Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Formally Chooses Nicole Shanahan for His Vice-Presidential Running Mate

On March 26, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. held a campaign rally in Oakland, California, and introduced his vice-presidential running mate, Nicole Shanahan. Now that he has a vice-presidential running mate, it will be free to start petitioning in almost 20 more states.

Shanahan is 38 years old and lives in San Mateo County, California. Her ancestry is mixed; her father had Irish antecedents and her mother’s ancestors are from China.

Nevada Election Officials Contradict Selves Over Validity of an Independent Presidential Petition Without a Vice-Presidential Nominee

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,’s Nevada independent presidential petition was circulated without a vice-presidential nominee, after an employee of the Secretary of State told the campaign that the petition didn’t need to list a vice-presidential nominee. After the petition had been circulated, the state said the employee had been mistaken. See this story. The Kennedy campaign says it will sue.

There are court precedents that it violates Equal Protection to force an independent presidential candidate to have chosen his or her vice-presidential running mate early in the year, because the major parties don’t formally choose their vice-presidential nominees until national conventions, which are held in July and August.

South Dakota Green Party Appears to Have Been Defrauded by a Paid Circulator

Last year the Green Party hired a professional circulator to gather signatures for a party petition. He reported that he submitted the petition months ago. But the Secretary of State says no such petition was ever submitted. The Green Party has been trying to reach the circulator for some weeks, but he or she doesn’t communicate.

There is time to do a new petition. The deadline is in July and 3,502 signatures are needed.

Congressman Andy Kim Insists His Lawsuit Over Ballot Format in New Jersey is Still a Pressing Issue, Even Though His Main Opponent Has Suspended Her Campaign

New Jersey Congressmember Andy Kim has been suing most New Jersey elections offices over the format of New Jersey primary ballots, which put the candidate favored by the county party in a much better spot on the ballot. On Sunday, March 24, his chief opponent, Tammy Murphy, said she is suspending her campaign for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination. The next day some Democratic county organizations that had been planning to put Murphy in the favored spot said they will now put Kim in the choice spot.

On March 25, Kim filed this letter brief, explaining that these developments do not moot his lawsuit. Furthermore, there are two Democratic U.S. House candidates, running in the Second and Third Districts, and they are part of his lawsuit also.

There will be a hearing in the case, Kim v Hanlon, 3:24cv-1098, on Tuesday, March 26, at 10:30 a.m.

Michigan State Court Asked to Resolve Intra-Party Libertarian Dispute

On March 14, the faction of the Michigan Libertarian Party that is not recognized by the national committee asked a Michigan state trial court to settle the dispute over the identity of the true state party officers. Saliba v Chadderdon, circuit court, Cheboygan County.

In the past, this lawsuit would have been barred by old Michigan precedents that state courts will not settle intra-party disputes. However, that has changed, because on February 27, 2024, another Michigan trial court did adjudicate the intra-party dispute in the Republican Party, and enjoined one set of officers from claing to be the actual officers. That case, which is ongoing, is Pego v Karamo.

Here is the Libertarian filing. Thanks to Third Party Watch for the link.

Georgia Opponents of Statewide Elections for Public Service Commissioner Ask U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Case

Voting rights activists in Georgia have been in court, trying to win a ruling that statewide elections for Public Service Commissioner, violate the federal Voting Rights Act, because they make it difficult for African-Americans to elect any candidates of their choice. They want district elections. The Commission has five members, and it would be easy to draw a majority Black district if there were district elections.

On March 24, they asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their appeal. Rose v Raffensperger, 23-1060. Here is their cert petition.