Independent presidential candidate Cornel West has been given the green light to appear on the ballot in Maine, following a ruling by the state's secretary of state. This decision comes after the withdrawal of a challenge to another long-shot candidate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., about a week ago. The presence of multiple third-party candidates on the Maine ballot is particularly noteworthy due to the state's use of ranked choice voting to determine a winner.
The ruling by the secretary of state acknowledged that some signatures in support of West were obtained fraudulently. However, it was determined that there were a significant number of valid signatures supporting West's candidacy, thus allowing him to be included on the ballot. The secretary emphasized the importance of upholding the First Amendment rights of the majority, despite the actions of a few.
Ranked choice voting, the system employed in Maine, enables voters to rank their preferred candidates by order of preference. This method is utilized to determine a winner if no candidate secures a majority of first-preference votes.
Maine stands out as one of two states that allocates electoral votes by congressional district. While the Democratic candidate typically wins the statewide vote, the rural 2nd Congressional District has favored former President Donald Trump in the past two elections. The presence of multiple third-party candidates on the ballot could potentially impact the dynamics of the race in that district.
Cornel West, known for his leftist academic background and progressive activism, has garnered attention as a candidate. Efforts by Republicans in various states, including Arizona, to ensure West's inclusion on the ballot have raised concerns among Democrats about the potential impact on Vice President Kamala Harris' electoral prospects.
