from contention by submitting a sworn statement to the Wisconsin Elections Commission and paying a small fee.
In the 2024 election cycle, Kennedy received fewer than 18,000 votes in Wisconsin, accounting for roughly 0.5% of the total votes, while securing about 27,000 votes in Michigan, similarly 0.5% of the vote count. In both states, Donald Trump emerged victorious, surpassing Kennedy’s vote tally by significant margins.
Currently, Kennedy serves as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under Trump’s administration.
