This database consolidates and tracks litigation concerning the effect of the pandemic on election law. The purpose of this tool is to provide an interactive list of relevant cases that can be searched by issue, court, status, and jurisdiction.
Case Details
Mejia v. Board of Elections in the City of New York
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Mejia v. Bd. of Elections in the City of NY, No. 260287/20 (N.Y. Sup. Ct., Bronx Cnty.) |
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| Case Summary | Joselin Mejia submitted a petition to validate her application to be a candidate on the ballot for the Democratic Party primary election held on June 23, 2020. She had filed her application without a cover sheet, which the Board of Elections for the City of New York found to be a wholly uncurable default which completely invalidated her application. The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Bronx County, agreed with the Board, citing relevant authority. The Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department overturned the lower court’s ruling, finding that under the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the absence of a cover sheet was not a fatal defect to Mejia’s application; although a cover sheet may be necessary for administrative convenience, it could not outweigh the right to ballot access in such unusual circumstances as the pandemic. This ruling was itself reversed. | |
| Filed | 04/22/2020 | |
| State | New York | |
| Type of Court | State | |
| Status | Active | |
| Last Updated | 09/05/2020 | |
| Issue Tag(s) | In-Person Voting COVID Concern (Other In-Person Voting Issue) Candidate application cover sheet requirement |
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| Dispositive Ruling(s) | 05/04/2020: Order/Ruling, Petition Denied. The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Bronx County, agreed with the Board, citing relevant authority. | |
Mejia v. Board of Elections in the City of New York, No. 11606 (App. Div. 1st Dept.), 183 A.D.3d 477 |
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| Case Summary | Joselin Mejia submitted a petition to validate her application to be a candidate on the ballot for the Democratic Party primary election held on June 23, 2020. She had filed her application without a cover sheet, which the Board of Elections for the City of New York found to be a wholly uncurable default which completely invalidated her application. The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Bronx County, agreed with the Board, citing relevant authority. The Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department overturned the lower court’s ruling, finding that under the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the absence of a cover sheet was not a fatal defect to Mejia’s application; although a cover sheet may be necessary for administrative convenience, it could not outweigh the right to ballot access in such unusual circumstances as the pandemic. This ruling was itself reversed. | |
| Filed | 05/04/2020 | |
| State | New York | |
| Type of Court | State | |
| Status | Active | |
| Last Updated | 03/13/2021 | |
| Issue Tag(s) | Other Candidate application cover sheet requirement |
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| Dispositive Ruling(s) | 05/14/2020: Order/Ruling, The Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department overturned the lower court’s ruling, finding that under the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the absence of a cover sheet was not a fatal defect to Mejia’s application; although a cover sheet may be necessary for administrative convenience, it could not outweigh the right to ballot access in such unusual circumstances as the pandemic. | |
Mejia v. Board of Elections in the City of New York, No. 56 (N.Y. Ct. App.), 2020 WL 2568795 |
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| Case Summary | Joselin Mejia submitted a petition to validate her application to be a candidate on the ballot for the Democratic Party primary election held on June 23, 2020. She had filed her application without a cover sheet, which the Board of Elections for the City of New York found to be a wholly uncurable default which completely invalidated her application. The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Bronx County, agreed with the Board, citing relevant authority. The Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department overturned the lower court’s ruling, finding that under the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the absence of a cover sheet was not a fatal defect to Mejia’s application; although a cover sheet may be necessary for administrative convenience, it could not outweigh the right to ballot access in such unusual circumstances as the pandemic. This ruling was itself reversed. | |
| Filed | 05/14/2020 | |
| State | New York | |
| Type of Court | State | |
| Status | Active | |
| Last Updated | 03/13/2021 | |
| Issue Tag(s) | Other Candidate application cover sheet requirement |
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| Dispositive Ruling(s) | 05/21/2020: Order/Ruling, The Court resolved a departmental split between the cases of Seawright and Hawatmeh and found that despite the pandemic, the canidate's belated filing of a certificate of acceptance was a fatal defect, affirming Seawright. | |
