MINNEAPOLIS — Rapper Kanye West has qualified to appear on Minnesota’s presidential ballot this November as an independent candidate, the state Secretary of State’s office said Tuesday.

A spokesman for the office said that official signature totals were not immediately available because election workers were in the process of taking personal information off the documents. West turned in the signatures a week ago, 2,000 of which required verification to get on the ballot.

West launched his bid in a tweest on July 4, raising speculation that it was an effort by Republicans to siphon voters away from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, or perhaps a publicity stunt. West has previously expressed his support for President Donald Trump.

West has made the ballots in more than half a dozen states and has pending petitions in other states.