14-Day Election Law Statute of Limitations, Not Article 78 Statute of Limitations, Applied

The Second Department determined that a putative Article 78 proceeding seeking to exclude candidates from the ballot based upon alleged violations of the Election Law was governed by the Election Law, not the Article 78, statute of limitations:

Notwithstanding the characterization of this proceeding as one pursuant to CPLR article 78, the petitioners seek to exclude candidates from the ballot based on their alleged failure to comply with the nomination and designation procedures of Election Law article 6, as supplemented by the general provisions of Election Law § 1-106. Accordingly, this proceeding is governed by the statute of limitations set forth in Election Law § 16-102(2) … . Since it is undisputed that this proceeding was not commenced within 14 days after the last day to file the designating and opportunity-to-ballot petitions at issue, as required by Election Law § 16-102(2), the Supreme Court properly dismissed the proceeding as untimely.  Matter of Ciotti v Westchester County Bd of Elections, 2013 NY Slip Op 06000, 2nd Dept 9-25-13