ALBANY, NY—AUGUST 14, 2024—Independent Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. today filed an appeal and informational statement of the New York ballot access case following Democratic Judge Christina L. Ryba’s partisan ruling against his residency in Albany on Monday. 

Here are statements regarding today’s filing of the appeal:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said:

“Judge Ryba’s ruling is an assault on New York voters who signed in record numbers to place me on their ballot. The Democratic Party is unrecognizable to me. The party of my father and uncle’s time was committed to expanding voters’ rights and understood that competition at the ballot box is an essential part of American Democracy. The DNC is now a party that uses lawfare in place of the democratic election process.”

Campaign Senior Counsel Paul A. Rossi said:

“The lower court judge in this case shockingly announced in open court that she intended to ignore whether the New York residency rules violated the federal Constitution. New York residency rules were passed to prevent state and local politicians from carpetbagging into legislative districts in which they do not reside. These rules have no application to presidential candidates because the entire nation is their electoral district — it is impossible for a presidential candidate to engage in the type of carpetbagging the New York residency rules aim to prevent in state elections. The Supreme Court held in Anderson v. Celebrezze that local election rules cannot be applied to deny presidential candidates ballot access in a national election.

“Just yesterday, the Democratic Party in Maine withdrew their challenge to Mr. Kennedy's use of his New York address on petitions in Maine, acknowledging it was the proper address to use. We look forward to resolving Mr. Kennedy's proper use of 84 Croton Lake Road as his address in a court willing to consider all legal arguments.”

Trial attorney William F. Savino of Woods Oviatt Gilman said:

“The Kennedy campaign filed its appeal today based on numerous arguments passed over by the trial court. The judge refused to address the unconstitutionality of New York placing higher restrictions on candidate residency than allowed by the 12th amendment, the absence of voter confusion, and Mr. Kennedy’s good faith use of his Katonah address based on his reliance on counsel.”

Kennedy has received more than 1 million signatures to put him on the ballot nationwide, more than any candidate in U.S. history. 

Kennedy announced last week that the campaign has collected enough signatures for ballot access in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Kennedy campaign has won every ballot access legal challenge across the country, including in Hawaii, Idaho, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Utah. 

Learn more at Kennedy24.com. Visit our press page here.

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