Kanye West’s Name to Appear on Kentucky Ballots

By M.G. Alison. First Posted: Sep 29, 2020 12:53 PM EDT

Kanye West will have his name appear on the election ballots, sample, and mail-in, of Kentucky as an independent presidential candidate for the November 3 general election.

This development in Kanye West's bid to become the 46th president of the U.S. was confirmed by the office of the Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams.

Early this month, Adams said that his office reviewed about 19,000 signatures on the rapper's petition, which was needed for his name to appear on the ballots.

Kentucky has eight electoral votes. The U.S. presidency is decided by electoral college votes and not by popular votes.

Besides Kentucky, West was also qualified to have his name placed on the ballots in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Utah, Idaho, Tennessee, and Iowa.

He was denied in Ohio, Wisconsin, Montana, and West Virginia, among other states.

Kanye West had announced that he was running for U.S. president's position on July 4 via his Twitter account. However, he missed the deadline for filing a petition for his name to be carried on the ballots.

The music producer's eleventh-hour decision to join the U.S. presidential race left him with little time to gather signatures for his petition.

West's running mate is Michelle Tidball, a preacher in Wyoming where West also owns a ranch. He, however, has not qualified to have his name on the Wyoming ballots.

The Democrats had been worried about West's presidential bid claiming that his running is a tactic of the Republicans to take away votes from their presidential candidate Joe Biden.

West had previously pledged his support for President Donald Trump, who is bidding for a second term at the White House.

While Kanye West may never get to sit at the Oval Office of the White House, Democrat pollster Terrance Woodbury said that the rapper could garner enough votes to determine the November 3 general election outcome. The presidential race has tightened up as the election nears.

According to strategists, any third-party candidate will pose a risk in a tight election, especially when they are popular and have a nationwide fanbase.

West has loaned $6.7 million to fund his presidential campaign.

While Trump's campaign has denied any involvement with Kanye West's presidential bid, it has been noted that GOP operatives are assisting him in his campaigns. Some of them are even helping him get his name into the ballots.

West himself has admitted that his presidential bid will take votes away from Biden.

The Democrats are worried about West's influence among the young Black Americans that he could make them vote for him instead of Biden.

The Collective PAC founder and president, Quentin James, said that he thinks the Republicans are using Kanye West.

James said that it is sad and wished West the best to get his mental health under control, referring to the rapper's bipolar disorder.

James added that while they want Black voters and their voices are heard at the ballot box, it will not be by voting for Kanye West.