KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rapper Kanye West has submitted paperwork to Missouri election officials in an effort to appear as an independent presidential candidate on the November ballot.
Maura Browning, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, said Tuesday that West must file at least 10,000 signatures to be placed on the ballot. He submitted the signatures around 4:45 p.m. Monday, about 15 minutes before the deadline for independent candidates to file in Missouri.
The signatures must still be verified by local election authorities before West will be put on the ballot. According to Browning, that process could take one to two weeks.
Browning said she could not confirm that West submitted at least 10,000 signatures, saying that would be premature.
West, who has been a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump in the past, announced he was running for president on Twitter earlier this month. Some accused West of running as a publicity stunt for an upcoming album, which he has denied.
West had already missed the deadline to qualify in several states when he announced his run. He filed signatures to appear on the Illinois ballot last week but missed the deadline in South Carolina, according to reports.
If the signatures he submitted in Missouri are found to be valid, he will be placed on the November ballot as a presidential candidate alongside Republican incumbent President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger former Vice President Joe Biden.
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