Wisconsin GOP Pushes to Alter Ballot-Removal Law

Republican legislators in Wisconsin have proposed a bill allowing candidates to withdraw their names from election ballots, following an incident involving Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy attempted to rescind his name from the presidential ballot in Wisconsin and six other swing states after ending his independent campaign in August and endorsing Donald Trump. While Kennedy succeeded in Pennsylvania and other key states, Wisconsin law only permits removal of candidates if they die, one of the strictest policies in the nation.

The proposed bill would enable candidates to remove their names by submitting a formal declaration and paying a small fee to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. However, this change would not apply to major-party presidential candidates due to their unique selection process. To enact the measure, it must gain approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature and be signed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers, whose team has yet to comment.

Though Kennedy's attempts to alter the ballot in Wisconsin and Michigan were blocked by the US Supreme Court, Trump won in both states, with Kennedy capturing less than 0.5% of the vote. Trump has since nominated Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)