West Virginia: Kanye West short on ballot signatures

West Virginia’s secretary of state says rapper Kanye West’s bid to get on ballot for president came up short on qualified signatures.

Secretary of State Mac Warner’s office told media outlets Friday that West needed 7,144 signatures from registered voters in West Virginia. West submitted 15,000 signatures, but only 13,865 were legible, and only 6,383 were confirmed West Virginia registered voters, according to Secretary of State spokesperson Mike Queen.

State law requires secretary of state to certify ballot by Tuesday.

Elsewhere, Wisconsin election officials on Thursday decided to keep West off ballot because his mination papers were turned in moments after deadline. He has qualified in Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Utah.

West anunced a presidential bid in July, saying he's seeking nation's highest office on a ticket he calls “Birthday Party.”

West has since been garing signatures to get on ballot in several states. Democrats claim Republicans are pushing West’s candidacy in several swing states to siphon Black votes away from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

West, who once backed Republican President Donald Trump, anunced last month that he had broken with Trump and would launch his own presidential bid.