North Carolina could miss mail-in ballot deadline after removing Kennedy from ballot

If election officials do miss the Sept. 21 deadline, they can apply for a waiver from the Defense Department. State officials are required to send the ballots out 45 days before the election.

By Misty Severi

Published: September 10, 2024 7:52pm

North Carolina election officials said on Tuesday that they are preparing to possibly miss the mail-in ballot deadline for sending ballots to military and overseas voters, after they were ordered to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the forms.

The North Carolina Supreme Court ordered Kennedy to be removed from the list of presidential contenders on Monday, after he formally suspended his presidential campaign last month and endorsed former President Donald Trump.

If election officials do miss the Sept. 21 deadline, they can apply for a waiver from the Defense Department, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. State officials are required to send the ballots out 45 days before the election.

“We will continue to consult with counties and ballot vendors to determine the feasible start date for distributing absentee ballots statewide, mindful of the goal to meet the 45-day federal deadline,” Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections, said in a statement.

“This decision imposes a tremendous hardship on our county boards, at an extremely busy time," she continued. "But our election officials are professionals, and I have no doubt we will rise to the challenge.”

Kennedy has sought to remove his name from multiple swing states ahead of the ballot deadlines, but has been ordered to stay on the ballot in Michigan and Wisconsin. He will be removed from Massachusetts' November ballot, the state's Secretary of State announced on Tuesday.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.