Contrary to his claims, Joseph Maldonado-Passage, widely known as “Joe Exotic,” is not currently listed as a presidential candidate on the Colorado ballot for the 2024 election.
The Colorado secretary of state’s office, which was closed for Juneteenth when Maldonado-Passage made his announcement, clarified that the necessary paperwork to be on the ballot has not yet been released and therefore could not have been completed.
Maldonado-Passage, who gained fame through the Netflix show “Tiger King,” is presently serving a 21-year prison sentence for charges related to an alleged murder-for-hire plot against animal welfare activist Carole Baskin.
The $500 check submitted with Maldonado-Passage’s election paperwork by his lawyer will be returned, accompanied by instructions detailing the necessary steps to qualify for the ballot.
Additionally, the secretary of state’s office stated that it cannot accept presidential candidate paperwork at this time, as the official election date has not been announced.
Furthermore, according to an email from the secretary of state’s office, for a candidate to be affiliated with a major party on the ballot, they must be included on a list provided by that party. Otherwise, they have the option to run as a write-in candidate.
In Maldonado-Passage’s email, he expressed his intention to be on the ballot as a Democrat.
