The Wisconsin Elections Commission is meeting to consider challenges that would keep Kanye West off the state's presidential ballot.
Background on Kanye West's effort to get on Wisconsin's ballot:
wpr.org/kanye-west-fil…
The challenge:
wpr.org/challenges-arg…
The West campaign's response:
wpr.org/kanye-west-pre…
The WEC's staff recommendation:
wpr.org/staff-wisconsi…
wpr.org/kanye-west-fil…
The challenge:
wpr.org/challenges-arg…
The West campaign's response:
wpr.org/kanye-west-pre…
The WEC's staff recommendation:
wpr.org/staff-wisconsi…
Jeff Mandell, the attorney challenging Kanye West's nomination papers, says they should be rejected because video evidence shows they were delivered after the 5 p.m. deadline.
"Time is an objective fact," Mandell says. "5pm occurs when the minute hand moves from 4:59 to 5:00."
"Time is an objective fact," Mandell says. "5pm occurs when the minute hand moves from 4:59 to 5:00."
Kanye West campaign attorney Michael Curran questions why the petitions were accepted in the first place if WEC staff thought they were late. He also questions the agency's system for keeping track of the filing deadline.
"There's no official timekeeping mechanism," Curran said.
"There's no official timekeeping mechanism," Curran said.
The West campaign argues that because his petitions were walked through the front door of the Wisconsin Elections Commission building at 5:00:14, that satisfies the legal definition of "not later" than 5 p.m.
Curran: "No later than 5 p.m. does include the full minute."
Curran: "No later than 5 p.m. does include the full minute."
West campaign Michael Curran keeps coming back to this point: That if West's nominating petitions were late, the WEC should not have accepted them.
"They were filed timely because the election official accepted them."
"They were filed timely because the election official accepted them."
Counterpoint from WEC Commissioner Dean Knudson who says that if a "designation of time" starts with a 4 it is before 5 o'clock and if it starts with a 5 it is after 5 o'clock.
"Five o'clock is five o'clock," Knudson says. "Maybe I'm just common sense and not a lawyer."
"Five o'clock is five o'clock," Knudson says. "Maybe I'm just common sense and not a lawyer."
The Wisconsin Elections Commission staff says that Kanye West's nomination petitions were not placed on the front desk of the agency until either 5:01 or 5:02.
The pages were not numbered, which is required by law. That took additional time, but they don't know how long.
The pages were not numbered, which is required by law. That took additional time, but they don't know how long.
I believe Wisconsin Elections Commissioner Bob Spindell, a Republican, is arguing that if the person delivering Kanye West's petitions was on the elevator on her way to the agency's front desk, "that the transfer of documents took place."
Republican Bob Spindell, a Republican appointee to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, says Democrats are afraid that Black voters will choose Kanye West over Joe Biden.
"My question is: When are they going to stop suppressing the Black vote," Spindell says.
"My question is: When are they going to stop suppressing the Black vote," Spindell says.
Some very recent comments here from Bob Spindell on when petitions are late:
Staff at the WEC now testifying.
Cody Davies, the employee who let the West campaign's attorney through the door, said it was at least 12 to 14 seconds after 5:00 when he opened the door.
Is his watch accurate?
"It cost $25 on Amazon, so it's not an atomic clock by any sense."
Cody Davies, the employee who let the West campaign's attorney through the door, said it was at least 12 to 14 seconds after 5:00 when he opened the door.
Is his watch accurate?
"It cost $25 on Amazon, so it's not an atomic clock by any sense."
More timeline details.
The WEC's Cody Davies says he was still in the elevator with the West campaign's attorney at about 5:00:50. At that time, he had not taken possession of the campaign's nominating petitions.
The WEC's Cody Davies says he was still in the elevator with the West campaign's attorney at about 5:00:50. At that time, he had not taken possession of the campaign's nominating petitions.
More timeline details from WEC elections specialist Riley Willman.
What time did Kanye West's nomination papers land on the front desk of the WEC?
"To the best of my recollection, it was 5:01."
When were they numbered?
"It would have been several minutes after 5:01."
What time did Kanye West's nomination papers land on the front desk of the WEC?
"To the best of my recollection, it was 5:01."
When were they numbered?
"It would have been several minutes after 5:01."
Willman says nobody had ever filed so close to the deadline since he started working at the WEC, so he wasn't sure how to proceed.
When it came to the Kanye West nominating petitions:
"I did not touch those papers until several minutes after 5."
When it came to the Kanye West nominating petitions:
"I did not touch those papers until several minutes after 5."
The Wisconsin Elections Commission is split 3-3 between Republicans and Democrats.
Two of the Republican appointees have now indicated that Kanye West's nominating petitions were filed late.
Signs point to the WEC voting to keep West from Wisconsin's presidential ballot.
Two of the Republican appointees have now indicated that Kanye West's nominating petitions were filed late.
Signs point to the WEC voting to keep West from Wisconsin's presidential ballot.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission has voted 5-1 to reject Kanye West's nominating petitions, which would keep him from the state's presidential ballot. Republican Bob Spindell was the no vote.
The West campaign could challenge the decision in court.
The West campaign could challenge the decision in court.
Elections Commission Votes To Keep Kanye West From Wisconsin's Presidential Ballot wpr.org/node/1685291
The Wisconsin Elections Commission is currently debating a challenge to the nominating petitions for Green Party presidential candidate Howie Hawkins and running mate Angela Walker. Background on that challenge here:
wpr.org/challenge-woul…
wpr.org/challenge-woul…
The challenge to the Green Party's nominating signatures is also being handled by Jeff Mandell, a Madison attorney who has worked for Democrats.
Mandell argues almost 2k Green Party petitions listed an old address for their VP candidate and should be rejected. WEC staff agreed.
Mandell argues almost 2k Green Party petitions listed an old address for their VP candidate and should be rejected. WEC staff agreed.
2020 is not 2016, but four years ago, Green Party presidential Jill Stein received more than 31,000 votes in Wisconsin, a state Donald Trump won by fewer than 23,000 votes.
Tempers flare at these Zoom meetings of the WEC.
Chair Ann Jacobs tries to cut off Bob Spindell because Mark Thomsen has been dropped.
She eventually yells.
Spindell stops.
Awkward silence.
"Probably the problem is his signal is not strong enough," Spindell says.
#zoomlife
Chair Ann Jacobs tries to cut off Bob Spindell because Mark Thomsen has been dropped.
She eventually yells.
Spindell stops.
Awkward silence.
"Probably the problem is his signal is not strong enough," Spindell says.
#zoomlife
The Elections Commission votes 3-3 on a motion that would have blocked the Green Party from Wisconsin's presidential ballot. Motion fails. Democrats vote in favor, Republicans against.
Aaaaand the Commission votes 3-3 on a motion that would have *granted* ballot access to the Green Party. It fails. Same split.
The stalemate continues at the Wisconsin Elections Commission over the Green Party's nomination petitions.
Democrats who challenged the petitions said the party's VP nominee moved mid-drive, disqualifying about 1,900 signatures. WEC staff agreed.
Democrats who challenged the petitions said the party's VP nominee moved mid-drive, disqualifying about 1,900 signatures. WEC staff agreed.
Democrats on the WEC say that based on the factual record of the challenge, that's enough to reject the petitions.
"This is not an unsophisticated party," says Democrat Ann Jacobs. "They have attorneys. For whatever reason they chose not to submit a sworn affidavit on this."
"This is not an unsophisticated party," says Democrat Ann Jacobs. "They have attorneys. For whatever reason they chose not to submit a sworn affidavit on this."
A third (!) 3-3 vote on the Elections Commission! Deadlocked again.
WI Republicans are coming to the aid of the Green Party, which says VP nominee Angela Walker moved from one address to another mid-petition drive, and the party updated petitions once it found out.
"It's so obvious," says Bob Spindell. "We all know what the correct answer is."
"It's so obvious," says Bob Spindell. "We all know what the correct answer is."
The Wisconsin Elections Commission votes 6-0 to affirm 1,789 signatures for the Green Party, which is less than the 2K required for the presidential ballot.
The vote was essentially an admission that they couldn't agree on anything.
It tees up the Greens to challenge in court.
The vote was essentially an admission that they couldn't agree on anything.
It tees up the Greens to challenge in court.
So apparently the Wisconsin Elections Commission voting on a number of signatures is not enough.
WEC staff says commissioners have to vote on whether the Green Party should be on the ballot.
So the commission, split 3-3 between Republicans and Democrats, is split again.
WEC staff says commissioners have to vote on whether the Green Party should be on the ballot.
So the commission, split 3-3 between Republicans and Democrats, is split again.
More roll calls. More deadlocks.
Should the Greens be *denied* ballot access?
3 Democrats say yes.
3 Republicans say no.
Should Greens be *granted* access?
3 Democrats say no.
3 Republicans say yes.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission can't decide. Let the courts sort it out.
Should the Greens be *denied* ballot access?
3 Democrats say yes.
3 Republicans say no.
Should Greens be *granted* access?
3 Democrats say no.
3 Republicans say yes.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission can't decide. Let the courts sort it out.
Also tonight:
The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 6-0 to grant ballot access to the Libertarian presidential ticket.
The vote was expected because there were no challenges.
Libertarian Gary Johnson received 106,674 votes in Wisconsin's 2016 presidential race.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 6-0 to grant ballot access to the Libertarian presidential ticket.
The vote was expected because there were no challenges.
Libertarian Gary Johnson received 106,674 votes in Wisconsin's 2016 presidential race.
