
A federal judge has ruled that Cornel West, the left-wing presidential candidate, will not appear on Pennsylvania’s ballot, citing the proximity of Election Day as a reason not to intervene. Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan stated that while West was likely harmed by the actions of Secretary of State Al Schmidt, the court could not reverse the decision due to time constraints.
With Election Day less than a month away and over one million mail-in ballots already sent out, the court found that changing the ballot now would cause too much disruption. Over 137,000 mail-in ballots have already been returned, and Ranjan cited past Supreme Court rulings that discourage judicial intervention so close to an election.
The ruling also highlighted how Pennsylvania’s election laws unfairly burden minor-party candidates. West’s campaign was required to pay a $4,200 filing fee, a requirement not imposed on Republicans or Democrats. Ranjan noted that this fee raises concerns about the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s election laws but ruled that the court could not change the ballot at this stage.
West’s campaign responded by announcing an appeal. Campaign spokesman Edwin DeJesus called the decision an attack on voter choice, stating that Pennsylvania voters deserve to have all options available on the ballot.
Democrats, particularly concerned that West could pull votes away from Kamala Harris, have been working to block his candidacy in multiple states. Pennsylvania, a key swing state, has been a focus of these efforts, and the legal battle is expected to continue as the election nears.