Kanye West has filed papers to appear as a presidential candidate on Minnesota's November ballot.
Kanye West files to appear on Minnesota's presidential ballot
Election officials have up to 10 days to determine whether the rapper qualified.
August 19, 2020 at 3:56PM
A spokeswoman for the Secretary of State's Office confirmed that representatives for the rapper submitted voter signatures in hopes of qualifying before Tuesday's filing deadline. Election officials have up to 10 days to review and verify the paperwork before finalizing the lineup.
West, who previously professed support for President Donald Trump, announced in July that he planned to run for the White House himself as an independent candidate.
Minnesota DFL Chair Ken Martin questioned the move in a statement Tuesday, calling it a "pathetic attempt to pull votes from Joe Biden and steal this election for Trump." He said the party is "reviewing all available options for defending the integrity of our elections."
An attorney who contacted the Secretary of State's office on the West campaign's behalf was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.
West has qualified for the ballot in Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah and elsewhere. Ballot status is under review in a number of swing states, including Ohio and Wisconsin.
The extent of West's campaign plans remain unclear. He is active on Twitter but has held few public events since filing with the Federal Election Commission. His wife, Kim Kardashian West, has posted on social media asking for "compassion and empathy" surrounding his bipolar disorder.
Still, some Democrats worry his presence could pull support from Biden.
West's bid has been aided by GOP operatives in a number of states. People collecting signatures for a West bid were reportedly spotted at Trump's campaign stop Tuesday in Mankato. The president has said he has "nothing to do with him getting on the ballot."
Candidates have filed on behalf of the Socialism and Liberation, Socialist Workers Party, Green Party and Libertarian tickets. At least one additional independent candidate had filed as of Tuesday's deadline.
Torey Van Oot • 651-925-5049
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