CBS News
RFK Jr.’s ballot signatures could be invalid in Nevada without VP
With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. set to unveil his running mate on Tuesday, an unforeseen hiccup has emerged in Nevada, complicating the long-shot independent’s path to gaining ballot access in the Silver State.
Kennedy’s vice presidential pick comes as he needs a running mate to qualify for the ballot in multiple states. And despite the campaign’s announcement earlier this month celebrating amassing 15,000 signatures in Nevada, which exceeds what’s needed to get on the ballot in November, the campaign could be forced to start its signature collection from scratch in the state because it failed to name a running mate when it filed Kennedy’s petition, according to documents filed by Kennedy.
Nevada’s presidential candidate’s guide states that independent candidate petitions must include both the presidential and vice presidential candidates’ names on the petition in order to be valid, the Nevada secretary of state’s office confirmed.
Documents requested from the Nevada office revealed that Kennedy only names himself on the petition, in violation of the rules and rendering the signatures collected in the state by his campaign void.
While this setback pushes him one step further from his goal of securing a spot on the ballot in all 50 states, the campaign still has time to collect new signatures, once Kennedy’s running mate is named Tuesday. The deadline to file the petition in Nevada is Aug. 7.
Kennedy’s campaign said it had not yet submitted the signatures to the Nevada office.
The campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
Where is Kennedy on the ballot?
The only state that has confirmed Kennedy is on the ballot is Utah. Every state has different laws for an independent candidate to get on the ballot, making it one of the most difficult parts of the campaign for a candidate who is not from a major party.
Emily Elconin / Getty Images
In New Hampshire, independent candidates need to submit a Declaration of Intent during the filing period in June before submitting at least 3,000 signatures to the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office.
The Office of Elections in Hawaii confirmed that Kennedy supporters have collected enough signatures to establish the “We The People” party, which can then name Kennedy as its presidential nominee on the ballot. New Hampshire and Hawaii as well require a vice-presidential candidate be named before Kennedy can gain ballot access in either state.
It’s unclear if signatures collected in other states that require named running mates for independent presidential candidates to gain ballot access will also be impacted.
The super PAC supporting Kennedy, American Values 2024, has helped collect signatures for ballot access and said in December that it planned to spend $10 million to $15 million on the effort. But in February, the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Kennedy’s independent presidential campaign and the super PAC supporting him, American Values 2024, alleging the two were illegally colluding on ballot access for Kennedy.
American Values 2024 said that it would stop collecting signatures for ballot access on his behalf after it said it had met the signature thresholds in Arizona, Michigan, Georgia and South Carolina.
The PAC is now redirecting its efforts in an attempt to counteract Democratic and Republican efforts to weaken third-party campaigns.
“Given the campaign’s success, we are no longer collecting signatures in any additional states, and will continue to fight the [Democratic National Committee] or [Republican National Committee] when they try to interfere with the constitutional right of American voters who overwhelmingly want independent candidates on the ballot,” the PAC said in a press release earlier this month.
The Nevada secretary of state’s office said that on March 7 — two days after Kennedy announced his campaign had reached the signature threshold — it sent a memo to all independent presidential candidates petitioning for ballot access that explicitly stated their filings with the office had to consist of “a declaration of candidacy and a petition of candidacy, in which the person must also designate a nominee for Vice President.”
For the major parties, the vice presidential candidate is traditionally announced close to the nominating conventions, and the presidential and vice presidential nominees formally accept the nomination of their parties at the convention. The Democratic National Convention will be held Aug. 19-24, and the Republican National Convention is taking place July 15-18.
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CBS News
$100 million in federal funds released for North Carolina to rebuild roads, bridges damaged by Helene
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation released $100 million in emergency funds on Saturday for North Carolina to rebuild its roads and bridges damaged by Helene.
“We are providing this initial round of funding so there’s no delay getting roads repaired and reopened, and re-establishing critical routes,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement. “The Biden-Harris administration will be with North Carolina every step of the way, and today’s emergency funding to help get transportation networks back up and running safely will be followed by additional federal resources.”
The storm caused rampant flooding that has devastated several towns and killed more than 225 people – with CBS News confirming at least 114 people killed in North Carolina. There was more than 8 inches of rain across the western North Carolina mountains, with some areas seeing more than a foot.
Hundreds of roads across Western North Carolina remain closed, leading to an increase in air traffic as teams scour the region for survivors by air. Air traffic over Western North Carolina has increased by 300% due to relief efforts since the storm cleared, the Federal Aviation Administration and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Mudslides blocked Interstate 40 and other highways in North Carolina and about 400 roads were closed due to damage from Helene. Interstate 40 was damaged at several locations, the Department of Transportation said.
President Biden visited the Carolinas on Wednesday, surveying the flood damage by air from Greenville, South Carolina, to Asheville, North Carolina. Mr. Biden announced the federal government would cover “100%” of all debris removal and emergency protective measure costs in North Carolina for six months.
The Department of Transportation said these relief funds will allow the North Carolina Department of Transportation to act more quickly to fund eligible repairs to their damaged facilities.
Li Cohen and
contributed to this report.
CBS News
Tropical Storm Milton forms in Gulf; forecast to strengthen into hurricane headed toward Florida
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane headed toward Florida with possible impacts to its western coast, the National Hurricane Center said on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are expected to be at 40 mph with higher gusts and Milton is currently moving north-northeast, NHC said in an advisory.
Milton is forecast to undergo a period of rapid intensification before it makes landfall as a Category 2 hurricane across Florida’s west coast, CBS News Miami reported.
The forecast comes a little more than a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and across the Southeast, killing more than 200 people and causing immense destruction. President Biden on Thursday took an aerial tour of Florida’s Big Bend where Helene struck as a Category 4 storm. Hundreds of people are still missing and Mr. Biden said the work to rebuild will cost “billions of dollars” as communities suffer still without power, running water and passable roads.
NOAA
Milton is forecast to move across the southwestern Gulf of Mexico through Sunday night then across the south-central Gulf on Monday and Tuesday before reaching Florida’s west coast by the middle of the week, NHC said. Heavy rain is possible in the region starting Sunday into Monday, CBS Miami reported, and more rain and heavy winds will most likely arrive on Wednesday. Hurricane and storm surge watches will most likely be required for portions of Florida starting Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Along with the heavy rainfall, the hurricane center said to expect risks of flooding.
Residents in the area should ensure they have a hurricane plan in place, the National Hurricane Center said, follow the advice of local officials and check back for forecast updates.
