Kanye West Qualifies As Write-In Presidential Candidate In Maryland

From Maryland Matters: By Bennett Leckrone

October 14, 2020

Kanye West has qualified as a write-in candidate for the presidential election in Maryland, state election officials confirmed Wednesday.

West’s name won’t be on the ballot, a spokesman for the State Board of Elections said, but write-in votes for the rapper and fashion designer will be tabulated. West filed his certificate of candidacy in Maryland on Wednesday and didn’t list a vice presidential candidate, the spokesman said.

The filing was first reported by The Washington Post.

West announced his candidacy in July, and will appear on the ballot in Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah. He’s also a write-in candidate in Delaware, according to Ballotpedia. In California, West is listed as a vice presidential candidate with presidential candidate Roque De La Fuente, a businessman who has run unsuccessfully for office several times.

His platform includes restoring prayer in schools, reforming police and the justice system and reducing student loan debt. He released his first campaign ad on Monday, in which he spoke about religion and urged voters to write him in when they cast their ballots. Some Democrats reportedly view his candidacy as a Republican effort to draw votes away from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. The New York Times reported that West denies that claim.

bleckrone@marylandmatters.org

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