WASHINGTON − On Friday, the Supreme Court turned down Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s request to be included on New York’s presidential ballot.

Kennedy halted his independent campaign in August and endorsed Donald Trump, yet he is still interested in receiving votes in non-competitive states while seeking to withdraw from ballots in critical areas where he could potentially take support from Trump.

In an emergency appeal put forth this week, Kennedy argued to the Supreme Court that New York state judges were incorrect in disqualifying him due to a disagreement over his residence.

New York Attorney General Letitia James responded, stating that Kennedy’s appeal is “extraordinary and disruptive.”

James informed the court that tens of thousands of ballots already in circulation would need to be disregarded, even though “Kennedy is no longer pursuing the office for which he insists on the right to be on the ballot and is encouraging his followers to vote for another candidate.”

RFK Jr.’s questionable New York residence

Kennedy’s legal team contended that he was simply requesting to have his name on ballots that have not yet been printed.

As is typical with emergency petitions, the court did not provide a rationale for rejecting Kennedy’s application, and there were no dissenting opinions noted.

Just days before Kennedy halted his campaign, New York Judge Christina Ryba ruled that he had falsely claimed in his nominating paperwork that his “place of residence” was an address in Katonah, N.Y., situated outside New York City, where he rents a guest room, instead of his home in California, which he bought in 2021 after marrying “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actress Cheryl Hines in 2014.

In a 34-page ruling following a brief trial, Ryba stated that there was “clear and convincing credible evidence” that the New York address listed on the petition “was not Kennedy’s genuine and lawful residence, but merely a ‘sham’ address he utilized to maintain his voter registration and advance his political ambitions in this State.”

Kennedy’s attorneys informed the Supreme Court that Ryba “did not find anyone misled by the address, nor did she identify any state interests that were compromised by its use.”

Moreover, they argued that his suspension of the campaign should not affect the case because “a suspended campaign does not equate to a terminated campaign.”

“Whether to suspend a campaign or only show up on ballots in selected states is a question of political strategy and not legal matters,” they wrote. “The wisdom of such a strategy will be a topic of discussion among numerous political analysts, historians, and social media commentators.”

Upon halting his campaign, Kennedy stated that his name would remain on ballots, urging his supporters to vote for him in most states.

He did, however, express his intention to have his name removed from ballots in critical states “where my presence could spoil the election.”

Kennedy indicated that he wishes to avoid inadvertently giving the presidency to Democrats, “with whom I stand at odds on fundamental issues: censorship, war, and chronic illness.”