Independent presidential candidate Cornel West to appear on Virginia ballot after state reversal

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West will appear on Virginia's November ballot now that the state has reversed its decision on the matter. 

The Virginia Department of Elections wrote to West's campaign Friday saying the agency had "reconsidered" its previous decision to bar him from the ballot.

The state previously rejected West's name over purported issues with his elector forms, The Washington Examiner reported.

"The Department has confirmed that the campaign did submit paperwork in April but was not made aware of a new form that would be required after July 1 regarding the electors’ citizenship and residency," the state's letter to West read.

The reversal comes almost two weeks after West secured a legal victory over his ballot eligibility in the battleground state of Michigan. A Michigan judge held that the state erred in denying West ballot access after technical issues with his candidate petition.

Virginia is largely a blue-leaning state, having picked a Democrat president in the past four elections. His appearance on the ballot is not expected to take away a deciding number of votes from leading candidates Kamala Harris, a Democrat, nor Donald Trump, a Republican.