Major Setback for Cornel West’s Presidential Campaign in Key State

Cornel West has once again faced another setback in his presidential bid.

At a Glance

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court upheld a ruling disqualifying Cornel West from the state’s ballot.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s staff challenged West’s paperwork.
The court’s decision allows counties to start printing and sending out ballots.
The ruling could impact the upcoming election in this crucial battleground state.

Cornel West Disqualified from Pennsylvania Ballot

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West has been disqualified from appearing on Pennsylvania’s ballots. The state Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling, determining that West did not meet the paperwork requirements set forth by Pennsylvania’s election laws.

The challenge came from the staff of Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro. West’s campaign was found to be missing the necessary affidavits for 14 out of his 19 presidential electors. The lack of proper documentation by the August 1 deadline sealed West’s fate in Pennsylvania.

With Pennsylvania being a critical battleground state that carries significant weight in the Electoral College, the decision is particularly impactful. Secretary of State Al Schmidt swiftly certified the ballots for the counties following the court’s decision, which means the counties can now proceed with printing, testing, and distributing the ballots.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirms Cornel West will not appear on state ballots https://t.co/ZkQzsQWkQz

— The Hill (@thehill) September 16, 2024

Implications for the Election

The disqualification of West from the Pennsylvania ballot highlights broader partisan efforts involving third-party candidates. The Supreme Court’s decision paves the way for Pennsylvania to finalize its ballot preparations. According to state law, counties are required to start delivering or mailing ballots as soon as they are certified and available.

“Counties can now prepare their ballots to be printed, then begin sending mail ballots to voters who have requested one as soon as they are printed,” Schmidt said in a statement.

The November 5 election is expected to be tightly contested in Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral votes. West’s polling numbers show a range between 0% and 2% in most state and national polls, indicating that his absence may not dramatically affect the overall outcome.

Re-upping this to say that three of the four cases were resolved Friday afternoon. Supreme Court upheld lower court ruling to keep candidates off ballot. Cornel West case still needs to be resolved before the ballot is finalized. Our story from last week: https://t.co/iBTf7dLrCt https://t.co/4lQFPcXrQq

— Carter Walker (@ByCarterWalker) September 16, 2024

Conclusions and Broader Context

This is just one of several instances where Cornel West’s campaign has faced ballot access challenges. Besides Pennsylvania, West was initially disqualified in Michigan but was later reinstated by the Michigan Court of Claims. Similarly, the Virginia Board of Elections also ruled to include him on ballots despite earlier disqualification issues.

As election day nears, the ruling on West’s candidacy underscores the ongoing legal and procedural battles that can shape electoral landscapes, especially in pivotal states like Pennsylvania. All eyes will remain on how these developments play out and their potential impact on the closely contested race.