On December 20, opponents of the New York May petition deadline for independent candidates filed a cert petition in the U.S. Supreme Court. Meadors v Erie County Board of Elections, number not yet assigned.

The U.S. District Court upheld the May deadline, which had been moved to May in 2019. Earlier the deadline had been in August.

The Second Circuit refused to hear the merits of the case, claiming the case was moot. The appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is mainly concerned with the mootness issue. Back in 1968 the U.S. Supreme Court had said constitutional ballot access cases are not moot just because the election is over. The Second Circuit opinion is inconsistent with the 1968 precedent.