Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Will Be on the California Ballot
Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear on California ballots for the November election. The American Independent Party of California (AIP) nominated Kennedy and his vice-presidential running mate Nicole Shanahan this weekend at the AIP convention in Sacramento. The campaign confirmed it filed paperwork with California’s Secretary of State on Monday. This development marks a significant milestone in Kennedy's campaign, as California holds the largest number of electoral votes in the nation.
In his video statement on X, Kennedy said:
“We have to go forward as a community, as a nation, as a family. It turns out that when you speak from your heart the way that I did, that way, that the ripples extend outward and reach corners that you never expected. In this case, those ripples reached the American Independence Party of California and inspired in their new leadership the idea that they might want to participate in my campaign.
“Ironically, the American Independence Party was George Wallace’s old party, but it’s had its own rebirth even before I came along. It's been reborn as a party that represents not bigotry and hatred, rather compassion and unity and idealism and common sense.“
Kennedy's campaign has routinely criticized the traditional two-party system, which he describes as "corrupt" and "rigged." His shift from a Democratic contender to an independent candidate last year was aimed at challenging the status quo and offering an alternative to voters disillusioned with mainstream political options.
The American Independent Party is California’s third largest qualified political party, with over 835,000 registered voters in the state, according to AIP’s press release. Known for its conservative roots and once tied to segregationist ideologies, AIP has pivoted in recent years towards a platform that emphasizes personal freedoms, Constitutional liberties, and common-sense politics.
“I see a growing movement for independent politics everywhere I look,” said Joe Cook, Regional Field Director-West for the Kennedy campaign. “The American Independent Party of California has redefined its purpose and offers inspirational candidates a pathway to elected office outside the major parties. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the perfect candidate to embody this new shift to independent leaders that serve the common good.”
“The American Independent Party connects positive, visionary, and independent candidates with California voters,” said Victor Marani, AIP State Chairman. “We all deserve to find inspiration at the ballot box. Our party is pleased to provide the opportunity for all 22 million voters in California to vote for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for President. Voters crave a real leader who will unite America.”
The Kennedy campaign has been working to gain ballot access in all 50 states since January, when it launched the We the People party to get on the California ballot before the Super Tuesday primary election on March 5. The campaign sought to make it onto the California ballot with its We The People Party, but the California Secretary of State’s Office has been unable to qualify it as an official party. The Kennedy-Shanahan ticket has since collected enough signatures to get on the ballot in Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, and North Carolina.
April 29, 2024 status from Kennedy’s Ballot Access HQ page
California joins Utah and Michigan as the third state that the Kennedy-Shanahan ticket will appear on for the November election. The Kennedy campaign website features a Ballot Access HQ page that shows the progress the campaign is making on getting Kennedy on the ballot in each state.
In a three-way presidential race between Kennedy, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, 13% choose Kennedy, 39% are for Trump and 38% are for Biden, according to a Quinnipiac University poll taken March 21-25, 2024.
Click any image below to view the full PDF document. Both documents were obtained from the AIP website:
Press Release: “The American Independent Party Places Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for President on the California Ballot”
“Resolution to Appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Serve as the American Independent Party Candidate for President of the United States of America and Nicole Shanahan to Serve as Vice Presidential Candidate for the 2024 National General Election in California”
