Kanye West Files To Run As Presidential Candidate In Wisconsin

MADISON, WI – Five independent candidates, among which is prominent rapper Kanye West, have filed signatures and paperwork with the Wisconsin Elections Commission to get their names on the ballot for President of the United States in the state for the Nov.3 general election.

West has filed as an independent candidate with Michelle Tidball as his running mate. They filed under the Birthday Party.

Under Wisconsin law, independent presidential candidates can get on the ballot by filing a minimum of 2,000 valid signatures of Wisconsin electors on nomination papers, as well as a Declaration of Candidacy form for both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

These candidates filed:

• Jo Jorgensen (Pres.) and Jeremy Spike Cohen (VP) - Libertarian Party
• Howie Hawkins (Pres.) and Angela Walker (VP) - Green Party
• Brian Carroll (Pres.) and Amar Patel (VP) - American Solidarity Party
• Kanye West (Pres.) and Michelle Tidball (VP) - BDY (The Birthday Party) Independent
• Kyle Kenley Kopitke (Pres.) and Taja Yvonne Iwanow (VP) – The Peoples Revolution

The Journal Sentinel's Dan Bice said he was impressed with how quickly West's campaign collected the necessary signatures. "It was a pretty impressive feat that West's campaign was able to submit as many signatures as it did by Tuesday's 5 p.m. deadline. His campaign filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission only 2 1/2 weeks ago."

West's campaign in Wisconsin is reportedly getting an assist from a prominent attorney who's working with the state GOP.

A Vice News report named Lane Ruhland as the person who dropped off the signatures with state regulators on Tuesday. "Ruhland is one of a handful of GOP election lawyers in the state — and a former legal counsel for the state Republican Party," the Vice News report stated.

According to the Wisconsin Election Commission, state staff will be reviewing the petitions in the coming days to determine whether the candidates meet all qualifications to get on the ballot.

As of Wednesday, all candidates are currently in pending status and have not yet been approved. Candidates for the Nov. 3 General Election will be certified by the WEC at a later date, officials said.