Rapper Kanye West’s bid to land a spot on the Ohio ballot as an independent was denied because of mismatched paperwork.
He will not appear on the ballot in the key swing state after the Ohio secretary of state’s office ruled that the signature and information on the original nominating petition and statement of candidacy submitted did not match the information on actual petitions that were handed to voters.
“A signature is the most basic form of authentication and an important, time-honored security measure to ensure that a candidate aspires to be on the ballot and that a voter is being asked to sign a legitimate petition,” Secretary of State Frank LaRose said. “There is no doubt that the West nominating petition and declaration of candidacy failed to meet the necessary threshold for certification.”
With Election Day less than 75 days away, West has successfully earned a spot on the ballot in Iowa, Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Vermont. His attempts to get on the ballot in Illinois, Montana, New Jersey, and Wisconsin have been rejected.
Critics have suggested that Republicans are working to get West on the ballot to snag votes away from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during the general election.
West’s paperwork to get on the ballot in Ohio was completed by an associate at the law firm Isaac Wiles, which is located in Columbus. In recent years, the firm has done work for the Ohio House Republicans. West showed support for President Trump following the 2016 election, including a meeting in the Oval Office during which he wore a “Make America Great Again” hat.
