Michigan’s presidential ballot circus has hit a new level of absurdity. Friday’s statutory deadline for finalizing the Michigan ballot? Pfft, just a suggestion if you’re Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson who will do whatever it take to drag VP Kamala Harris over the presidential finish line. While clerks wait with bated breath (and maybe a few aspirin), the Secretary of State seems more focused on her partisan battles than sticking to her own deadlines.
Who’s in? Who’s out? Who knows?
The latest episode of “Benson’s Ballot Bingo” features a revolving cast of characters, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doing his best Houdini impression – desperately trying to vanish from the Michigan ballot. Kennedy suspended his independent campaign, endorsed Trump, and practically begged to be taken off the list, but the Michigan Bureau of Elections, under Benson’s guidance, stubbornly refused. Their reasoning? Kennedy qualified as the nominee for the Natural Law Party, which had a convention and nominated him, so sorry, pal, you’re stuck.
The Michigan Court of Appeals disagreed on Friday, ruling that the state laws Benson’s office cited didn’t even apply to Kennedy. Naturally, Benson wasn’t about to let that ruling go without a fight, firing off an emergency appeal faster than you can say “bureaucratic mess.” But hey, don’t worry, she says, the ballots haven’t been printed yet, so who cares about deadlines?
Cornel West’s debut on the dance floor?
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Meanwhile, Cornel West, the philosopher and civil rights activist polling around a staggering 1% might get to keep his spot. Both the Michigan Court of Claims and the Court of Appeals decided West’s alleged affidavit issues were irrelevant, much to the Bureau’s annoyance. She’s not fighting that decision though; however, another party, which is represented by Mark Brewer, a former Michigan Democratic Chair, is appealing that one.
Confirmed characters and the unending legal limbo.
What do we know for sure? Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are definitely on the Michigan ballot. Jill Stein, Chase Oliver, and Randall Terry are also in the mix, alongside Socialist Equality Party candidate Joseph Kishore.
As for Benson, she’s not backing down on the Kennedy fight. Her lawyers have branded the appellate court’s ruling as “erroneous”, claiming Kennedy’s delays alone should disqualify his request. But since the Michigan Supreme Court is full of Democrats, I predict that they will take up both cases and will do Benson’s bidding and leave Kennedy on the ballot (and take West off) if they think it will help Harris get some more votes than Orange Man Bad.
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