On July 18, 2025, Joseph Hernandez, an independent candidate for the mayoralty of New York City, made headlines by filing a significant federal civil rights lawsuit. This legal action seeks to mandate the use of ranked-choice voting (RCV) in the upcoming 2025 general election, challenging the current system that employs RCV only for party primaries and special elections. This lawsuit was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and calls the city’s electoral practices unconstitutional and discriminatory.
Hernandez, believing that a two-tiered electoral system is inherently unjust, states, "Every New Yorker deserves a vote that counts, and every candidate should have a fair chance, regardless of party affiliation." He argues that the existing model minimizes competition, deters voter engagement, and disproportionately impacts independent candidates and those with minority support. According to him, the present electoral framework violates the Equal Protection Clause and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, alongside the New York State Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act. The lawsuit emphasizes that this exclusionary system has the potential to dilute the voting power of racial and ethnic minorities, particularly in densely populated ballot scenarios.
Hernandez is represented by Richard Cardinale, a well-known civil rights attorney famed for championing the rights of everyday New Yorkers. With a personal background steeped in resilience, Hernandez is a Cuban-American entrepreneur who immigrated to the U.S. at the age of seven. Raised by immigrant parents—his father worked as a dishwasher, while his mother was a housekeeper—he forged a path through academia that took him to prestigious institutions such as the University of Florida, Yale, and Oxford. His entrepreneurial pursuits have led him to establish numerous successful companies across various sectors, including biotech and healthcare, with several now listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
In his bid for mayor, Hernandez aims to tackle several pressing issues:
- - Hiring 10,000 new police officers and enhancing patrols to cultivate safety on the streets and subways.
- - Enforcing quality-of-life regulations to restore basic civility and cleanliness.
- - Streamlining affordable housing efforts by reducing bureaucratic hurdles and repurposing underutilized office spaces.
- - Leveraging AI and smart technologies to enhance governmental efficiency and improve essential services.
- - Implementing 'smart city' initiatives to transform New York into a more livable, responsive, and secure urban environment.
As Hernandez puts it, "This lawsuit centers on fairness. However, my campaign is geared toward repairing New York. We are committed to constructing a city that serves everyone—safe, clean, affordable, and teeming with opportunity."
Joseph Hernandez will feature on the general election ballot in November as an independent candidate for the Mayor of New York City.
For further details on Joseph Hernandez and his campaign, visit his official website, hernandezfornyc.com.