A judge has barred Kanye West from appearing on the Nov. 3 ballot in Arizona, concluding that a voter who challenged his candidacy had shown he would probably prevail and had established the possibility of an irreparable harm if the rappers name were to appear on the ballot.
The ruling Thursday by Judge Scott McCoy said that the voter who challenged Wests bid in Arizona established that the relative hardships favor him. Putting West on the ballot would create confusion for voters, his lawyers argued.
The decision came a day after Wests campaign turned in nearly 58,000 nominating signatures, well over the 39,000 needed to appear on the Arizona ballot. Over the last 10 days, more than 120 people living in other states have registered in Arizona as paid signature gatherers for West, who announced his presidential campaign on July 4.
West has already qualified to appear on the ballot in several states, including Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Tennessee and Utah. He didnt qualify in Ohio, Montana, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and other states, though he has filed lawsuits challenging some of those decisions.
Earlier this week, Arizona resident Rasean Clayton filed a lawsuit for West to be barred from appearing on the ballot. The lawsuit accused the rapper of serving as an election spoiler and argued that state law barred him from running as an independent candidate because West is a registered Republican.
Wests lawyers said their clients status as a registered Republican in Wyoming was irrelevant to getting on the Arizona ballot. They said when West filed federal election paperwork, he listed his political party as BDY, an abbreviation for Birthday Party.
Despite those claims, Claytons attorneys said West remains a registered Republican. They also said nearly all of Wests electors who would cast electoral college votes if he were to win were Republicans until they changed registrations to independent on Monday and Tuesday.
Claytons attorneys said the lawsuit had to be resolved quickly because deadlines for printing ballots are approaching.
Arizona faces a Sept. 8 deadline for printing ballots for Maricopa, Pima and six other counties. Ballots for the remaining counties must be produced by Sept. 9.
Its unclear whether Clayton has any connections to the Democratic Party. He said in a statement that he filed the legal challenge to Wests campaign because he didnt want voters to be confused by seeing unqualified candidates on the ballot.
Attorney Tim LaSota, who represents West in the Arizona challenge, has brushed aside criticism that West is trying to be a spoiler aimed at hurting Democratic nominee Joe Bidens chances in Arizona. He said Claytons lawsuit was aimed at denying voters a choice.
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