Jerry H. Goldfeder

Jerry Goldfeder’s forty-year election law practice has included representing a variety of high-profile candidates and elected officials – including Mayor, Governor and President of the United States. He also has represented members of the United States Congress, the New York State legislature, New York’s City Council, members of the judiciary, as well as unions, not-for-profits, and a variety of groups on local, state and federal campaign finance law, lobbying compliance and governmental procedures.

Goldfeder is currently Special Counsel at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.  Previously, he served as Special Counsel for Public Integrity to then-Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo.

When he is not advising clients, he is teaching and writing.  Since 2003, he has taught Election Law at Fordham Law School, where he was voted Adjunct Professor of the Year in 2015 and 2019, and from 2009 through 2019 at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.  He is the author of the treatise Goldfeder’s Modern Election Law (NY Legal Pub. Corp., 6th Ed., Mar. 2021), and is the co-author of the New York Law Journal’s regular column, Government and Election Law. He is a prolific writer of legal and political commentary, and has published in the New York Times, the L.A. Times, the N.Y. Daily News, USA Today, and various other publications.  He is also author of Could Terrorists Derail a Presidential Election, in 32 Ford. Urb. L. J. 523 (2005), and Election Law and the Presidency, in  85 Fordham L. Rev.965 (2016).

Goldfeder served as a writing consultant for CNN’s mini-series, Race for the White House, and has a weekly podcast on public radio WFUV, Election Connection.

Goldfeder currently is Chair of the NY State Bar Association’s 2020 Presidential Task Force, which has advised attorneys, journalists and the public on legal issues involved in the recent presidential race. He is also a Special Advisor to the American Bar Association’s Election Law Committee.

Previously, he was Chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on Election Law and the Committee on New York City Municipal Affairs.

Among several awards and recognition, Goldfeder is the recipient of the New York Law Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Burton Award for Legal Writing.

He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, the Latino Leadership Institute and Let America Vote. Since 2014, Mr. Goldfeder has been a trustee of the Museum of the City of New York, appointed by the Manhattan Borough President.

He was in the first class of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University, where he served on the Law Review.

Prior to enrolling in law school, Goldfeder was a graduate student in Political Science at UCLA, where he earned a Master’s degree and was a Teaching Assistant; during his tenure there he organized and was president of a local union of teaching and research assistants.  He then taught American Politics as an Adjunct at Brooklyn College. 

Before getting his graduate degree, he taught fifth grade in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, NYC, where he established and taught the school’s first African American social studies class.

• Government Affairs
• Litigation

Mr. Goldfeder has been honored by numerous organizations for his accomplishments and community service, including:

• The Lifetime Achievement Award by the New York Law Journal  
• The Tzedek Award for his work as an advocate for New Yorkers in need by the  Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty
• The Judge Harold R. Tyler, Jr. Award for his civic work by Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation
• Corporate Social Responsibility Award in Labor & Law for promoting respect for human rights, good governance and transparency by City & State
• Law Power 100 Award (Number 3), which recognizes New York's most politically powerful lawyers by City & State
• Adjunct Professor of the Year by Fordham Law School (2015 and 2019)
• Burton Award for Legal Writing (2019)

Mr. Goldfeder is the author or co-author of numerous articles. A complete list of previously published articles are available upon request. Selected publications include:

• “What Pence Should Do," The New York Times, January 6, 2021
• “Trump can be the Greatest Loser,” New York Daily News, November 26, 2020
  “‘Nightmare Presidential Scenarios’ Averted; Election Reforms Still Needed,” New York State Bar Association, November 20, 2020
• “2020 Election Sidebar: No Winner in a State? What Then?” New York Law Journal, October 26, 2020
• “Op-Ed: Please don’t tell Kamala I’m with her. I wouldn’t want to jinx the race,” Los Angeles Times, October 22, 2020
• "Demand Respect for Results," Albany Times Union, October 5, 2020
• "Protecting the Right to Vote: The Assault on the Franchise Continues," New York Law Journal, September 1, 2020
• "Trump’s Tweets Are Hollow, but Frank Underwood-Style Voter Suppression Is a Real Election Day Threat," Queens Daily Eagle, August 11, 2020
• "Before John Lewis, Was the Bold Life and Unjust Death of Maceo Snipes," USA Today, July 31, 2020
• Quoted in "The President’s Trumped-Up Claims of Voter Fraud," FactCheck.org, July 31, 2020
• "Still No Plan for a Smooth Election," New York Law Journal, July 1, 2020
• "Send Every N.Y. Voter a Ballot," New York Daily News, June 29, 2020
• "New York Elections During the Pandemic," New York Law Journal, June 17, 2020
• "Binding Electoral Votes: A Bad Idea for New York," New York Law Journal, June 17, 2020
• "2020 Election Sidebar: No Voters Need Apply?," New York Law Journal, May 26, 2020
• "2020 Election Sidebar: Can the Election Be Postponed?," New York Law Journal, April 28, 2020
• "Tornadoes, Coronavirus and the 2020 Election," New York Law Journal, March 10, 2020
• "Impeachment Sidebar: The Senate Trial," New York Law Journal, January 24, 2020
• "Partisan Gerrymandering — A Continuing Threat," New York Law Journal, December 27, 2019
• "Impeachment Sidebar: High Crimes and Misdemeanors," New York Law Journal, December 20, 2019
• "Impeachment Sidebar: Bribery," New York Law Journal, December 3, 2019
• "Impeachment Sidebar: Historical Context," New York Law Journal, November 12, 2019
• "Reform Our Elections and Save the Republic," New York Law Journal, October 31, 2019
• "Summer 2019 Election Law Round-Up," New York Law Journal, August 28, 2019
• "New York's Arcane Election Laws Continue to Suppress Voters," Times Union, August 27, 2019
• “Albany's Still-To-Do Election Reforms,”  New York Law Journal, May 9, 2019
• “A Donald Trump Coup If He Loses in 2020? With All the Norms He's Busted, Don't Rule It Out,” USA Today, March 14, 2019
• “If We Get Beyond the Horse Trading, Fusion Voting Has a Role,” Albany Times Union, March 8, 2019
• “New York Election Reform Needs Improvement," New York Law Journal, February 13, 2019
• “Albany’s Progress on Voting: Two Cheers for Now,” The New York Times, January 24, 2019
• “National Popular Vote, With All Its Flaws, Is Worth Serious Look,” New York Law Journal, January 7, 2019
• “How New York Suppresses the Vote,” New York Law Journal, December 26, 2018
• “A Call to The Bar: Fight for The National Popular Vote Initiative,” New York Law Journal, December 12, 2018
• “What if Trump loses but refuses to leave the White House? We have to start to contemplate the possibility,” New York Daily News, December 3, 2018
• “Attorneys Should Turn Attention to State Legislative Races,” New York Law Journal, November 8, 2018
• “Defy the Violence, Go Vote,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 1, 2018
• “The Bar Should Support Voting Reforms,” New York Law Journal, October 26, 2018
• “An Agenda for New York City’s Public Advocate,” The New York Times, September 30, 2018
• “New York Fusion Laws and the Joe Crowley Imbroglio,” New York Law Journal, August 13, 2018
• “Easing Voter Registration,” New York Law Journal, May 16, 2018
• “Voters, not lawmakers, should pick interim officeholders,” Albany Times Union, May 14, 2018
• “New York City should expand voting rights as part of charter revision,” City & State, May 14, 2018
• “Shouldn’t It Be Up to the Voters?” New York Law Journal, March 15, 2018
• “2018: A Big Year for Voting Rights Restoration?” New York Law Journal, December 29, 2017
• “Don’t Let Candidates Know Their Donors,” New York Times, November 21, 2017
• “Ban Candidates From Soliciting Campaign Dough,” New York Law Journal, November 15, 2017
• “Con-con wasn't the last chance for reform,” Albany Times Union, November 9, 2017
• “Take the Long View and Remain Optimistic,” New York Law Journal, October 31, 2017
• “Fixing Government from the Ground Up: Say No to a Constitutional Convention and Focus on Local Reform,” New York Daily News, October 20, 2017
• “New York Inches Its Way Toward Easier Ballot Access,” New York Law Journal, October 10, 2017
• “A Tale of (at Least) Two Gerrymanders," New York Law Journal, June 23, 2017
• “City Bar's Support of Constitutional Convention Is Flawed,” New York Law Journal, June 14, 2017
• “Remove the President? Read this First!” New York Law Journal, May 18,2017
• “President Trump and the 25th Amendment,” New York Journal, May 1, 2017
• “Real Solutions for Real Problems,” New York Law Journal, February 23, 2017
• “Election Law and the Presidency: An Introduction and Overview,” Fordham Law Review, December 2016
• “Cross Your Fingers For an Uneventful Election Day,” City & State, November 4, 2016
• “Write-in for President?” Law.com, November 1, 2016
• “Court Victories Don’t Mean Voters Are in the Clear,” New York Law Journal, October 6, 2016
• “Re-Enfranchising People With Prior Convictions,” New York Law Journal, June 22, 2016
• “Electing The President: Rules And Laws,” New York Law Journal, April 18, 2016
• “Scrapping the Iowa-New Hampshire Obsession,” Texas Lawyer, February 8, 2016
• “Voting Reform Prominent in Two Executive Addresses,” New York Law Journal, February 5, 2016
• “Time To Scrap The Iowa-New Hampshire Obsession,” Law.com, January 29, 2016
• “Beware the Poo-Bahs?” City & State, December 18, 2015
• “Year-End Roundup: Significant State and Federal Developments,” New York Law Journal, December 17, 2015
• “Making Sense of the Bronx 'Switcheroo,'” New York Law Journal, October 7, 2015
• “Imagine If Presidential Elections Were Like a TV Comedy; An absurd-but possible-outcome when the electoral college vote is tied,” The National Law Journal, August 10, 2015
• “State Legislatures Adjourning, But Voting Rights Still Center Stage,” New York Law Journal, August 5, 2015
• “Donald Trump? How About President Selina?” Law.com, July 14, 2015
• “Alabama and Albany Minority Voters Get Wins,” New York Law Journal, April 10, 2015
• “Alabama and Albany Minority Voters Get Wins,” New York Law Journal, April 10, 2015
• “Federal Actions Bring Election Matters to the Forefront,” New York Law Journal, February 27, 2015
• “Year-End Round Up on Elections and Voting Rights,” New York Law Journal, January 5, 2015
• “Hillary:  Keep Your Eye on the ‘Magic Number,’” Law.com, December 4, 2014
• “Is Eight Enough?” City & State, November 24, 2014
• “Voting Restrictions:  From Statehouses to Courts,” New York Law Journal, October 24, 2014
• “Has the Residency Requirement for Governor Overstayed its Welcome?” Albany Times Union, September 14, 2014
•  “The Governor Challenges His Opponent’s Residence,” New York Law Journal, August 6, 2014
• “Why Frank Mackay Should Worry About Tim Wu,” City & State, July 17, 2014
• “Proving Who You Are:  The Legal Battle Over Voter ID Laws,” New York Law Journal, June 4, 2014
• “Grimm Scenarios,” City & State, April 28, 2014
• “New York Round Up: Campaign Finance and Ballot Issues,” New York Law Journal, April 28, 2014
• “The Clock is Ticking,” City & State, March 25, 2014
• “What’s the Matter with Kansas (and Arizona)?” Law.com, March 24, 2014
• “12 Years a Slave, Ishtar and Instant Voting,” Law.com, March 10, 2014
• “A million of us have no vote in Albany,” New York Daily News, March 3, 2014
• “Presidential and Legislative Efforts on Voting Reform,” New York Law Journal, February 5, 2014
• “Two Powerful Weapons in De Blasio’s Arsenal to Take on Albany,” City & State, January 1, 2014
• “2013’s Top 10:  From Voting Rights Act to Moreland Commission,” New York Law Journal, December 30, 2013
• “After ‘Shelby County’ Ruling, Are Voting Rights Endangered?” New York Law Journal, September 23, 2013
• “The Cuomo-Schneiderman Moreland Commission,” New York Law Journal, July 19, 2013
• “U.S. Supreme Court Examines Voting Rights in Two Cases,” New York Law Journal, May 15, 2013
• “Make AG an Election Watchdog,” Albany Times Union, April 28, 2013
• “Improve Voter Turnout by Modernizing New York’s Election Law,” City Law, April 9, 2013
• “Campaign Spending,” The New York Times, March 27, 2013
• “Piercing the Political Veil:  Disclosure of Corporate Spending,” New York Law Journal, March 20, 2013
• “Trust fund may help with campaign reform,” Albany Times Union, January 23, 2013
•  “Elections in New York:  Time to Consider Reforms,”  The New York Times, December 7, 2012
• “Big Spenders Beware:  New York City Campaign Finance Board Is Watching,” New York Law Journal, May 1, 2012
• “Iowa in perspective:  The delegate math is what matters most,” New York Daily News, January 5, 2012
•  “Earthquakes, Irene And Elections,” nycapitolnews.com, September 26, 2011
• “The City Council’s residency ‘scandal’ – not so simple,” New York Daily News, March 28, 2011
• “New York’s Campaign Finance and Ballot Measure Guide,” Alliance for Justice, February 1, 2011
• “New York's Lobbying Disclosure Guide,” Alliance for Justice, February 1, 2011
• “New York's Voter Registration Guide,” Alliance for Justice, February 1, 2011
• “How Cuomo Can Tame N.Y.,” Albany Times Union, November 4, 2010
• “Look to New York City for Reform,” Albany Times Union, July 26, 2010
• “First reform, then the economy,” Albany Times Union, June 2, 2010
• “Monserrate and the Question of Pink Slips for Elected Officials,” New York Law Journal, January 20, 2010
• “Let Gov. Deval Patrick fill Ted Kennedy’s Senate Seat,” New York Daily News, September 1, 2009
• “New York State of Mindlessness,” The New York Times, June 10, 2009
• “The 17th Amendment and Vacant Senate Seats,” New York Law Journal, February 27, 2009
• “Needed now:  campaign finance reform,” December 25, 2008
•  “In Case of Election Crisis, Congress Needs to be Prepared,” U.S. News, October 15, 2008
• “Governor Spitzer’s Dilemma [The Comptroller Problem],”  New York Law Journal, December 19, 2008
• “Could Terrorists Derail a Presidential Election?,” 32 Ford. Urb. L. J. 523 (2005).
•  “No More Mr. Nice Guy: Kicking Nader Off the Ballot,” New York Sun, June 3, 2004
•  “Silenced Majority [A Referendum on Rent Control],” The New York Times, June 2, 1997
• “Is This North Korea? [Let's Try to Democratize New York's Primary],”  New York Times, July 30, 1991

• Member, Rules Committee of Democratic National Convention (2020)
• Special Advisor,   Election Law Committee, American Bar Association (2019-present)
• Board of Advisors, Let America Vote, 2017-present
• Board of Trustees, Museum of the City of New York, 2014-present
• Member, Platform Committee of Democratic National Convention (2012)
• Board of Directors, Latino Leadership Institute, 2015-2017
• Board of Directors, Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, 2005-present
• Board of Directors, Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert, 2006-2014
• Chair, Election Law and Government Affairs Committee, New York State Bar Association (2010-2017)
• Chair Task Force on New York City Charter Reform, Association of the Bar of the City of New York (2019-2020)
• Chair, New York City Municipal Affairs Committee, Association of the Bar of the City of New York (2015-2018)
• Chair, Election Law Committee, Association of the Bar of the City of New York (2007-2010)

Mr. Goldfeder is a frequent speaker and has participated in many legal symposiums and seminars.  A selected list of his most recent appearances follows:

• “Election Law Reform After the 2020 Election,” Federalist Society of Philadelphia, December 16, 2020.
• “Reforming the Electoral College,” New York Democratic Lawyers Council, December 9, 2020
• “Post-election Scenarios,” B’nai Jeshurun, November 5, 2020
• “Post-election Legal Issues,” Fordham Law School, November 4, 2020
• “Beyond the Election: What We Can Expect,” Bergstein Flynn Knowlton Webinar Series,  November 2, 2020
• “Election Scenarios,” Institute for Living Judaism, November 1, 2020
• “Election Security,” Fordham Law School, October 27, 2020
• “Ballot Access for Insurgent Candidates,” Latino Leadership Institute, October 17, 2020
• “Voting and the 2020 Presidential Race,” Stroock, October 8, 2020
• “How the American Electoral System Works,” International Law Students at Fordham Law School, October 6, 2020
• “2020 ‘Nightmare’ Scenarios,” Southampton Democrats, October 3, 2020
• “Legal Issues in the 2020 Election,” New York State Bar Association, October 1, 2020
• “2020 Electoral Activism Training Academy,” Columbia School of Social Work, September 26, 2020
• “Legal Issues in the 2020 Election,” Southampton Democrats, July 18, 2020
• "Changes to the Electoral College," West Side Democrats, May 27, 2020
• "Challenges to Voting This Year," Staten Island Democratic Association, May 18, 2020.
• "Is the November Election in Jeopardy?" Markers for Democracy, May 14, 2020.
• "Voting in the 2020 Election," Albany Law School, April 20, 2020
• "Preparing for the 2020 Election," Federal Bar Council, February 10, 2020
• "Election Law Judicial Proceedings," New York Judicial Institute, January 23, 2020
• "Pathways to Politics,” Columbia University," January 11, 2020
• “Running for Office — Access to the Ballot,” Latino Leadership Institute, October 19, 2019
• “The New York City Campaign Finance Law” New York Law School, April 11, 2019
• “Mandating Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns,” American Civil Liberties Union, April 8, 2019
• “Election Reform in New York State,” Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, February 28, 2019
•  “Election Reform in NYC,” New Visions Democrats, January 8, 2019
• “Post-Kavanaugh Politics and 2020,” Southampton Democrats, October 20, 2018
• “Partisan Gerrymandering,” Fordham Law School, October 17, 2018
• “Getting and Staying on the Ballot,” Latino Leadership Institute, October 13, 2018
•  “Election Law and Election Law Procedures,” Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, July 25, 2018
• “The NYC Charter Revision Commission,” Brooklyn Voters Alliance, June 12, 2018
• "Raising the Bar: Ethical Problems and Possible Solutions in District Attorney Campaign Fundraising," Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity, April 6, 2018
• “Representing a Candidate Under New York’s Election Law,” New York Bar Association, February 9, 2018
• “How to Run for Office in New York State,” Young Women’s Political Leadership Conference,  New York University,  January 27, 2018
• “How to Get on the Ballot,” Latino Leadership Institute, October 14, 2017
• “Should We Have a Constitutional Convention?” Women’s City Club of New York, October 5, 2017
• “The New York Constitutional Convention,” Southampton Democratic Club, May 13, 2017;
• “The New York Constitutional Convention,” Women’s City Club of New York, May 9, 2017
• “How to Run for Office in New York State,” National Women’s Political Caucus, February 25, 2017
• “Predictions and Expectations for the Administration of Donald Trump,” Fordham Law School, January 19, 2017
• “Analyzing the 2016 Election,” The Latino Leadership Institute Forum, December 20, 2016
• “After 2016, Do Our Election Laws Still Work?” Harvard Law School, November 11, 2016
• “How the Electoral College System Distorts Presidential Elections,” University of Pennsylvania Law School, November 3, 2016
• “The Voting Rights Act: Election Law in a Changing Landscape,” Federal Bar Council, October 5, 2016
•  “The Appearance of Corruption: Following the Money Trail in Federal Elections,” University of Pennsylvania Law School, April 21, 2016
• “Home Rule in an Era of Municipal Innovation: Reviving the Right to Self-Government,” Fordham Law School, April 7, 2016
• “The Electoral College and the Nominating Process,” Southampton Democratic Club, April 3, 2016
• “Getting on the Ballot in NYC,” New York City Bar Association, February 1, 2016
• “Money, Politics and Corruption,” New York University, October 21, 2015
• “Running for Office and Ballot Access,” Latino Leadership Institute, October 3, 2015
• “Judicial Elections After Citizens United,” Cardozo Law School, April 20, 2015
• “Voting Reforms and Restrictions; Campaign Finance and the US Supreme Court,” Medgar Evers College, April 17, 2015
• “Charter Revision in New York City,” Bay Ridge Democratic Club, April 9, 2015
• “Enacting Democracy in New York City,” Four Freedoms Democratic Club, March 31, 2015
• Speaker, "Election Law and Election Law Procedures," Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, New York, NY, July 10, 2012
• Speaker, “Money and Politics: Changes in the Campaign Finance Laws,” The Puerto Rican Bar Association, New York, NY, June 20, 2012
• Speaker, “Campaign Finance: Public or Both?” New York, NY, May 31, 2012
• Speaker, Campaign Finance and the Influence of SuperPACs, Symposium on the 2012 Presidential Election and The Latino Community, New York, NY, April 17, 2012
• Panelist, Latino Political Voice in Elections, New York City Metropolitan Area Latino American Law Student Associations Annual Conference, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, March 25, 2012
• Guest speaker, “Campaign Finance Compliance,” Common Cause/NY’s Candidate College, New York, NY, September 18, 2011
• Guest speaker, “Ballot Access,” Latino Leadership Institute’s Political Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 17, 2011
• Speaker, “Election Law and Election Law Procedures,” Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, July 19, 2011
• Lecturer, “Running for Public Office:  How to Petition,” Latino Leadership Institute, Community Service Society, June 4, 2011
• Speaker, “Electioneering & Lobbying: Issues for Nonprofits,” New York City Bar CLE,
  May 17, 2011
• Speaker, “Should New York City's Campaign Finance System Be a Model for the State?,” The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, University at Albany, December 2010
• Lecturer, “How to Decide an Election Case,” Annual Seminar for the Justices and Law Secretaries of the Appellate Division, Second Department, 2006-present
• Speaker, Voter Participation Hearing of the New York City Charter Revision Commission, June 2, 2010
• Featured Speaker, “How to Get on the Ballot ... and Stay on the Ballot!” Fordham Law School Joint Bar Association Symposium, June 1, 2010
• Speaker, “The Price of Democracy – Corporate Money in Politics,” New York University School of Law, April 2010
• Moderator, “Helping America Vote,” NYU Journal of Legislation and Public Policy Symposium, March 2010
• Guest Speaker, “The Future of New York City Charter Reform,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Municipal Affairs Committee), September 2009
• CLE Faculty, “Post-Election Litigation Strategies,” New York State Bar Association, May 2008
• CLE Faculty, “Judicial Ethics,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York, March 2008
• CLE Faculty, “Using the Courts to Win the Presidency,” Fordham Law School, November 2006
• Moderator, “Is Free Speech a Victim of Campaign Finance Reform?” Smith Family Foundation Forum, October 2006
• CLE Faculty, “The Ethics of Election Law,” Democratic Lawyers Council, October 2006
• CLE Faculty, “McCain-Feingold:  Is it Promoting or Destroying Democracy?” Fordham Law School, February 2004
• CLE Faculty, “The Ethics of Ballot Access Litigation,” Association of the Bar of the City of New York, May 2003

New York

U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York; U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court

J.D., Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, 1979; Cardozo Law Review

M.A., University of California, Los Angeles, 1972; Political Science

B.A., Brooklyn College, 1968