Mark Robinson can still drop out of the race for NC governor: Here is what would happen. [View all]

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

The ballot won’t change: Ballots started going out Friday morning to overseas and military voters. So Thursday would’ve been the last chance for Republican officials to go to court to try stopping those ballots — potentially buying at least a few days to find a replacement. Robinson didn’t ask to be removed, nor did the party. The fact they didn’t take that step indicates GOP leaders take Robinson at his word that he will stay in the race.

Ballots and the start of mail-in voting were already delayed once by the Republican-led state Supreme Court, in response to a GOP-backed lawsuit seeking to get ex-presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name off the ballot after Kennedy endorsed Trump.

Robinson can still drop out, despite ballots: Even though the ballots won’t change no matter what, Robinson still can technically drop out of the race if he chooses. Under state law, it would be up to the executive committee of the North Carolina Republican Party to pick a replacement candidate. Party insiders say that committee is made up of several hundred GOP leaders and activists from across the state.

Votes transferred to replacement candidate: If state Republican Party leaders name a new nominee, they’d find themselves needing to convince voters that casting a vote for Robinson on the ballot this year wouldn’t actually go to Robinson, but rather to the replacement candidate. Such strategies are extremely rare, typically used in cases where a candidate dies shortly before an election.

No coming back, if you drop out: In a case where the person named on the ballot is still alive but has dropped out and been replaced by their party, state law says that person couldn’t try to claim the votes for themselves after the election.

https://www.wral.com/story/what-happens-if-mark-robinson-drops-out-of-nc-governor-s-race/21634665/