Kennedy Campaign Wins First DNC Ballot Access Challenge, We The People Party Officially on Ballot in Hawaii

UPDATE April 30, 2024: Hawaii Dems will not appeal Office of Elections Ruling

News Release from Kennedy Campaign, April 20, 2024

HONOLULU, HI—APRIL 20, 2024—Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s new political party, We The People, will officially appear on Hawaii’s general election ballot following a Friday ruling that blocked an effort by Hawaii Democrats to disqualify his ballot access. The ruling marks a campaign victory in the DNC’s first attempt to remove the Kennedy-Shanahan ticket from the ballot in a state. 

“Friday’s ruling is another legal victory for the Kennedy campaign,” said Kennedy campaign Senior Ballot Access Attorney Paul Rossi. “Our all-volunteer leadership in Hawaii defeated the Democratic Party’s staff and legal team. Yesterday we proved the DNC is not invincible. We can defeat their challenges and win this election.”

The ruling, issued by hearings officer Aaron Schulaner, said an objection filed by the Democratic Party of Hawaii “did not meet its burden of proof in this case” and that We The People party can appear on Hawaii’s ballot in November. In February, the campaign announced supporters had collected more than three times the required 862 signatures to establish the “We The People” in Hawaii. 

“The Hawaii Office of Elections delivered a very fair and thoughtful decision today in favor of our grassroots, We The People Hawaii,” said Kim Haine, chair of the State Central Committee of We The People. “I’m so proud of how our officers and volunteers represented Hawaii in this real-life David vs. Goliath legal challenge.”

This is the campaign’s third legal victory. In December, the campaign secured a ballot access victory when Lt. Governor Henderson agreed to move Utah’s unconstitutional ballot access deadline from January 8 to March 5. In March, the campaign won a lawsuit in Idaho to knock back another unconstitutional signature deadline. 

Kennedy-Shanahan ticket is officially on the ballots in three states — Hawaii, Utah, and Michigan — and has collected enough signatures for ballot access in six more states — New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Idaho, Nebraska, and Iowa.

The campaign gained ballot access in the battleground state of Michigan earlier this week after being nominated by the Natural Law Party in Michigan.

The Kennedy campaign has launched a robust ballot access plan to ensure the Kennedy-Shanahan ticket is on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

“We have the field teams, volunteers, legal teams, paid circulators, supporters, and strategists ready to get the job done,” said Stefanie Spear, campaign press secretary. “We are exceeding all our benchmarks and will announce new states each week.”

Last month, Kennedy welcomed attorney and tech entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan to the campaign as his vice presidential running mate at a packed rally in Oakland, California. Millions watched on TV and social media as Kennedy and Shanahan pledged to restore the middle class, end the chronic disease epidemic, unwind the war machine, and unravel the corporate capture of our government agencies.

Kennedy’s surging support across the country has made the election a three-way race. A recent Quinnipiac poll shows him leading Presidents Biden and Trump nationwide among voters under 35. An NBC poll shows 34% of people saying they could see themselves supporting RFK Jr. Another Quinnipiac Poll discussed on CNN shows Kennedy in a three-way tie with Presidents Biden and Trump among Latinos.

Kennedy leads Presidents Biden and Trump among independents. Independents continue to constitute the largest political bloc in the U.S., with an average of 43% of U.S. adults. In contrast, 27% of U.S. adults identify as Republicans and 27% of U.S. adults identify as Democrats.

Learn more at Kennedy24.com. Visit our press page here.

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SA: Objection after RFK makes Hawaii ballot -- The hearings officer found that the Democrats had not proven their complaints that certain We the People officers were disqualified because they were also Democrats or, in one case, was an unregistered voter.  The Dems could appeal, but haven’t done so yet.

CNN: RFK Jr. will appear on Hawaii ballot, third state to include him

TH: Democrats pulling out all the stops against RFK Jr. | The Hill

Background: Eight Parties on Hawaii Ballot--but Democrats Challenge Kennedy's 'We The People'