Kanye West files lawsuit to get on Wisconsin ballot

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A week after he was barred from appearing on the Wisconsin presidential ballot, rapper Kanye West is taking the commission that made that decision to court.

On Friday, West filed a lawsuit in Brown County against the Wisconsin Elections Commission, according to a report from WMTV news in Madison. He is asking the court to rule his nominating papers were submitted on time and to direct the WEC to ensure he and his running mate, Michelle Tidwell, appear on the ballot in November.

Last Thursday, the WEC voted 5-1 to reject his attempt to run in the Badger State, ruling that he missed the five o’clock deadline for submitting the 2,000 signatures required for someone to get their name listed.

The meaning of a five o’clock deadline has become the nexus of the dispute between the WEC and West’s camp. Commissioners argued that a 5 p.m. deadline means that submissions cannot be made one second after the five o’clock strikes. West’s lawyers, meanwhile, contend that such a deadline actually expires at 5:01 p.m. and therefore anything filed within that minute should still be considered on time.

The WEC determined that West’s submission came at 5:00:14 p.m., or 14 seconds after its interpretation of the deadline.

In his lawsuit, West challenged the WEC’s interpretation of that deadline, pointing out the statute reads “by 5 p.m.” and that the commission unconstitutionally changed the meaning of the law by adding the qualifier for seconds. Its interpretation is based on the requirement of the U.S. Constitution that a state legislature is given sole discretion for how presidential electors are determined, and the WEC would be required to follow those regulations.

A locked door

Moving past the meaning of 14 seconds, the case takes exception with the fact the doors to the Commission’s office were locked on the day of the filing deadline and how the process for gaining access to the building played out.

Noting that a locked door would impede a candidate’s ability to get into the building prior to the deadline, West’s lawyers noted that, beyond the doors being locked, the commission did not assign anyone to unlock them so potential candidates could submit their documents in a timely manner.

While the plaintiffs acknowledge a lawyer representing them at the time, Lane Ruland, of the Husch Blackwell Law Firm, was informed the commission’s doors would be locked as well as the second layer of doors at the front of the building, it went into great detail the steps required to gain access and how that created unnecessary delays.

Firstly, lawyers say Ruhland was not informed the number she was using when she learned the doors would be locked was not the one that she would need to call to get in. They later told her she would find that number when she arrived at the building. After arriving and calling, the suit argues a Commission Specialist came to open the front door and accepted the nominating papers and accepted them as arriving “not later than 5 p.m.”

West’s attorneys argue they were not told the filing was late until afterward.

They also contend they have no knowledge of the official timepiece that determined the documents were filed at 5:00:14 p.m. They say no timestamp or other evidence has been presented to them to corroborate the time.

As such, they argue the WEC incorrectly ruled that the documents were late.

In addition to West and Tidwell, the lawsuit names Fred Krumberger, who helped shepherd West’s attempt to get on the ballot, as plaintiffs.

In a request for comment, the WEC told WMTV the commission does not comment on lawsuits.

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