Virginia adds Cornel West to presidential ballot

Cornel West will be on Virginia's presidential ballot in November.

Why it matters: The state's Department of Elections had initially disqualified his candidacy because of faulty paperwork before reversing its decision earlier this month.

The big picture: The prominent scholar and leftist activist is a longshot candidate who, per his campaign , is on the ballot in only 15 states including Virginia.

• He nearly didn't make it on Virginia's because a law that went into effect in July required new forms stating each elector is a citizen and state resident, CBS first reported.
• West's campaign turned in old forms in April, the department said "no" to his eligibility in late August and — following West's protest — honored the forms after verifying citizenship and residency.

Between the lines: Three recent polls show Vice President Kamala Harris having a roughly 10-point lead on former President Trump, pulling Virginia away from its very brief stint as a potential battleground state earlier this summer.

• That also means votes for third-party or independent candidates, which Virginia now has four of, are unlikely to significantly shift the election's outcome.

Yes, but: A Washington law firm — on behalf of a super PAC aimed at stopping third-party candidates who could siphon votes from Democrats — still wants to challenge the change, reports the Times-Dispatch.

• They warned the elections department in a letter that they'd take legal action if Virginia doesn't disqualify West from the ballot, per RTD.

What's next: A Virginia Department of Elections spokesperson told Axios that West's name will appear on all ballots, including the absentee ones going out Friday, Sept. 20.