Kishore, a US Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Equality Party , was unable to secure the 200,000 signatures required to be added to the ballot in California. Kishore argues getting those signature was nearly impossible due to precautionary orders made by the government during the COVID-19 Pandemic for people to stay in their homes, not engage in large outdoor gatherings, and not to participate in non-essential social interactions. Violations of these orders could result in fines and or imprisonment. Kishore argued getting the signatures would have put the public at risk for illness, death, fines, and possible criminal punishment. Kishore argued: (1) he would succeed on the merits, because the burden is so severe that it is an absolute bar to getting ballot access; (b) Kishore argues the candidates will suffer immediate and irreparable harm in the absence of relief, because the fundamental right to assocaite for the advancement of political beliefs and the fundamental right to vote would be impinged; (c) Kishore argued the balance of equities tips in favor of the candidates, because there is no legitimate or rational justification for requiring the candidates to gather hundreds of thousands of signatures under conditions that made gathering the signatures unsafe, illegal, and fatal to do so; and (d) Kishore argued an injunction was in the public interest, because California voters and candidates cannot be required to risk death to exercise their most fundamental democratic rights. | Kishore v. Newsom C.D. Cal.