09 August 2020

Kanye West set to be kicked off presidential ballot in home state of Illinois, ending challenge for White House

Rapper Kanye West’s presidential campaign looks to be all but over after nearly 2,000 written signatures in his home state of Illinois were deemed invalid.

In order for a candidate to be placed on the ballot they require 2,500 signatures from in-state voters.

And while West submitted 3,218, according to the Chicago Tribune as many as 1,928 were deemed not to have met the requirements after a state elections board review.

West has recently hinted he may look to run in the 2024 election instead (SIPA USA/PA Images)

Ed Mullen, one of the lawyers opposing West’s bid for president, said: "In my case against #KanyeWest , IL Bd of Elections records examination today finds him 1,300 valid signatures short of minimum required, meaning he is virtually certain to be kicked off ballot in IL."

If he is not successful in securing a place on the ballot for Illinois it would mean he is unable to achieve the 270 electoral college votes required to win the election in November.

West held his first presidential rally in South Carolina last month, but since then his campaign has failed to gather pace.

As it became more apparent he was unlikely to win the election, which is now less than three months away, West hinted two weeks ago that he may run in 2024 instead.

He said to his Twitter followers: "#2020VISION or maybe ’24.

"I guess all black people supposed to vote on Biden? Y’all want me to run on nah???"

And West’s wife Kim Kardashian is reportedly supportive of her husband running in 2024 instead.

"She even offered to fully support a 2024 run for president if he got help and listened to the political consultants they hired," an insider told The Sun earlier this week.

Democrat Joe Biden remains the favourite to win the presidential election on November 3 to replace Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

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