NEW YORK, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Joseph Hernandez, an independent candidate for Mayor of New York City, has filed a groundbreaking federal civil rights lawsuit demanding the implementation of ranked-choice voting (RCV) in the 2025 general mayoral election. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the lawsuit challenges the City's use of RCV only in party primaries and special elections—excluding general elections—as unconstitutional and discriminatory.
k5:G 4=2DDlQ!#}0x>365565pDD6E#676C6?46Q :5lQs:GpDD6E!=246w@=56C`QmkAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>>2]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^>65:2^afbc_hg^7656C2=0=2HDF:E]A57nAl@C:8:?2=Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmk:>8 2=ElQu656C2= =2HDF:E 7:=65 3J :?56A6?56?E >2J@C2= 42?5:52E6 y@D6A9 w6C?2?56K[ D66<:?8 E@ >2?52E6 C2?<65\49@:46 G@E:?8 :? }6H *@C< r:EJUCDBF@jD a_ad 86?6C2= 6=64E:@?]Q DC4lQ9EEADi^^>>2]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^>65:2^afbc_hg^7656C2=0=2HDF:E]A57nAlA57E9F>3?2:=Q E:E=6lQu656C2= =2HDF:E 7:=65 3J :?56A6?56?E >2J@C2= 42?5:52E6 y@D6A9 w6C?2?56K[ D66<:?8 E@ >2?52E6 C2?<65\49@:46 G@E:?8 :? }6H *@C< r:EJUCDBF@jD a_ad 86?6C2= 6=64E:@?]Q ^mk^2mk^Amk^5:Gm
kAmQp EH@\E:6C65 6=64E:@? DJDE6> :D 7F?52>6?E2==J F?72:C[Q D2:5 w6C?2?56K] QtG6CJ }6H *@C<6C 56D6CG6D 2 G@E6 E92E 4@F?ED[ 2?5 6G6CJ 42?5:52E6 56D6CG6D 2 =6G6= A=2J:?8 7:6=5—C682C5=6DD @7 A2CEJ 277:=:2E:@?] #r' 6?DFC6D >2;@C:EJ DFAA@CE 2?5 C62= 49@:46] (:E9@FE :E[ E96 DJDE6> :D C:8865 :? 72G@C @7 A@=:E:42= :?D:56CD]Qk^Am
kAm%96 DF:E 2C8F6D E92E E9:D 3:7FC42E65 DECF4EFC6 DFAAC6DD6D 4@>A6E:E:@?[ 5:D4@FC286D G@E6C A2CE:4:A2E:@?[ 2?5 5:DAC@A@CE:@?2E6=J 92C>D :?56A6?56?E 2?5 >:?@C:EJ\DFAA@CE65 42?5:52E6D] xE 7FCE96C 4@?E6?5D E92E E96 4FCC6?E DJDE6> G:@=2E6D E96 tBF2= !C@E64E:@? r=2FD6 2?5 u:CDE p>6?5>6?E @7 E96 &]$] r@?DE:EFE:@?[ 2D H6== 2D E96 kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\=@42E:@?Qm}6H *@C< $E2E6k^DA2?m r@?DE:EFE:@? 2?5 E96 7656C2= '@E:?8 #:89ED p4E—A2CE:4F=2C=J H96C6 :E >2J 5:=FE6 E96 G@E:?8 A@H6C @7 C24:2= 2?5 6E9?:4 >:?@C:E:6D :? 2 4C@H565 7:6=5]k^Am
kAmw6C?2?56K :D C6AC6D6?E65 3J kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\A6CD@?Qm#:492C5 r2C5:?2=6k^DA2?m[ 2 AC@>:?6?E 4:G:= C:89ED 2EE@C?6J <?@H? 7@C 5676?5:?8 6G6CJ52J }6H *@C<6CD]k^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\A6CD@?Qmy@D6A9 w6C?2?56Kk^DA2?m :D 2 rF32?\p>6C:42? 6?EC6AC6?6FC[ AF3=:4 962=E9 :??@G2E@C[ 2?5 72E96C—?@E 2 42C66C A@=:E:4:2?] #2:D65 3J H@C<:?8\4=2DD :>>:8C2?E A2C6?ED—9:D 72E96C 2 5:D9H2D96C[ 9:D >@E96C 2 9@FD6<66A6C—w6C?2?56K H@C<65 9:D H2J E9C@F89 E@A F?:G6CD:E:6D :?4=F5:?8 E96 kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\@C8Qm&?:G6CD:EJ @7 u=@C:52k^DA2?m[ kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\@C8Qm*2=6k^DA2?m[ 2?5 ~I7@C5] w6 92D 7@F?565 2?5 =65 @G6C 2 5@K6? DF446DD7F= 4@>A2?:6D :? 3:@E649[ 962=E9 42C6[ 2?5 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46[ H:E9 >F=E:A=6 4@>A2?:6D =:DE65 @? E96 }2D52B]k^Am
kAmw6C?2?56K :D CF??:?8 7@C >2J@C E@ C6DE@C6 D276EJ[ 277@C523:=:EJ[ 2?5 244@F?E23:=:EJ :? 4:EJ 8@G6C?>6?E] w:D 42>A2:8? 46?E6CD @? AC24E:42=[ A6@A=6\7:CDE D@=FE:@?Dik^Am
kF= EJA6lQ5:D4Qmk=:mw:C6 `_[___ ?6H A@=:46 @77:46CD 2?5 56A=@J G:D:3=6 A2EC@=D E@ C6DE@C6 @C56C @? DEC66ED 2?5 DF3H2JDk^=:mk=:mt?7@C46 BF2=:EJ\@7\=:76 =2HD E@ 3C:?8 324< 32D:4 DE2?52C5D @7 4:G:=:EJ 2?5 4=62?=:?6DDk^=:mk=:mu2DE\EC24< 277@C523=6 9@FD:?8 56G6=@A>6?E 3J 4FEE:?8 C65 E2A6 2?5 4@?G6CE:?8 F?56CFD65 @77:46 DA246k^=:mk=:m&D6 px 2?5 D>2CE E649?@=@8:6D E@ 6=:>:?2E6 8@G6C?>6?E :?677:4:6?4J 2?5 :>AC@G6 6DD6?E:2= D6CG:46Dk^=:mk=:m{2F?49 QD>2CE 4:EJQ :?7C2DECF4EFC6 E@ >2<6 }*r >@C6 =:G23=6[ C6DA@?D:G6[ 2?5 D64FC6k^=:mk^F=m
kAmQ%9:D =2HDF:E :D 23@FE 72:C?6DD[Q w6C?2?56K 25565] QqFE E9:D 42>A2:8? :D 23@FE 7:I:?8 kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\=@42E:@?Qm}6H *@C<k^DA2?m] (6VC6 8@:?8 E@ 3F:=5 2 4:EJ E92E H@C<D 7@C 6G6CJ@?6—D276[ 4=62?[ 277@C523=6[ 2?5 7F== @7 @AA@CEF?:EJ]Qk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mkDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\A6CD@?Qmy@D6A9 w6C?2?56Kk^DA2?m H:== 2AA62C @? E96 86?6C2= 6=64E:@? 32==@E E9:D }@G6>36C 2D 2? :?56A6?56?E 42?5:52E6 7@C |2J@C @7 kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\=@42E:@?Qm}6H *@C< r:EJk^DA2?m]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mp3@FE kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\A6CD@?Qmy@D6A9 w6C?2?56Kk^DA2?mik^Am
kAmk^DEC@?8mkDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\A6CD@?Qmy@D6A9 w6C?2?56Kk^DA2?m :D 2 rF32?\p>6C:42? 3:@E649 6?EC6AC6?6FC 2?5 :?56A6?56?E 42?5:52E6 7@C |2J@C @7 kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\=@42E:@?Qm}6H *@C< r:EJk^DA2?m] p C67F866 2?5 E96 D@? @7 2 A@=:E:42= AC:D@?6C[ 96 :>>:8C2E65 E@ E96 &]$] 2E 286 D6G6? 2?5 3F:=E 2 ?2E:@?2==J C64@8?:K65 42C66C 7@F?5:?8 962=E942C6 4@>A2?:6D 2?5 25G2?4:?8 AF3=:4 962=E9 :??@G2E:@?] w6 :D CF??:?8 E@ C6DE@C6 D276EJ[ 277@C523:=:EJ[ 2?5 244@F?E23:=:EJ E@ kDA2? 4=2DDlQI?\=@42E:@?Qm}6H *@C< r:EJk^DA2?m =6256CD9:A]k^Am
kAmu@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ G:D:E kDA2? DEJ=6lQE6IE\564@C2E:@?i F?56C=:?6Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^4a`a]?6E^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lccf``fb\`U2>Aj9lad__eafd__U2>AjFl9EEATbpTauTau96C?2?56K7@C?J4]4@>TauU2>Aj2l96C?2?56K7@C?J4]4@>Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm96C?2?56K7@C?J4]4@>k^2mk^DA2?m]k^Am
k5:G 4=2DDlQ!#}0x>365565pDD6E#676C6?46Q :5lQs:GpDD6E!=246w@=56CaQmkAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>>2]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^>65:2^afbc_hh^y@D6A90w6C?2?56K0}6H0*@C<0$E@4<0tI492?86]9E>=Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmk^2mk^AmkAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>>2]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^>65:2^afbc`__^y@D6A90w6C?2?56K0E2<6D0BF6DE:@?D]9E>=Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmk^2mk^Amk^5:Gm
kA :5lQ!&#{Qmk:>8 2=ElQr:D:@?Q 96:89ElQ`aQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^4a`a]?6E^4^:>8^72G:4@?]A?8nD?lsrbba`gU2>AjD5la_ad\_f\`gQ E:E=6lQr:D:@?Q H:5E9lQ`aQ ^m ':6H @C:8:?2= 4@?E6?E E@ 5@H?=@25 >F=E:>65:2ik2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^:?56A6?56?E\>2J@C2=\42?5:52E6\;@D6A9\96C?2?56K\7:=6D\7656C2=\=2HDF:E\E@\3C:?8\C2?<65\49@:46\G@E:?8\E@\?J4D\86?6C2=\6=64E:@?\b_ad_ghc_]9E>=Q :5lQ!#}&#{Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^:?56A6?56?E\>2J@C2=\42?5:52E6\;@D6A9\96C?2?56K\7:=6D\7656C2=\=2HDF:E\E@\3C:?8\C2?<65\49@:46\G@E:?8\E@\?J4D\86?6C2=\6=64E:@?\b_ad_ghc_]9E>=k^2mk^Am
kAm$~&#rt w6C?2?56K u@C }*rk^Am
kAmk:>8 2=ElQQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^CE]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^CE]8:7n}6HDxE6>x5lsrbba`gU2>Aj%C2?D>:DD:@?0x5la_ad_f`g`f_d!#0}t($0&$!#00000srbba`gU2>Ajs2E6x5la_ad_f`gQ DEJ=6lQ3@C56Ci_AIj H:5E9i`AIj 96:89Ei`AIjQ ^mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us.