Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has gained access to the ballot in Utah, he announced during a press conference at the state Capitol Wednesday.

Kennedy thanked dozens of volunteers in Utah for braving temperatures and sacrificing time during the holiday to collect signatures from 14 different counties in Utah.

"Utah has once again shown that it is the pioneer state," he said. "It is the first of 50 states and the District of Columbia where we are going to register and get on the ballot."

Joe Cook, a Lehi resident and Brigham Young University alum who led the signature gathering efforts in Utah, said the effort grew from only a dozen volunteers to around 100.

"Many voters who signed the petitions were thrilled to hear a message that unites us rather than divides us," Cook said.