Kanye West Files Appeal To Get Back On Virginia Presidential Ballot

Kanye West has reportedly filed an appeal to have his name put back on the ballot for the 2020 Presidential Election in Virginia.

West filed an appeal with the Virginia Supreme Court on behalf of himself and "Kanye 2020," which was obtained by WAVY.com. The rapper, who is running for president as an Independent candidate, has also hired two new lawyers, Trevor Stanley and Mark Braden, for his appeal, both of whom have "extensive ties to the Republican Party," Charlotte Gomer, a spokesperson for Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, told WAVY.

Last week, a judge ordered the Virginia State Board of Elections to not print the rapper's name on the November presidential ballot, one day after Attorney General Herring filed a lawsuit to block West from being added to the ballot, WAVY reports. An independent candidate for president must file petitions with 5,000 signatures of registered voters, including 200 from each congressional district and include 13 Electoral Oaths in order to qualify for the presidential ballot in Virginia.

The Richmond judge ruled that 11 of the 13 required Elector Oaths obtained by West's campaign were "improper, fraudulent and/or misleading" on September 3, according to WAVY.

The Virginia Beach Registrars Office confirmed to WAVY that it had already sent ballots to the printer last week, but stopped after the judge's decision was made and are now removing West's name from the ballots. A judge has also prohibited West from appearing on the 2020 presidential ballot in Arizona.

The rapper has already qualified to appear on the presidential ballot in several other states including Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Tennessee and Utah, but failed to qualify in Ohio, Montana, West Virginia, Wisconsin and several others in which filed lawsuits are pending.

West announced his decision to run for president in July and said he was running on a "Birthday Party" ticket.

Photo: Getty Images