Kanye West qualifies as presidential candidate in Utah

FILE - Singer Kanye West watches the Los Angeles Lakers play the Utah Jazz during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, April 19, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. West has qualified to appear on Utah's ballot this November as an unaffiliated presidential candidate, an elections official said Aug. 17, 2020 | Photo by Mark J. Terrill, Associated Press, St. George News

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Rapper Kanye West has qualified to appear on Utah’s ballot this November as an unaffiliated presidential candidate, an elections official said Monday.

State Elections Director Justin Lee said his office has verified that West’s campaign gathered the necessary 1,000 signatures from registered voters required to appear on the ballot.

West, who once backed Republican President Donald Trump, announced last month that he had broken with Trump and would launch his own presidential bid. His campaign filed paperwork on July 15 with the Federal Election Commission.

West has so far qualified in several states including Arkansas, Oklahoma and Colorado. His effort to get on the ballot has been challenged in Wisconsin.

Written by SOPHIA EPPOLITO, Associated Press/Report for America.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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