Kanye West files petition to appear on the presidential ballot in Kentucky
Kentuckians will likely find Kanye West on the ballot for president this November.
In order to get on the ballot, the rapper and producer’s campaign needed to file before 4 p.m. Friday, pay $500 and have a petition with at least 5,000 signatures.
Surrogates for West’s campaign dropped off the petition Friday claiming they had 19,000 signatures, said Miranda Combs, the communications director for the Office of the Secretary of State. Officials were still counting the signatures as of 3:00 p.m.
If there are enough valid signatures, West will be one of six names Kentuckians can vote for in the presidential race on November 3rd.
West announced his candidacy on Twitter on July 4th and didn’t seek the nomination for either major political party, instead choosing to run as an independent candidate with Michelle Tidball, a preacher from Wyoming, as his vice presidential candidate.
He has qualified to appear on the ballot in 10 states, but missed the ballot deadline in 28 states. His petitions to get on the ballot in key swing states, such as Wisconsin, Ohio and Virginia, have been denied. On Thursday, he was barred from appearing on the ballot in Arizona, another key swing state.
There have been reports that Republicans are trying to boost West’s campaign under the theory that his popularity as a musician would draw young supporters from former Vice President Joe Biden. The New York Times reported that West met with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, in Colorado.
There is little evidence that shows young voters are supporting West and his candidacy is widely being treated as a publicity stunt.
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 3:38 PM.
