New law allows candidates to remove name from Wisconsin ballot
Madison, WI —Wisconsin’s “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Act” is now law. The bipartisan Act, authored by State Representative David Steffen (R-Howard) and State Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) creates a process for various candidates at the state and federal levels to withdraw their candidacy if they have suspended their campaign. Under this new law, candidates wishing to withdraw need to meet a clear set of requirements.
“Wisconsin has now joined the vast majority of other states that have a pathway in place for candidates to remove their name from the ballot. The suspension of RFK Jr.’s campaign during the 2024 presidential election brought to light the absence of such a pathway in Wisconsin. This important Act recognizes real-world circumstances that impact a candidate’s campaign and ultimately will reduce unnecessary voter confusion. This is a win for Wisconsin voters,” said Rep. Steffen.
The law creates a clear timeline and set of requirements for candidates to meet in the event that they no longer want their name to appear on the ballot. A candidate is required to submit a sworn and verified statement to the Wisconsin Elections Commission attesting that they are withdrawing their candidacy. They must also adhere to a strict deadline when filing this statement and must pay a processing fee for this service.
“I’m glad Governor Evers disagreed with Senate Democrats and signed this bill. We should not have people on the ballot that don’t want to be there. Too often, people become frustrated by bureaucracy in Madison and unreasonable rules and laws that just don’t make sense. Luckily, with the RFK Jr. Act, common sense prevailed, and we were able to make this reasonable change putting us in line with 47 other states.”
The enacted legislation is now 2025 Act 43.
For more information please contact the offices of State Representative David Steffen at Rep.Steffen@legis.wisconsin.gov or (608)237-9104 or State Senator Van Wanggaard at Sen.Wanggaard@legis.wisconsin.gov or (608)266-1832.
