Dr. Cornel West Disqualified From Michigan’s November Ballot

His campaign said he will fight the Michigan Bureau of Election.

Detroit Free Press reports that the Michigan Bureau of Elections disqualified independent presidential candidate Cornel West from the Nov. 5 General Election ballot due to a technical state law violation.

A letter dated Aug. 16 from Michigan’s elections director, Jonathan Brater, said the affidavits of identity submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office in June 2024 for West and his vice presidential running mate, Dr. Melina Abdullah, weren’t notarized properly.

The official said West’s affidavit of identity was notarized in Colorado and, under state rule, required proper notarization to match in Michigan. “Your affidavit of identity was not notarized in compliance with the state’s laws where it was notarized (Colorado), and therefore is not a valid notarization under the Michigan Law on Notarial Acts,” Brater wrote.

According to The Detroit News, Brater’s letter also claimed Dana L. Manning, West’s affidavit notary, “failed to identify what notarial act was being performed.” The letter claimed Manning’s notary stamp and certifying signature were on a different page from the affidavit. There were also some alleged “unfilled blanks,” and the notary certificate failed to include Manning’s office title.

West was informed on July 26, which gave the candidate five days, by Aug. 2, to provide evidence to challenge the disqualification. A previous press release said that West’s campaign submitted more than enough petition signatures to secure his place on the Michigan ballot as an independent candidate for president. “We are confident that the support we’ve garnered, especially from communities that feel unheard, will translate into substantial voter turnout,” West said.

However, polls show West was never a standout factor in the state. Data from RealClearPolitics.com reveal he stands in fifth place out of five candidates — following Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump, Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. West holds less than 1% of support from Michigan voters.

Only five states—Alaska, Colorado, South Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont—have the civil rights activist and philosopher’s name on the ballot.

Despite a lack of national support, Dr. West has continued to fight for his campaign. In early August 2024, he won a legal battle for his name to appear on the North Carolina ballot. A federal judge sided with a group of West supporters who challenged a state board of elections decision to keep West’s party, the Justice for All Party (JFA), off the ballot. West celebrated the victory on X. “We won the lawsuit in NC! The court has ruled in favor of the Justice For All Party, ensuring our right to stand in the 2024 election & paving the way for future third-party candidates,” he said.

“This victory is another legacy of our movement for justice and choice in political representation.”

A campaign spokesperson, Edwin DeJesus, said the activist would fight in the same regard for his supporters in Michigan, saying the campaign is “committed to fighting these legal maneuvers in court and ensuring that the electorate has the opportunity to hear from a truly progressive alternative that champions the human rights of the poor and working class. “We are confident that these accusations will be seen for what they are — frivolous and unfounded attempts to stifle opposition and debate,” DeJesus said.