Texas Democrats are seeking to block independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from qualifying for the state’s ballot, citing concerns over the validity of the signatures submitted by his campaign. Kennedy's campaign had announced the submission of 245,572 signatures, well above the required 113,151 valid signatures for ballot access in Texas.
In a letter to Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson, attorneys representing the Texas Democratic Party raised issues with the signatures collected by Kennedy's campaign, alleging that many of them do not meet the state's laws governing petition signatures. The letter referenced various statutes in the Texas Election Code, such as the requirement for signees to be registered voters in Texas and adherence to specific formatting guidelines for petitions.
While the letter did not provide specific details on how the signatures were deemed invalid, it mentioned additional materials submitted to the Secretary of State’s office that outline the basis for their claims. The Democrats have urged the Secretary of State’s office to make a prompt decision on Kennedy’s ballot access application to allow for potential court review.
This move by Texas Democrats is part of a broader effort by the party to challenge Kennedy's ballot access in multiple states across the country. The Democratic National Committee, along with state-level party organizations and external groups, have made similar attempts to block Kennedy's candidacy in states like North Carolina, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Illinois, and Delaware.
