FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Cornel West for President
[email protected]

[Raleigh, North Carolina] – Yesterday, the North Carolina State Board of Elections, in a decision that undermines the democratic process, has rejected the petition submitted by the Justice for All party for inclusion on the ballot. The West/Abdullah presidential campaign, while a separate entity supporting similar ideals, stands in solidarity with the Justice for All party in condemning this decision.

This rejection raises significant concerns about fairness and equal opportunity in the political arena, especially given the approval of petitions from other third-party entities. The Board's decision to deny the Justice for All party, known for its progressive and inclusive policies, appears to be a targeted action that restricts voter choice and suppresses diverse political representation.

"The campaign and the party, although operating independently, share a common vision for justice and equality," stated Dr. Cornel West. "Today’s decision by the North Carolina State Board of Elections not only harms the Justice for All party’s efforts but also signals a broader threat to the principles of open democratic participation."

In response to this setback, the Justice for All party is actively assessing its options and plans to respond in the coming days. The campaign supports the party’s commitment to fighting for its rightful place on the ballot and ensuring that every voice has the opportunity to be heard in the electoral process.

We call on the North Carolina State Board of Elections to reconsider its decision and act in the interest of all North Carolinians and the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution," added Dr. West.

To date, the West/Abdullah campaign has secured ballot access in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Colorado, South Carolina, Utah, Oregon, Alaska, and Vermont, pending finalization of certification in certain states.

About the Justice for All Party

In an effort to directly confront the suppression of voter choice and participation by legacy political parties, Independent candidate for President of the United States, Dr. Cornel West, announced the establishment of the Justice For All Party (JFA). The party will primarily be utilized as a grassroots, people-powered vehicle to secure ballot access in specific states. Additionally, JFA will grow into a larger formation that galvanizes people-powered initiatives to promote transformational change beyond the 2024 election cycle. JFA provides a mechanism for our grassroots campaign to travel a path of least resistance that will require the fewest number of signatures to attain ballot access in states like California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Mexico, North Carolina, Washington and the District of Columbia.

About Dr. Cornel West

Dr. West, affectionately known to many as Brother West, is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary.

Dr. West is the former University Professor at Harvard University, Professor Emeritus at Princeton University and the first Black person to receive a Ph.D. In Philosophy from Princeton University. He has written 20 books and he is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. He delivered the historic Gifford lectures at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in Spring 2024.

Dr. West enters the 2024 Presidential contest at a time in which he describes a national crisis of moral bankruptcy and spiritual obscenity driven by a derelict duopoly of both major parties that equally places profits over people and the planet. West asserts that running as an Independent candidate affords him the opportunity and duty to deliver policy prescriptions incorporated by and for the people, instead of political parties beholden to corporations and special interest groups who feel no solidarity with poor and working-class people of all races, gender identities, and age groups.

The Cornel West Campaign to empower poor and working people everywhere stands at a pivotal moment in history, committed to being a true campaign for people around the globe. Our aim is and will always be to unite in solidarity with movements of truth and justice, who seek a choice beyond empire, white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and the confines of the corporate-dominated two-party system.

About Dr. Melina Abdullah

Melina Abdullah is Professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA’s College of Ethnic Studies, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter - Los Ángeles and Black Lives Matter Grassroots, where she is also Director. She is a leader in the California Faculty Association (the faculty union), both locally and statewide, and mama of three. Dr. Abdullah earned her Ph.D. from University of Southern California in Political Science and her B.A. from Howard University in African American Studies. Abdullah has authored numerous articles and book chapters. Known by the moniker, Doc Melly Mel, she is creator, host, and producer of the radio programs Move the Crowd on KPFK 90.7 FM and This Is Not a Drill! on KBLA Talk 1580, and is a recognized expert on race, gender, class, and social movements. In April 2024, Abdullah was announced as vice-presidential pick for Dr. Cornel West in his run for president of the United States on a platform of “Truth, Justice, and Love.” She is the first Muslim to run for the vice-presidency.

Learn more about Cornel West at CornelWest2024.com. 

Learn more about Dr. West’s Policy Pillars at CornelWest2024.com/Platform.

For more details and press inquiries, please contact [email protected].