Kanye West qualifies for presidential ballot in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY — Kanye West has qualified for at least one state presidential ballot.

The Oklahoma State Election Board announced Wednesday that the rapper qualified for the state’s general election in November as an independent.

“Independent presidential candidate Kanye West has qualified for the General Election ballot in Oklahoma,” the Oklahoma State Election Board tweeted.

Wednesday was the deadline for independents and unrecognized party candidates to file in Oklahoma.

“This afternoon, we received a properly executed statement of candidacy for Kanye West, along with the appropriate filing fee in lieu of petition,” Oklahoma State Election Board officials told KOCO. “Kanye West is now qualified as an independent candidate for president of the United States in Oklahoma and will appear on the general election ballot.”

The announcement comes 10 days after West tweeted he was running for president. Until recently, West was a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump. In October 2018, West visited Trump in the Oval Office, sporting a red “Make America Great Again” hat, The Hill reported.

Rumors of the singer running for president have circulated before, Billboard reported.

West has been a frequent and vocal supporter of Trump and said in April he was going to vote for the president in November’s election, The Hill reported. But in an interview with Forbes magazine earlier this month, West said he was “taking the red hat off” -- a reference to Trump’s red “Make America Great Again” cap.

Cox Media Group