On July 10, Joshua Eisen, an independent congressional candidate in New York, filed a federal lawsuit for ballot access relief due to the health crisis. Eisen v Cuomo, s.d., 7:20cv-5121. The Governor’s proclamation of June 30, 2020, set the petition requirement at 2,450, to be collected July 1-30. Here is the brief.

The lawsuit notes that when Governor Cuomo set the primary petition requirement for U.S. House, it lowered it to only 30% of the normal requirement, but independents must collect 70% of the normal requirement. The lawsuit asks for a lower number of signatures, a later deadline, and the ability to obtain electronic signatures.

Eisen is running in the 17th district, the district currently held by Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey. The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Philip M. Halpern, a Trump appointee.