RICHMOND, Va. – From ’The College Dropout’ to presidential candidate, Kanye West has his sights set high this November — he’ll be on Virginia’s ballot as an independent running for president, but not without controversy.
According to the Washington Post, West’s campaign is facing allegations that some voters were deceived by signature gatherers working to get the rapper on the state’s ballot.
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In two signed affidavits submitted on Friday to the commonwealth’s election board by activists for the Democratic party, the Post reports that some registered voters say they were tricked into signing up as electors for West.
According to New York Magazine, seven out of 13 electors for West in Virginia say they weren’t aware of how their signature would be used. Electors are the people who would cast their votes for West in the Electoral College if he won Virginia.
Some electors have told the Post and New York Magazine they didn’t know they were electors for the West campaign until they were contacted by reporters.
One elector, Ilisa Stillman, asked the magazine, “Is this a joke?”
“Holy guacamole,” Stillman said when she was told that this was in fact not a joke. “I’m certainly not supporting Kanye West.”
One elector told the Post that he was approached while riding his bike, and didn’t find out he was an elector until he was contacted by the newspaper.
Another elector told New York Magazine that she was approached at a mall and asked to sign a petition just to get someone’s name on the ballot.
West is no stranger to campaign problems. He has been removed from the ballot in several states.
In Illinois, Montana and West Virginia, he was booted because he filed “an insufficient number of valid signatures,” according to the magazine. In Ohio, his information and signature on his nominating petition and statement of candidacy reportedly didn’t match petitions that were being circulated.