Elections

Judge Denies Request To Open Up New York State Primaries

Kerry Picket Political Reporter
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New York registered independents were dealt a blow on New York’s primary day. A federal judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order that would have opened up the Empire State’s primary election to all voters, not just registered Republicans and Democrats.

The emergency lawsuit was filed Monday by the group Election Protection USA. It was intended to open the state’s closed primary resulting in over 3 million independents being able to cast ballots. However, District Judge Joanna Seybert not only eventually denied the request but also delayed the hearing.

New Yorkers must have registered with the Republican or Democrat Parties by last October in order to vote in Tuesday’s primary.

Ed Cox, New York State GOP Chairman, applauded the ruling. Cox told The Daily Caller in a statement, “These have been the established rules and it would be highly unusual for a court to change them, particularly when they’re the same in so many states.”

According to the lawsuit, a number of New York voter registrations were purged from the rolls and voters’ party affiliations were altered without permission, The Young Turks’ Jordan Chariton reported.

“We’re asking that the vote stay counted until the Board of Elections can actually show that you’re not a registered Democrat,” plaintiff Jonathan Clarke told Chariton.

Think Progress reports that prior the Tuesday decision, Election Protection USA asked New York voters to go to the polls and file provisional ballots, so their votes may be counted if the lawsuit was decided in their favor.

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