Cornel West Cleared for NC Race

In a significant ruling, U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle has ordered the North Carolina State Board of Elections to certify the Justice for All Party (JFA) for the upcoming presidential ballot. This decision comes after the board initially denied JFA access, despite the party submitting 17,141 verified signatures—well above the required 13,865—citing concerns over irregularities in the signature collection process. Judge Boyle criticized the board's actions, stating they imposed a severe burden on the First Amendment rights of voters supporting JFA. The judge's ruling highlighted flaws in the board's reliance on a survey conducted by its staff, which he deemed seriously flawed. He argued that the board failed to adequately investigate the validity of the signatures and effectively disenfranchised over 17,000 voters who supported JFA's certification. Boyle emphasized that the board's decision to exclude JFA from the ballot was unjust and lacked proper scrutiny. Italo Medelius, co-chair of the JFA, expressed relief and celebration over the ruling, framing it as a victory for democracy and voter choice in North Carolina. The party's running mate, Melina Abdullah, is a prominent activist and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter chapter in Los Angeles. The ruling comes at a critical time, as the ballot printing process is set to begin soon, with absentee ballots being sent out to voters in early September. The legal challenge was initiated by JFA supporters, who accused the predominantly Democratic election board of bias and reliance on questionable evidence from a Democrat-aligned group. The board had previously allowed ballot access for another independent candidate, raising questions about its consistency in handling third-party applications.