United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ——————————
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08-3075-CV United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit —————————— LORI S. MASLOW, JEMEL JOHNSON, KENNETH BARTHOLEMEW, PHILIP J. SMALLMAN, and JOHN G. SERPICO, Plaintiffs-Appellants, CAROL FAISON, MARIA GOMES, ZACARY LARECHE, and LIVIE ANGLADE, Plaintiffs, -against- BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, Defendant-Appellee. —————————— On appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York ŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷ APPELLANTS’ BRIEF AND SPECIAL APPENDIX ŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷŷ AARON D. MASLOW Attorney for Appellants 1761 Stuart Street Brooklyn, New York 11229 Tel. (718) 375-8211 Fax (718) 375-2114 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF AUTHORITIES . iii PRELIMINARY STATEMENT . 1 JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT . 1 (A) DISTRICT COURT’S JURISDICTION . 1 (B) COURT OF APPEALS’ JURISDICTION . 2 (C) TIMELINESS OF APPEAL . 2 (D) FINALITY STATEMENT . 2 ISSUES PRESENTED . .3 STATEMENT OF THE CASE . 4 STATEMENT OF FACTS . 8 (A) NEW YORK’S STATUTORY PROVISIONS . 8 (B) CANDIDATE PLAINTIFFS’ 2006 PETITIONING EFFORT . 10 (C) NON-CANDIDATE PLAINTIFFS . 14 (D) DEFENDANT BOARD OF ELECTIONS . 17 SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT . 18 ARGUMENT . 20 POINT I THIS COURT SHOULD CONDUCT A DE NOVO REVIEW OF THE DISTRICT COURT’S DENIAL OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT. 20 POINT II THE DECISION OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IN BUCKLEY V. AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW FOUNDATION, INC., AND NOT THAT IN NEW YORK STATE BD. OF ELECTIONS V. LOPEZ TORRES, IS DISPOSITIVE OF THE ISSUE IN DISPUTE. 22 i (A) BUCKLEY V. AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW FOUNDATION, INC., AND ITS PROGENT CASES 22 (B) NEW YORK STATE BD. OF ELECTIONS V. LOPEZ TORRES 26 (C) CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISTRICT COURT’S DECISION 29 POINT III PETITION CIRCULATION IS CORE POLITICAL SPEECH AND SINCE NEW YORK’S PARTY WITNESS RULE IMPOSES A SEVERE BURDEN ON SUCH SPEECH IT MUST UNDERGO STRICT SCRUTINY. 32 POINT IV NEW YORK’S PARTY WITNESS RULE IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY NARROWLY TAILORED TO ADVANCE A COMPELLING STATE INTEREST. 42 (A) PROTECTING ASSOCIATIONAL RIGHTS OF PARTIES . 42 (C) PREVENTING BALLOT ACCESS FRAUD . 52 POINT V PERMITTING NOTARIES PUBLIC AND COMMISSIONERS OF DEEDS TO CIRCULATE DESIGNATING PETITIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND ENROLLED IN THE PARTY DENIES EQUAL PROTECTION TO NON-NOTARIAL SUBSCRIBING WITNESSES NOT REGISTERED OR NOT ENROLLED. 57 CONCLUSION . 61 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE WITH FRAP RULE 32(a) . 63 SPECIAL APPENDIX . SPA-1 NY ELECTION LAW § 6-132 . SPA-2 DECISION OF DISTRICT COURT (HON. NICHOLAS G. GARAUFIS, U.S.D.J.) SPA-5 ii TABLE OF AUTHORITIES Federal Cases Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616, 40 S.Ct. 17 (1919) . 29 Blankenship v. Blackwell, 341 F.Supp.2d 911 (S.D.Oh. 2004) . 24 Bogaert v. Land, 2008 WL 3915148 (W.D.Mich. Aug. 27, 2008) . 25 Buckley v. American Constitutional Law Foundation, Inc., 525 U.S. 182, 119 S.Ct. 636 (1999) . 3, 18, 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 31, 33, 36, 40, 44, 56 Bullock v. Carter, 405 U.S. 134, 92 S.Ct. 849 (1972) . 59 Burdick v. Takushi, 504 U.S. 428, 112 S.Ct. 2059 (1992) . 31, 32, 59 California Democratic Party v. Jones, 530 U.S. 567, 120 S.Ct. 2402 (2000) . 27, 29, 35, 43 Campbell v. Bysiewicz, 242 F.Supp.2d 164 (D.Ct. 2003) . 24 Chou v. New York State Board of Elections, 332 F.Supp.2d 510 (E.D.N.Y. 2004) . 35, 41 Democratic Party of the U.S. v. Wisconsin ex rel. La Follette, 450 U.S. 107, 101 S.Ct. 1010 (1981) . 29, 43 Eu v. San Francisco County Democratic Central Committee, 489 U.S. 214, 109 S.Ct. 1013 (1989) . 43, 44 Harper v. Virginia Bd. of Elections, 383 U.S. 663, 86 S.Ct. 1079 (1966) . 59 Hill v. Colorado, 530 U.S. 703, 120 S.Ct. 2480 (2000) . 35 Kermani v. New York State Board of Elections, 2006 WL 2190716 (N.D.N.Y. July 25, 2006) . 47 Krislov v. Rednour, 226 F.3d 851 (7th Cir. 2000) . 23, 34, 41, 44, 46, 50, 52 iii Lerman v. Board of Elections in City of New York, 232 F.3d 135 (2d Cir. 2000) . 9, 22, 25, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 38, 40, 41, 45, 48, 50, 52, 55 Meyer v. Grant, 486 U.S. 414, 108 S.Ct. 1886 (1988) . 32, 35, 58 Molinari v. Powers, 82 F.Supp.2d 57 (E.D.N.Y. 2000) . 50, 57, 58 Moore v. Brunner, 2008 WL 2323530 (S.D.Oh. June 2, 2008) . 24 Morrill v. Weaver, 224 F.Supp.2d 882, 889 (E.D. Pa. 2002) . 23, 34, 35, 36, 40, 41 Nader v. Brewer, 531 F.3d 1028 (9th Cir. 2008) . 25 Nader 2000 Primary Committee, Inc. v. Hazeltine, 110 F.Supp.2d 1201, 1205 (D.S.D.), aff’d on oth grounds, 226 F.3d 979 (8th Cir. 2000) . 24 Nader 2000 Primary Committee, Inc. v. Hechler, 112 F.Supp.2d 575 (S.D.W.V. 2000) . 24 New York State Bd. of Elections v. Lopez Torres, 128 S.Ct. 791 (2008) . 3, 7, 18, 19, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 42, 51, 52 Price v. New York State Bd. of Elections, ___ F.3d ___, 2008 WL 3876598 (2d Cir. Aug. 22, 2008) . 20 Queens County Republican Committee v. New York State Board of Elections, 222 F.Supp.2d 341 (E.D.N.Y. 2002) . 48 Rockefeller v. Powers, 78 F.3d 44, aff’g, 917 F.Supp. 155 (E.D.N.Y. 1996) . 38 Rosario v. Rockefeller, 410 U.S. 752, 93 S.Ct. 1245 (1973) . 43 Tashjian v. Republican Party of Connecticut, 479 U.S.208, 107 S.Ct. 544 (1986) . 43 Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. F.C.C., 512 U.S. 622, 114 S.Ct. 2445 (1994) . 55 Ulrich v. Mane, 383 F.Supp.2d 405 (E.D.N.Y. 2005) . 37 iv Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party, 128 S.Ct. 1184 (2008) . 51 Williams v. Rhodes, 393 U.S. 23, 89 S.Ct. 5 (1968) . 59 State Cases Adams v. Klapper, 182 Misc.2d 51, 696 N.Y.S.2d 758 (Sup. Ct. Kings Co.), aff’d, 264 A.D.2d 696, 695 N.Y.S.2d 295 (2d Dept. 1999) . 54 Avella v. Batt, 33 A.D.3d 77, 820 N.Y.S.2d 332 (3d Dept. 2006) . 46 D’Andre v. Canary, 114 A.D.2d 430, 494 N.Y.S.2d 144 (2d Dept. 1985) . 53, 54 DeAngelo v. DiFilippo, 196 A.D.2d 608, 601 N.Y.S.2d 346 (2d Dept. 1993) 53, 54 Haas v. Costigan, 14 A.D.2d 809, 221 N.Y.S.2d 138 (1961) . 53, 54 Haskell v. Gargiulo, 51 N.Y.2d 747, 411 N.E.2d 778 (1980) . 53, 54 LaBrake v. Dukes, 96 N.Y.2d 913, 733 N.Y.S.2d 133 (2001) . 44, 48, 56 Lerner v. Power, 22 N.Y.2d 767, 292 N.Y.S.2d 471 (1968) . 53 MacDougall v. Board of Elections of City of New York, 133 A.D.2d 198, 518 N.Y.S.2d 840 (2d Dept. 1987) . 54 O’Donovan v. Board of Elections, 176 A.D.2d 229, 574 N.Y.S.2d 56 (2d Dept. 1991) . 46 Oberle v. Caracappa, 133 A.D.2d 202, 518 N.Y.S.2d 989 (2d Dept. 1987) . 54 Waters v. Cohen, 248 A.D. 830, 290 N.Y.S. 72 (2d Dept. 1936) . 53 Werbel v. Gernstein, 191 Misc. 275, 78 N.Y.S.2d 440 (Sup. Ct. Kings Co.), aff’d, 273 A.D. 917, 78 N.Y.S.2d 926 (2d Dept. 1948) . 51 Zuckman v. Donahue, 191 Misc. 399, 79 N.Y.S.2d 169 (Sup. Ct. Albany Co.), aff’d, 274 A.D. 216, 80 N.Y.S.2d 698 (3d Dept.), aff’d, 298 N.Y. 627, 81 N.E.2d 371 (1948) . 51 v Federal Statutes 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . 2 28 U.S.C. § 1331 . 1 28 U.S.C. § 1343(a)(3) . 2 28 U.S.C. § 2201 . 1 42 U.S.C. § 1983 . 1, 5, 61 State Statutes NY Election Law § 1-104(3) . 8 NY Election Law § 1-104(9) . ..