A New York State Supreme Court justice has ruled that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. falsely claimed New York residency on his nominating petitions, invalidating his efforts to appear on the state’s general election ballot. The judge’s decision, made on Aug. 12, stated that Kennedy actually resides in California with his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, and has been using addresses from friends and relatives in New York for voter registration purposes.
Justice Christina Ryba, in a 34-page ruling, noted that Kennedy’s pattern of using addresses in New York without physically residing there does not meet the requirements for residency under the Election Law. Kennedy, who is seeking to be on the ballot in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, plans to appeal the decision, criticizing the Democrats for trying to limit voters’ choices.
During the trial, Kennedy testified that he moved to California in 2014 to be with his wife and rents a room in New York from a friend, Barbara Moss. However, without evidence of physical presence at the Katonah address, Ryba deemed Kennedy’s claim of residency there as “immaterial.”
If the ruling stands, Kennedy will not be on the New York ballot, and it could lead to challenges in other states where he used a New York address for his candidacy. Despite gathering enough signatures to appear on ballots nationwide, the legal action in New York, supported by a political action committee, alleges that Kennedy misrepresented his residency status.
Kennedy’s campaign maintains that he submitted a record number of signatures in New York and had more than the required amount deemed valid by the State Board of Elections. His decision to run as an independent came after facing obstacles from the Democratic Party during his bid for the party’s nomination.
The DNC’s efforts to counter third-party candidates led Kennedy to seek an independent run, with the goal of providing voters with more choices. Despite the challenges, Kennedy remains determined to contest the election and offer voters an alternative to the major party candidates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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