Kanye West Will NOT Be On Wisconsin Ballot Because He Missed The Deadline
Kanye West Will NOT Be On Wisconsin Ballot Because He Missed The Deadline
Kanye West’s name will not be on the ballot in Wisconsin this November.
The Elections Commission in the midwestern state voted 5-1 against having his name appear as a presidential candidate because he filed too late. The deadline to submit his nomination papers was Aug. 4 at 5 p.m. It’s not clear what time he actually filed, but the Elections Commission disagreed with Kanye West’s lawyer that he had until 5:01 p.m.
A lawyer for Wisconsin’s Democratic Party, Jeffrey Mandell, said state law requires nomination papers to be filed “not later” than 5 pm., so Kanye West’s documents “cannot be allowed.”
Republican Commissioner Dean Knudson added,
“Five o’clock is five o’clock. Maybe I’m just common sense and not a lawyer.”
Kanye West doesn’t seem too bothered as he celebrated the ballots he did make it on via Twitter Friday (Aug. 21st).
This isn’t the first hiccup Kanye West has seen in his presidential run in Wisconsin. Officials previously challenged signatures like “Mickey Mouse” and “Bernie Sanders” that were on his qualifying documents for the state.
A complaint filed against the Chicago native reads:
“Several signatories signed the nomination papers with obviously fake names. It is impossible to verify whether someone who provides a fake name is an elector who is eligible to sign a candidate’s nomination papers. Therefore, all such signatures must be stricken.”
But Kanye West’s lawyers challenged this and said:
“A complainant cannot simply raise an issue, with little or no evidence, and shift the burden to the candidate to prove validity–which is what Complainant attempts to do here. As such, and purported challenges, with little or no supporting evidence, should be dismissed.”
“People of color have long been marginalized in this country. In seeking to remove Kanye West from the ballot and silence the voices of those who signed to place him, the Complainants are continuing this marginalisation simply because Mr. West’s views and perspectives on issues do not conform with theirs and those of the party they represent.”
The complaint wanted to remove close to 300 signatures.
He first announced his run for president via Twitter on the 4th of July, later stating he was running under “The Birthday Party.”
What do you think about Kanye not being on the ballot in Wisconsin? Comment and let us know!