Arkansas bars Cenk Uygur from Democratic primary.

Arkansas Election Officials Reject Cenk Uygur's Bid for Presidential Ballot

Arkansas election officials announced on Monday that Cenk Uygur, an online news personality born in Turkey, will not be allowed to appear on the state's Democratic presidential primary ballot in 2024. This decision follows Uygur's claim of being the first naturalized citizen to run for president, after submitting paperwork to the state and the Arkansas Democratic Party. Uygur's parents immigrated to the U.S. from Turkey when he was 8 years old.

Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston informed Uygur in a letter that he does not meet the qualifications to run for the elected office he filed for, citing the constitutional requirement that a presidential candidate must be at least 35 years old and a natural-born citizen. Other states, including New Hampshire and Nevada, have also rejected Uygur's application to be on their primary ballots.

Uygur criticized officials for treating naturalized citizens as "second-class" and argued that the 14th Amendment of the Constitution makes him eligible to run for president. He vowed to fight against what he called the last acceptable form of bigotry in American society, asserting his right to belong in his own country.

The co-creator of the online news show "The Young Turks," Uygur announced his challenge to President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in October. He had previously run unsuccessfully for a California congressional seat. The Arkansas Democratic Party stated that, based on legal precedents, they lacked the authority to determine Uygur's eligibility for the ballot, as state law did not allow them to reject his filing. It remains unclear whether Uygur will be refunded his $2,500 filing fee.