On July 17, U.S. District Court Judge Philip Halpern will hear Eisen v Cuomo, s.d., 7:20cv-5121. This is a challenge to the New York executive order of June 30 that sets the number of signatures for an independent U.S. House candidate at 2,450 signatures, due July 30.
Normally an independent for U.S. House in New York needs 3,500 signatures. The Governor’s order set the requirement at 70% of normal. However, earlier this year, the Governor had set the primary petition for U.S. House candidates at only 30% of normal. The state’s brief is due later today, July 16.
Surely this is illegal by Cuomo. If this stands then judges are basically saying any governor in the country can decide by themselves how independents and third parties get on the ballot in their states.