After submitting well above the required number of signatures and having her petition deemed valid by the Board of Elections, Jess Murphy is now fighting a court challenge brought by representatives of Pat Halpin&rsquo;s campaign seeking to disqualify supporters over handwriting technicalities.AMITYVILLE, NY &mdash; April 28, 2026 &mdash; Democratic congressional candidate Jess Murphy submitted 1,908 petition signatures to qualify for the ballot in New York&rsquo;s 2nd Congressional District, far exceeding the 1,250 signatures required under New York Election Law &sect; 6-134.
Following the review of objections, the New York Board of Elections issued a clerk&rsquo;s report validating 1,380 signatures and deeming Murphy&rsquo;s petition valid.
Representatives and attorneys acting on behalf of Pat Halpin&rsquo;s campaign subsequently challenged that determination in court, arguing that certain voter signatures should be invalidated based largely on handwriting technicalities, including signatures written in print rather than cursive or signatures that did not precisely match historical voter registration records.
As a result of that challenge, Murphy&rsquo;s campaign is now appealing the court&rsquo;s ruling.
In response, Murphy has begun going door to door to personally reconnect with voters whose signatures were challenged and is collecting signed affirmations directly from supporters confirming their lawful intent.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m knocking on doors and hearing directly from people who are frustrated their voices are being questioned,&rdquo; Murphy said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re telling me, &lsquo;Yes, I signed. I meant it.&rsquo; Voters followed the rules, and their voices deserve to be respected.&rdquo;
Murphy described cases involving seniors, longtime voters, and working families whose signatures have naturally changed over time.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re talking about real people whose support is being challenged over technicalities like print versus cursive,&rdquo; Murphy said. &ldquo;This is bigger than one campaign. It&rsquo;s about whether voters get to decide elections, or whether political insiders can use procedural challenges to silence them.&rdquo;
Murphy&rsquo;s campaign says the case reflects a broader trend in New York and across the country, where ballot access is increasingly contested through legal technicalities rather than voter intent.
&ldquo;Voters should decide elections,&rdquo; Murphy said. &ldquo;Not lawyers, not technicalities, and not insider political games.&rdquo;
 Statement from Erica Miller, Senior Campaign Advisor
&ldquo;Jess Murphy followed the law, exceeded the legal threshold, and had her petition deemed valid by the Board of Elections,&rdquo; said Erica Miller. &ldquo;Pat Halpin&rsquo;s campaign is now attempting to overturn voter intent by targeting legitimate supporters through procedural challenges instead of earning support directly from voters.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We are meeting these voters face to face,&rdquo; Miller continued. &ldquo;They signed. They meant it. And they deserve to be heard.&rdquo;
Murphy&rsquo;s campaign will continue its appeal while working to ensure that every valid voter and every legitimate signature is respected.
About Jess Murphy
Jess Murphy is a Long Island native, housing professional, and Democratic candidate for Congress in New York&rsquo;s 2nd District. After studying political science in Washington, D.C., Murphy campaigned for President Obama and gained experience on Capitol Hill working on democracy and economic policy. She has since built her career helping working families navigate housing, affordability, and economic opportunity.
Murphy is running for Congress to restore accountability in government, protect voting rights, lower costs for working families, and ensure democracy is driven by voters, not political insiders or special interests. Her campaign is grounded in direct voter engagement, transparency, and a commitment to making government work for the people it serves.
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