Independent Presidential Candidate Cornel West Loses Legal Challenge to Get on Pennsylvania Ballot

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West faced a setback in his bid to get on the ballot in Pennsylvania, as a Commonwealth Court judge ruled against him on Friday. Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer sided with the Secretary of State’s office in rejecting West’s candidacy paperwork, citing a lack of required affidavits for 14 of his 19 presidential electors.

The court case is part of a larger legal battle surrounding third-party candidates in the upcoming election, with supporters of both major-party nominees, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, seeking to either boost or hinder third-party candidates that could impact the outcome.

West, a Harvard professor and prominent activist, has not yet indicated whether he will appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court. Meanwhile, another independent candidate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced his withdrawal from Pennsylvania’s ballot, stating his support for Trump and his intention to remain on ballots in states where he is unlikely to sway the outcome.

While candidates like Jill Stein of the Green Party and Chase Oliver of the Libertarian Party successfully submitted petitions to get on Pennsylvania’s ballot, the Party for Socialism and Liberation is planning to appeal a judge’s decision to remove their candidate, Claudia De la Cruz, from the ballot.

With Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes being crucial in the upcoming election, the legal battles surrounding third-party candidates continue to intensify as the November 5 election approaches.