Cohen v. Rossi

Summary

The court affirmed the judgment denying relief from the West Haven mayoral election despite multiple statutory violations in the absentee-ballot process. It held that the clerk could delegate drop-box retrieval, the fourteen same-day ballots substantially complied with endorsement requirements, and the missing delivery affidavits and ballot-report discrepancies did not establish that the election results were unreliable. The court also rejected challenges to allegedly unauthorized ballot returners and declined to review inadequately briefed additional irregularities. Justice D’Auria, joined by the Chief Justice, and Justice Ecker concurred in part; they agreed with the result but differed on whether the drop-box retrieval statute permits delegation beyond appointed assistant clerks and, for Justice Ecker, whether the statute is ambiguous.