The Supreme Court rejected an emergency request to include Green Party candidate Jill Stein on Nevada’s presidential ballot, potentially benefiting Vice President Kamala Harris in the closely divided state. Polls show Harris and former President Donald Trump are essentially tied in Nevada, and Stein’s presence on the ballot could have pulled votes from Harris. The Nevada Democrats challenged Stein’s eligibility, claiming she hadn’t followed ballot access rules, leading to the case being taken to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Lawyer Jay Sekulow represented the Green Party and argued that keeping Stein off the ballot was unfair and robbed Nevadans of their chance to vote for her. However, Democrats and the Nevada Secretary of State argued that time had run out as ballots were already being printed. The Supreme Court did not provide an explanation for their decision.
The legal dispute revolved around errors in paperwork submitted by the Green Party for ballot access, leading to the Nevada Supreme Court ruling against Stein. The majority opinion stated that the Green Party had a duty to comply with the legal requirements, even though they were misled by a secretary of state employee. Two justices dissented, stating that the party had shown substantial compliance and that the majority’s decision was unjust.
Overall, the decision not to include Stein on the ballot could impact the closely contested race in Nevada between Harris and Trump. However, with a “None of These Candidates” option available and historical trends showing decreased support for third-party candidates on Election Day, the absence of Stein on the ballot may not have a significant impact on the final outcome.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com