Kanye West misses South Carolina's presidential ballot deadline despite holding first campaign rally in state
Kanye West has reportedly missed the deadline in South Carolina to officially run for president in the 2020 election in November. Reports state that the rapper never even applied to make the ballot in the state where he held his first campaign rally over the weekend. Chris Whitmire, a spokesperson for the South Carolina Board of Elections, while speaking to reporter Ben Jacobs, said: "The petition deadline has passed for the 2020 general election and the state election commission did not receive a petition from Kanye West. There are no exceptions to the deadline."
Whitmire's remarks came hours after West held a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina on Sunday, July 19, nearly two weeks after announcing he was running for the 2020 presidential race. The rapper had taken to Twitter on the Fourth of July to write: "We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States! #2020VISION."
West, however, paid the required fee to make the ballot in Oklahoma last week. He also filled out Federal Election Commission paperwork to officially make a run for the White House. The fashion designer, according to the forms, is running as an independent for BDY, which stands for the Birthday Party. West, in an interview with Forbes, had explained the name of his political party, saying "when we win, it's everybody's birthday."
Regardless of his ballot listing in Oklahoma, the rapper would not be able to run for president in the state where he launched his first rally. The deadline for a petition application was Monday, July 20. The state deadline for the application had been reportedly extended by five days due to potential obstacles and restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"To be nominated by petition, a candidate must file a nominating petition containing the valid signatures of at least 5% of the active, registered voters in the geographical area the office represents," the South Carolina Election Commission website states.
West, during this North Charleston rally, had revealed that he and his wife Kim Kardashian West had considered having an abortion when she was pregnant with their first child North West. "Even if my wife were to divorce me after this speech, she brought North into this world, when I did not want to," he had said. The Kardashians were reportedly "shocked beyond words" after his revelation, according to TMZ.
Shortly after his presidency announcement earlier this month, critics had speculated that West — considering his late registration —may be running to split votes between the Republican Party nominee, Donald Trump, and his political rival former Vice President JoeBiden. The rapper's interview with Forbes, however, suggested that he is strongly anti-Biden and affiliated himself with the Republican party.
West also said that he "would have run as a Republican candidate if not for Trump", and now would have to resort to running as an independent. He also suggested that if he does not win the presidency this year, he will try for 2024. "Let’s see if the appointing is at 2020 or if it’s 2024—because God appoints the president. If I win in 2020 then it was God’s appointment. If I win in 2024 then that was God’s appointment.”