Filed Date: May 19, 2020
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding in progress
This case, initially tracked by the Stanford/MIT Healthy Elections Project, is about Maryland election laws which required candidates from the Green Party and the Libertarian Party to gather 10,000 signatures in order to become official political parties and nominate a candidate, an amount which the plaintiffs wanted to be lower in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The plaintiffs alleged that the laws, as well as restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hindered them from being able to regain status as political parties.
On May 9, 2020, the Maryland Green Party and the Libertarian Party of Maryland filed this lawsuit against the Governor of Maryland and the Maryland State Administrator of Elections in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The plaintiffs, suing under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, 28 U.S.C. § 1343, and 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201 and 2202, alleged that Maryland Code, Election Law § 4-102 (EL § 4-102) violated their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief, enjoining strict enforcement of the alleged prohibitive election laws and allowing the Green Party or the Libertarian Party to be granted new party status under EL § 4-102 if they submitted a petition with 1,000 signatures before August 3, 2020; the plaintiffs also sought damages in an amount to be determined at trial. Simultaneous with the complaint, the plaintiffs filed a temporary restraining order, or in the alternative a preliminary injunction. The case was assigned to Judge Ellen L. Hollander.
The Defendants filed a response in opposition to the temporary restraining order and a motion to dismiss on May 29.
On June 19, 2020, the parties filed a joint motion for consent judgment, notifying the court that the parties had negotiated judgment and wished for the court to dismiss the case. The consent judgment stipulated the judgment would be entered in favor of plaintiffs and against the State Elections Administrator, and that the signature requirement to regain status as a political party in Maryland would only be 5,000 for the November 3, 2020 election; all other complaints, including all claims against the Governor, were dismissed with prejudice. The court granted the motion and the case was dismissed with prejudice.
Summary Authors
Caitlin Kierum (3/30/2022)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17178013/parties/maryland-green-party-v-hogan/
Hollander, Ellen Lipton (Maryland)
Grannis, Mark A. (District of Columbia)
Hall, Oliver B. (District of Columbia)
Stichel, Henry M. (Maryland)
Scott, Robert A. (Maryland)
Trento, Andrea William (Maryland)
Hollander, Ellen Lipton (Maryland)
Grannis, Mark A. (District of Columbia)
Hall, Oliver B. (District of Columbia)
Stichel, Henry M. (Maryland)
Scott, Robert A. (Maryland)
Trento, Andrea William (Maryland)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17178013/maryland-green-party-v-hogan/
Last updated June 7, 2022, 3:10 a.m.
State / Territory: Maryland
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Healthy Elections COVID litigation tracker
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 19, 2020
Closing Date: June 19, 2020
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The Maryland Green Party and the Libertarian Party of Maryland
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
State Administrator of Elections, State
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201
Constitutional Clause(s):
Availably Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Mixed
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Issues
COVID-19:
Voting: