Nail and Mail Service Not Valid—Not Calculated to Give Timely Notice of Order to Show Cause Challenging an Independent Nominating Petition

The Third Department determined that the method of service used for petitioner’s order to show cause challenging an independent nominating petition (naming a Libertarian Independent Party candidate for state senator) was not valid and reversed the granting of the application:

The manner of service provided in the order to show cause was not “‘reasonably calculated to give notice to the necessary parties so that receipt of such notice would normally be expected within the statutory 14-day period for commencing a proceeding concerning the validity of a designating petition'” … . To institute a proceeding “under Election Law § 16-102,” a petitioner “must commence the proceeding and complete service on all the necessary parties within the period prescribed by Election Law § 16-102 (2)” … . In order to complete service, actual delivery must occur … . The Court of Appeals has held that the method of service employed here — affixing the order to show cause and papers to Bowman’s residence and mailing the same on the last day permitted for commencing a proceeding — is not a method of service reasonably calculated to give timely notice … . Contrary to petitioners’ assertions, our decision in Matter of Grimaldi v Board of Elections of the State of N.Y. (95 AD3d 1644 [2012]) is distinguishable. In that case, we concluded that service by affixing the papers to the respondent’s residence and either faxing or leaving a copy at the office of the respondent’s counsel on the last day to commence a proceeding was permissible; we did not permit affixing the papers to a residence and mailing the same on the last day to commence (id. at 1645-1646). Inasmuch as service was not completed within the time limit set forth in Election Law § 16-102 (2), the proceeding must be dismissed … . Matter of Wilson v Bowman, 2014 NY Slip Op 07289, 3rd Dept 10-24-14