Denisha Mitchell was taken by surprise when she discovered that paperwork had been filled out in her name to serve as an Arizona elector for independent presidential candidate Cornel West. Mitchell, who initially had no knowledge of what an elector was, expressed shock at the situation, as the documents were forged without her consent. The handwriting and signature on the paperwork did not belong to her, and her contact details were inaccurately stated. The campaign of West, a left-wing academic, did not provide an immediate response for comment.
The incident involving Mitchell exemplifies questionable methods employed to qualify West for the presidential ballot in various states. There has been a pattern of dubious tactics, including the submission of inaccurate information, in an attempt to back West’s candidacy. Despite these efforts, West himself appears to be unaware of the situation, with his campaign being in significant debt and lacking active campaigning.
Efforts to boost West’s candidacy, and potentially influence the outcome of the election by diverting liberal support from the Democratic nominee, have primarily originated from conservative activists and Republican-aligned groups. Their aim is for West to act as a spoiler candidate, particularly in battleground states crucial to the election. While it remains unclear who is orchestrating these efforts, it is evident that West is not directly involved.
In Arizona, independent presidential campaigns are required to present a slate of electors who will cast their Electoral College votes for the candidate. Mitchell has already signed an affidavit stating that she did not agree to serve as an elector nor authorize the submission of the paperwork in her name. Additionally, other electors listed for West have been linked to unusual circumstances, including a past conviction for manslaughter.
The task of getting West on the ballot in Arizona has been spearheaded by Wells Marketing, a company associated with Mark Jacoby, a Republican operative known for employing deceptive tactics. Jacoby has faced legal issues related to voter registration fraud in the past. Similar unusual efforts involving West’s candidacy have been observed in several other states, with Republican involvement being prominently noted.
In North Carolina, there were reports of pro-Trump activists collecting signatures for West outside a Trump rally, with the intention of potentially detracting votes from the Democratic candidate. Emails from state government officials revealed involvement from employees of Blitz Canvassing, a Republican firm, in assisting West’s campaign with obtaining the required signatures. Such activities aimed at influencing ballot access have been commonplace in Arizona, a state where the margins of victory in elections are often slim.
