Judge OKs 'Law & Order' Actress To Appear On November Ballot

KINGSTON, NY — "Law and Order: SVU" actress Diane Neal will have a place on the November general election ballot in the race for the 19th Congressional District. Neal won a court case after the state Board of Elections nixed more than 1,800 of the more than 4,100 signatures she collected to get on the ballot.

The state Supreme Court Appellate Division decided in her favor Monday, syracuse.com said.

Neal will appear as an independent candidate on the ballot.

Republican Rep. John Faso, of Kinderhook, is running for re-election in the 19th district and is already being challenged by Democrat Antonio Delgado, of Rhinebeck.

Neal lives in Hurley.

She played an assistant district attorney named Casey Novak on "SVU" from 2003 to 2008 and in the 2011-12 season, the Daily Freeman said, and was also in a few episodes of "NCIS."

The 19th Congressional District includes Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster counties and parts of Broome, Dutchess, Montgomery and Rensselaer counties.

Photo caption: Actress Diane Neal attends the American Foundation for AIDS Research 13th Annual Rocks Benefit on June 14, 2004, at Tavern On The Green in New York City. Photo credit: Thos Robinson/Getty Images.