RICHMOND, Va. - A group of Virginia voters and citizens are planning to file a lawsuit to challenge Kanye West's certification of candidacy after the Department of Elections says that West has qualified for the Commonwealth's ballot.
West will appear on the November ballot as part of the Independent party. His running mate is listed as Michelle Tidball, a personal life and spiritual coach.
The VDOE website says in order to appear on Virginia’s ballot as an independent, candidates must gather petition signatures from 5,000 qualified Virginia voters and receive a pledge and notarized oath from 13 electors.
Newport News Public Schools teacher, Matthan Wilson, who was listed as an elector on West’s paperwork, says he was unaware of his status as an elector. Wilson says he does not intend to fill that role for West’s campaign.
“Legitimate candidates for President and Vice President would have no difficulty locating 13 Virginians willing to serve as their electors. Instead, Mr. West or those working on his behalf resorted to deception to falsely represent that he had obtained the support of the requisite number of electors," Wilson added. This undercuts the democratic process to be tricked into doing something you would not do freely. Virginia law bars such conduct, and Mr. West’s candidacy should not have been certified. That will be the basis of the litigation.”
The group of voters who plan to file the lawsuit include:
- Matthan Wilson
- Mamie Locke
- Anton Bell
- Lance Jones
- Claudya Cohen
- Dee Minor
- Gaylene Kanoyton
- Cyliene Montgomery
- Taikein Cooper
- Paul Berry
- Carole Lieber
