Stay ahead of the curve as a political insider with deep policy analysis, daily briefings and policy-shaping tools.
Request a Demo![Robert Kennedy, Jr. speaks during his Independence Tour in Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky + Ohio.](https://stateaffairs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Robert-Kennedy-Jr-FB.png)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a 2023 campaign event. (Credit: Team Kennedy)
- County election offices certified nearly 39,000 petition signatures as of Tuesday for Kennedy ballot placement of the required 36,943
- Kennedy’s campaign faces July 15 deadline to submit enough petition signatures to the state Election Division
- Trump campaign’s Indiana director not worried about Kennedy threatening Trump’s hold on Indiana’s electoral votes
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is another step closer to becoming the first independent presidential candidate on Indiana’s election ballot in over two decades.
County election officials have certified enough petition signatures from Kennedy’s presidential campaign for his name to appear on the November ballot.
The Kennedy campaign must still file the petitions with the state Election Division by July 15, but unofficial tallies submitted by county offices show the signatures of nearly 39,000 registered voters had been certified as of Tuesday morning.
State law requires at least 36,943 certified signatures for independent and minor-party candidates to qualify for the statewide ballot.
Kennedy’s campaign says it has met the requirements for his name to appear on the ballot in at least 27 other states, although not all have affirmed ballot placement. His campaign says it has an aggressive ballot access operation with a $15 million budget aimed at getting Kennedy on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Kennedy is seeking to join presumptive Democratic and Republican candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump, respectively, and Libertarian Chase Oliver on the Indiana presidential ballot.
County officials had certified about 17,000 petition signatures from Green Party candidate Jill Stein, according to Tuesday’s report from the state Election Division.
The Kennedy campaign’s national media staff didn’t reply to messages from State Affairs seeking comment on its Indiana effort.
Carlin Yoder, a former state senator who is the Trump campaign’s state director, said he had no concerns about Kennedy threatening Trump’s hold on Indiana’s electoral votes.
“This is Trump country in Indiana — our polling numbers look outstanding, with or without RFK,” Yoder told State Affairs. “Trump is going to win and he’s going to win handily here, and it doesn’t really slow us down at all to have him on the ballot.”
State Election Division officials will count the Kennedy petition signatures to ensure there are enough, said Angela Nussmeyer, the division’s co-director.
Any registered voter or Republican or Democratic county chair could challenge whether the filing meets legal requirements by Aug. 23, which would lead to a state Election Commission hearing, Nussmeyer said.
Yoder said he doubted the Trump campaign would get involved with any effort to keep Kennedy off the Indiana ballot.
“We look at everything,” Yoder said. “We want to make sure everything is done fairly and aboveboard, but I have no reason at this point to question that.”
Kennedy would be the first independent candidate to make Indiana’s statewide ballot since Patrick Buchanan’s 2000 presidential campaign.
Libertarian Party candidates have automatically qualified for the Indiana ballot since 1994, with the party’s secretary of state nominee topping the state law requirement of 2% of the vote in that race every four years.
Tom Davies is a Statehouse reporter for State Affairs Pro Indiana. Reach him at [email protected] or on X at @TomDaviesIND.
Know the most important news affecting Indiana
Get our free weekly newsletter that covers government, policy and politics that impact your everyday life—in 5 minutes or less.
Kennedy remains on Indiana ballot despite suspending campaign
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name will remain on Indiana’s presidential ballot despite his announcement Friday that he has suspended his independent campaign and endorsed Donald Trump. Candidates faced a July 15 deadline to remove their names from the Indiana ballot — and a noon Friday deadline passed without any voters filing a challenge to Kennedy …
Indiana State Fair attendance jumps even with fewer days
A shorter schedule didn’t mean fewer people through the gates of this year’s Indiana State Fair. Officials announced Friday the fair drew 854,236 people over its 15-day run of fried food, farm animals, midway rides and entertainers that ended Sunday. That attendance mark was up 13,822, or 1.6%, from the 2023 crowds even though the …
‘Wonderful’ and ‘scary’: Legislative task force begins to study AI
A computer program that can monitor prison security cameras for signs of misconduct. A knowledgeable voice that explains to Hoosiers how to register a car or apply for a marriage license. A way for state agencies to communicate with constituents instantly in any language. These are not chapters in a science fiction book. They are …
3 gubernatorial candidates, 3 property tax plans. What would each do?
Property taxes are on the rise in Indiana, and three candidates vying to be the state’s next governor have now proposed greatly differing strategies for lowering Hoosiers’ bills. Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Braun has pushed for increased homestead deductions for owner-occupied homes in a plan that critics say would sap local governments and school districts …