NEW YORK, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Joseph Hernandez, an independent candidate for Mayor of New York City, has filed a groundbreaking federal civil rights lawsuit demanding the implementation of ranked-choice voting (RCV) in the 2025 general mayoral election. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the lawsuit challenges the City's use of RCV only in party primaries and special elections—excluding general elections—as unconstitutional and discriminatory.

"A two-tiered election system is fundamentally unfair," said Hernandez. "Every New Yorker deserves a vote that counts, and every candidate deserves a level playing field—regardless of party affiliation. RCV ensures majority support and real choice. Without it, the system is rigged in favor of political insiders."

The suit argues that this bifurcated structure suppresses competition, discourages voter participation, and disproportionately harms independent and minority-supported candidates. It further contends that the current system violates the Equal Protection Clause and First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the New York State Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act—particularly where it may dilute the voting power of racial and ethnic minorities in a crowded field.

Hernandez is represented by Richard Cardinale, a prominent civil rights attorney known for defending everyday New Yorkers.

Joseph Hernandez is a Cuban-American entrepreneur, public health innovator, and father—not a career politician. Raised by working-class immigrant parents—his father a dishwasher, his mother a housekeeper—Hernandez worked his way through top universities including the University of Florida, Yale, and Oxford. He has founded and led over a dozen successful companies in biotech, health care, and artificial intelligence, with multiple companies listed on the Nasdaq.

Hernandez is running for mayor to restore safety, affordability, and accountability in city government. His campaign centers on practical, people-first solutions:

• Hire 10,000 new police officers and deploy visible patrols to restore order on streets and subways
• Enforce quality-of-life laws to bring back basic standards of civility and cleanliness
• Fast-track affordable housing development by cutting red tape and converting underused office space
• Use AI and smart technologies to eliminate government inefficiency and improve essential services
• Launch "smart city" infrastructure to make NYC more livable, responsive, and secure

"This lawsuit is about fairness," Hernandez added. "But this campaign is about fixing New York. We're going to build a city that works for everyone—safe, clean, affordable, and full of opportunity."

Joseph Hernandez will appear on the general election ballot this November as an independent candidate for Mayor of New York City.

About Joseph Hernandez:
Joseph Hernandez is a Cuban-American biotech entrepreneur and independent candidate for Mayor of New York City. A refugee and the son of a political prisoner, he immigrated to the U.S. at age seven and built a nationally recognized career founding healthcare companies and advancing public health innovation. He is running to restore safety, affordability, and accountability to New York City leadership.

For more information, visit hernandezfornyc.com.

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SOURCE Hernandez For NYC