On stage at the 2015 MTV VMAs, Kanye West made a big announcement — he planned on running for the 2020 presidential election. It seems that Kanye hasn’t forgotten his promise, as he aptly announced on the Fourth Of July that he wants to include himself as a presidential candidate in November’s election. If he continues to follow through with his plan, it looks like the rapper has to seek out some last-minute paperwork to become an official candidate, which he has yet to do.
According to a report from Pitchfork, Kanye hasn’t officially filed as a presidential candidate with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), a necessary step in running for office. The report states that the FEC confirmed Kanye had not officially filed for candidacy, though there is allegedly a 2015 filing for a Green Party candidate named “Kanye Deez Nutz West” who hadn’t raised a single dollar for their campaign.
If Kanye plans on running as an Independent candidate, someone who isn’t affiliated with a political party, he needs to submit the paperwork soon in order to appear on ballots. The filing deadline has already passed in states Indiana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. However, it is possible for citizens to vote for the rapper as a write-in on their ballots in November.