The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) voted 4-1 to approve the We The People Party as a political party, enabling Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to obtain ballot access in the November general election. 

Though the Democrat-majority board voted against certifying the party in several previous meetings, board members Alan Hirsch and Jeff Carmon flipped from their previous stance during a Tuesday morning meeting. Siobhan Millen remained opposed to certification of the We The People Party and accused the effort of being done solely to place RFK Jr. on the ballot.

Republican board member Kevin Lewis disagreed, saying the NCSBE doesn’t need to hunt for the definition of a political party, because the General Assembly already has. 

“As I read the statute, the definition is it’s just any group of voters who have filed the correct number of petitions, which in this case is 14,865. That’s what a political party is,” said Lewis. “I don’t think statutorily, there’s any issue with a party being formed for the sole purpose, or a purpose of just putting their preferred candidate on the ballot. It seems to me that’s the General Assembly’s policy.”

The approval comes amid growing national attention. State lawmakers plan to hold a hearing about the matter later this month, and members of Congress requested information on the decision to deny the third party despite both acquiring well over the required number of petition signatures.

Additionally, the Fair Election Fund launched a new ad campaign accusing the board of blocking North Carolinians’ voting rights. The watchdog group reportedly plans to spend $200,000 on digital ads and billboards targeting the three Democratic board members for blocking Biden’s competition from the ballot.

Republican board member Stacy Eggers IV condemned the ad and recognized the Democratic members for their service. 

“I am mindful there’s been a certain ad campaign around the Raleigh-Triad area targeting my Democratic colleagues, which I don’t believe is an appropriate way to proceed with discourse and things,” Eggers said. “So although I strongly disagree with the direction I think this vote is going, I do appreciate the service of my colleagues and and their thoughtful consideration of these issues.

The board subsequently rejected certifying the Justice for All Party, which aims to place Cornel West on the ballot. Board members lacked confidence in the legitimacy of the signatures and said there were troubling signs of their validity after reaching out to 250 people who signed the petition to verify their signature with the party.

With a total of 49 responses, 18 individuals said they did not sign, three people couldn’t recall signing, and roughly eight or nine were not told the purpose and intent of the party, as required by law.

“Given that 50% and more of these signatures are highly questionable, if that were applied to the total, it would bring them well below the requirement of signatures,” said Hirsch. “I have no confidence that the number of signatures here, required by statute, have been met.”

A spokesperson for Cornel West says the Justice for All Party is planning to file a federal lawsuit challenging the decision “as early as this week,” according to reports circulating. The North Carolina-targeted ad blitz from Fair Election Fund remains underway, with Doug Collins, Senior Advisor and Former US Representative from Georgia, calling it a ‘disgrace’ that the Board once again blocked Cornel West from the 2024 ballot. 

SEE ALSO: NCSBE rejection of third party ballot access slammed as ‘political hit job’ by dissenting board member

“Justice for All has submitted well over the number of petitions required,” said board member Kevin Lewis. “And if we don’t approve them as a new party in the State of North Carolina, based on talking to 49 people, I think that would be injustice for all.”

Senate Majority Leader Phil Berger condemned the “blatantly partisan process to deny a party ballot access” and said it’s exactly why a truly bipartisan board that isn’t beholden to a single political party is needed.

In a statement, Speaker of the House Tim Moore called it a “blatant attempt to bend the rules to insulate their own party’s nominee.” He echoed Berger’s call for a more balanced Board of Elections.