Filed Date: July 17, 2020
Closed Date: Aug. 18, 2020
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This is a case about how the District of Columbia was allowed to adjust signature requirements for entry onto the ballot for different levels of elections in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 17, 2021, the plaintiffs - a presidential hopeful and her supporters - brought this suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs sued the D.C. Board of Elections for First and Fourteenth Amendment violations, stemming from the number of signatures required to be on the presidential ballot being out of step with the number required for all other elections in D.C. While the signature requirements for other elections were reduced from around 7,500 signatures to 150 signatures due to the limitations on contact imposed by COVID-19, the presidential ballot requirements remained unchanged at around 5,000 signatures. This, the plaintiffs claimed, presented an undue burden on the candidacy of minor party candidates. Represented by private counsel, the plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief due to the measures that prevented the plaintiff candidate from being on the presidential ballot in D.C. Judge Randolph D. Moss was assigned to the case.
On July 24, 2020, the plaintiffs filed an emergency motion for a preliminary injunction to expedite the proceedings in light of the time-sensitivity of the issue. The plaintiffs asserted that additional delays would further infringe their constitutional rights and reduce the possibility of attaining sufficient relief.
On July 28, 2020, the D.C. Council approved a reduction in the signature requirements for the Presidential ballot to 250 signatures for the purposes of the 2020 election. This legislation was sent before the Mayor of D.C. In response to the action taken by the defendants, the plaintiffs moved to voluntarily dismiss this case. On August 18, 2020, Judge Moss ordered that the case be dismissed.
The case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Matthew Weiner (11/18/2021)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17360589/parties/la-riva-v-district-of-columbia-board-of-elections/
Moss, Randolph Daniel (District of Columbia)
Amarillas, Fernando (District of Columbia)
Bluming, Micah Ian (District of Columbia)
Brown, Shani C. (District of Columbia)
Jackson, Toni Michelle (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17360589/la-riva-v-district-of-columbia-board-of-elections/
Last updated April 23, 2025, 11 a.m.
State / Territory: District of Columbia
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Healthy Elections COVID litigation tracker
Key Dates
Filing Date: July 17, 2020
Closing Date: Aug. 18, 2020
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
A Socialist Party candidate for President of the United States, as well as supporters of the candidate seeking to be made electors.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
District of Columbia Board of Elections (District of Columbia), City
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201
Constitutional Clause(s):
Special Case Type(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Content of Injunction:
Issues
Voting: