Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. waves to a group of supporters as he arrives at the Albany County Courthouse in Albany, N.Y., on Wednesday. A Topsham man has withdrawn his formal challenge to Kennedy appearing on Maine’s presidential ballot. Hans Pennink/Associated Press

A Topsham man this week withdrew his formal challenge to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appearing on Maine’s presidential ballot.

James Stretch, who filed the challenge last Thursday, did not provide a reason for withdrawing the complaint in an Aug. 12 letter to Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. Stretch would not explain his decision when reached Tuesday by the Press Herald. His attorney, David Kallin, could not be immediately reached for additional information.

Wednesday morning’s hearing on the complaint was canceled. A hearing is still scheduled to take place Wednesday afternoon on two challenges to former Harvard Professor Cornel West’s candidacy.

Stretch, who served as the Maine director of President Biden’s 2020 campaign, had challenged Kennedy’s qualifications on 19 counts, including one argument that he should be disqualified for turning in too many signatures for the state to review. He also argued that many of the signatures violate statutory requirements, including signatures from unregistered voters and missing notary stamps. And he said the petition did not list Kennedy’s correct home address.

The challenges appear to be part of a nationwide effort by Clear Choice Action, a group led by Biden allies, to prevent a third-party spoiler in what is expected to be a very tight presidential race. The Washington Post reported the group planned to “develop research and push storylines in the media” to discourage people from voting for third-party candidates.

Clear Choice Action told the Press Herald last week that it planned to file the challenges.

Similar challenges have been filed in Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois.

On Monday, a New York court ruled that Kennedy could not appear on the ballot because he listed New York as his official residency when he actually lives in California. Kennedy is expected to appeal.

West’s candidacy is facing two challenges based on allegations about his nomination petitions.

Cornel West. Andrew Harnik/Associated Press, file

Portland resident Nathan Berger lists 16 specific challenges, including that the West campaign exceeded the maximum signature limit by 983 signatures, while also claiming that thousands of those signatures violate state statute.

And Anne Gass, of Gray, and Sandra Marquis, of Lewiston, accused the West campaign of defrauding voters by telling them the nominating petitions were to prevent “improper financial dealings by members of Congress and address corporate corruption.”

A spokesperson for West’s campaign denied any wrongdoing and expressed confidence that the candidate would withstand the challenge.

“The group challenging our petition is evidently driven by partisan interest,” West spokesperson Edwin DeJesus said in an email to the Press Herald on Monday. “We firmly reject their baseless claims. These allegations serve only to distract and divide. We believe in the power of ordinary working people to unite and reclaim our democracy from the grip of an oligarchy dominated by both major parties.”

It’s unclear what impact Kennedy and West might have in the election in Maine, which is one of two states that award one Electoral College vote to the winner in each of the state’s two congressional districts and two electoral votes to the statewide winner.

A poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center in July found 4% of Maine respondents said they planned to vote for Kennedy and 1% for West, compared to 48% for Vice President Kamala Harris and 40% for former President Donald Trump. The Pine Street State Poll found about 4% of those surveyed were undecided.

Maine also uses ranked choice voting for federal offices, including the presidency, which reduces the impact of third-party candidates.