The North Carolina Democratic Party is suing the State Board of Elections in an effort to stop the We The People Party—and thus presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—from appearing on the state ballot later this year.
According to CBS 17, which states it received a copy of the lawsuit last Friday, the North Carolina Democratic Party argues that the We The People Party was established as a way to reduce the number of signatures Kennedy needed to appear on the state ballot. The number of signatures required for a new party to qualify for the ballot is less than one-sixth of the number required for independent candidates.
News of the lawsuit is not entirely surprising. When the North Carolina State Board of Elections met earlier this month to discuss whether to approve the We The People Party, associated with the campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the Justice For All Party, associated with the campaign of Dr. Cornel West, board chair Alex Hirsch, upon approving the We The People Party petitions, openly invited future legal challenges to Kennedy’s candidacy if proof that the candidate used the party line to circumvent signature requirements existed.
“I am going to reluctantly vote to recognize We The People, even though I believe there has been subterfuge,” Hirsch said at the time, adding: “If someone wants to challenge that in court, they are welcome to do so. I think they have a good case.”
Voter suppression, Democrat style.