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Fraud Does Not Require Proof of a “Nefarious Motive”—Fact that Respondent Knew that the Spouses of Three Signatories Signed the Petition on the Signatories’ Behalf Invalidated the Petition, Despite the Fact that There Were a Sufficient Number of Valid Signatures

The Third Department invalidated the designating petition because the respondent, Hammond, admitted he witnessed the signatures of the three people who were the spouses of the person purportedly signing the petition.  The petition included 38 signatures, 30 more than the eight required to receive the party designation. Hammond thought having the three spouses sign was proper. The court noted that the signatures were fraudulent, despite the absence of an intent to defraud, and Hammond’s knowledge of the fraud required invalidation:

A court will invalidate a designating petition where the challenger establishes, by clear and convincing evidence, “that the entire petition is permeated with fraud or that the candidate participated in, or can be charged with knowledge of, fraudulent activity” … . Where a candidate is involved in the fraud, the challenger need not show that the fraud permeated the entire petition …, and “the petition may be invalidated even if it contains a sufficient number of valid signatures independent of those fraudulently procured” … . * * *

Fraud … does not require proof of a “nefarious motive” … . Inasmuch as Hammond participated in the fraud, and regardless of the fact that the designating petition contained a sufficient number of signatures independent of the three signatures that were fraudulently obtained, we invalidate respondents’ designating petition and strike their names from the ballot … . Matter of Mattice v Hammond, 2015 NY Slip Op 06637, 3rd Dept 8-20-15

 

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