Cornel West wins election qualification process in Michigan

Michigan Court of Claims Judge James Redford ruled Saturday that the state made a mistake when it excluded West from the ballot earlier this month after citing technical issues with the candidate's petition. The judge found that the state “misapplied the law” by ruling that the requirement to file an affidavit of identity also applies to presidential candidates when “the AOIs submitted by candidates cannot serve as a mechanism to exclude them from the ballot.”

“If 26,934 signatures appear on a petition stating that an individual is 'nominated' as an independent candidate for President of the United States, and the staff of the Chief Elections Officer of the State of Michigan reports that an estimated 16,089 of those are valid signatures of Michigan registered and qualified voters, and our state law requires that such a candidate must obtain 12,000 valid signatures to be placed on the ballot for that office as an independent candidate; then such candidate has been nominated for the office of President of the United States,” the judge ruled.

West and his running mate, Melina Abdullah, have been mandated to appear on Michigan's ballot unless the Board of State Canvassers, after reviewing signatures on their petition, concludes that the candidates are disqualified.

West welcomed the ruling in a statement on Sunday, saying he was “grateful” for the court's decision.

“This ruling is not just a legal victory – it is a moral victory for all who believe in the sanctity of the democratic process,” West said. “Our campaign submitted over 26,000 signatures, well over the required amount, which the court recognized as a legitimate expression of the will of the people. We are grateful for this affirmation and promise to continue to fight for the rights of all voters.”

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Michigan is widely considered a key state for former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Cook Political Report and rated the state as “undecided.”

West is one of the third-party candidates who are to Harris' left on several issues, including the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. His call to end military aid to Israel could steal some key anti-Israel voters from Harris in the Great Lakes state, complicating her path to victory.