Kanye West will appear on the Oklahoma presidential ballot after filing the necessary paperwork, but confusion remained on Wednesday as to whether the rap superstar was still on the run amid reports that he was wrapping up his short-lived campaign. .
A representative for West submitted the necessary paperwork and paid the $ 35,000 fee to run as an independent candidate Wednesday afternoon, which was the deadline for a spot on the November 3 Oklahoma presidential ballot, the spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Board of Elections, Misha Mohr. She was one of three independent presidential candidates who paid the filing fee before the deadline, she added. The others were concert pianist Jade Simmons and crypto businessman Brock Pierce.
The presentation came a day after New York magazine’s Intelligencer quoted West adviser Steve Kramer as saying “he’s out” and that the staff he had hired were disappointed.
However, TMZ reported that the West campaign had submitted a “Statement of Organization” on Wednesday to the Federal Election Commission, claiming that a Kanye 2020 committee would serve as the main campaign committee for a West candidacy.
West has no longer met the deadline to qualify for the ballot in several states, and it is unclear whether he is willing or able to collect enough signatures necessary to qualify in others. The requirements that candidates must meet to appear on presidential ballots also vary by state. In Oklahoma, candidates need to get 35,592 signatures or pay $ 35,000. In Colorado, where the application deadline is August 5, candidates must obtain 5,000 signatures or pay $ 1,000.
West, who is married to reality TV star Kim Kardashian West, announced his candidacy on July 4. “We must now deliver on America’s promise by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future,” West tweeted at the time. “I am running for President of the United States.”
West had previously praised Donald Trump, saying the two share “dragon energy”. However, West appeared to part ways with the president earlier this month in an interview with Forbes, saying he was “taking off his red hat,” a reference to Trump’s red Make Trump Great Again cap.
West, who said he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, told the magazine that he would model his White House in the fictional land of “Black Panther” if he won the presidency, adding “Let’s go back to Wakanda.”
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