Filed Date: June 27, 2016
Closed Date: July 6, 2016
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This is a case about whether one of the plaintiffs is allowed on the ballot for the House of Representatives race in the Third Congressional District of New York.
On June 27, 2016, plaintiff, a duly registered Republican voter, filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The plaintiffs sued the New York State Board of Elections and affiliated personnel. Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the First Amendment. They claimed that the defendants failed to ensure that the plaintiff who wished to run for the House of Representatives was included on the primary ballot.
The plaintiffs alleged that the lawsuit arises from prolonged attempts by the defendant Co-Chair of the New York State Board of Elections to insulate himself from any Republican primary challenge at the expense of thousands of Republican voters in the Third Congressional District. According to the plaintiffs, Plaintiff Pidot followed the applicable rules and obtained the proper number of signatures required in support of his Republican candidacy for the Office of Representative to the U.S. Congress. After a challenge to the number of signatures that Plaintiff Pidot had, the Supreme Court in Nassau County ultimately determined on June 23rd that Plaintiff Pidot had filed more than enough valid signatures to appear on the Republican Primary ballot. However, the court denied as "impossible" that Plaintiff Pidot's petition to compel the State Board of Elections to place his name on the ballot for the primary election to be held on June 28th.
On June 27, 2016, the Court issued an Order stating that the plaintiffs did not serve the defendants and confirmed that they are not seeking to enjoin the primary election scheduled to take place on June 28th, but rather are seeking to enjoin certification of a Republican candidate as it relates to the general election ballot for Representative in Congress for New York's Third Congressional District. The Court directed plaintiffs to serve the complaint and the Order on the defendants by June 28th. The Court held a temporary restraining order was not necessary as plaintiffs did not demonstrate any irreparable harm that would occur by June 28th in the absence of an injunction related to the general election ballot. A Court conference was held on June 29, 2016, and the defendants submitted a letter memorandum in opposition to the plaintiffs' Complaint on July 5, 2016. Also on July 5, 2016, however, the plaintiffs filed a notice of voluntary dismissal without prejudice. The case was terminated on that date.
Summary Authors
LFAA (1/13/2026)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4520993/parties/pidot-v-new-york-state-board-of-elections/
Bianco, Joseph Frank (New York)
Goldfeder, Jerry H. (New York)
Kellner, Douglas A. (New York)
McCann, William John (New York)
Nocella, Joseph (New York)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4520993/pidot-v-new-york-state-board-of-elections/
Last updated March 31, 2026, 5:09 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) project
Key Dates
Filing Date: June 27, 2016
Closing Date: July 6, 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Republican candidate for U.S Congress in New York's Third Congressional District and a registered Republican voter
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Private Entity/Person
Jack Martins
State
Andrew Spano, in his offiical capacity as Commissioner of the New York State Board of Elections
Douglas Keller, in his offical capacity as Co-Chair of the New York State Board of Elections
Gregory Peterson, in his offiical capacity as Commissioner of the New York State Board of Elections
New York State Board of Elections
Peter Kosinski, in his offical capacity as Co-Chair of the New York State Board of Elections
Robert Brehm, in his offical capacity as Executive Directors of the New York State Board of Elections
Todd Valentine, in his offical capacity as Executive Directors of the New York State Board of Elections
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Eastern District of New York 2:16-cv-03527
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Voting:
Case Summary of Pidot v. New York State Board Of Elections, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/45003/ (last updated 1/13/2026).