On September 3, U.S. District Court Judge John Sinatra, a Trump appointee, enjoined the May petition deadline for New York independent candidates. Meadors v Erie County Board of Elections, w.d., 1:21cv-982. The decision orders that the Board place independent candidate Byron Brown on the November ballot, as a candidate for re-election for Mayor. The ruling was oral and is not yet in writing. The judge said the burden of the May deadline is severe, and there is no compelling reason for a deadline that early.

The New York petition deadline for independent candidates had always been in August, September, or October of election years, in the entire history of government-printed ballots. Then, in 2019, the legislature moved it to May. UPDATE: also on September 3, in a parallel lawsuit in State Supreme Court, the petition deadline was also enjoined.