Whether federal courts recognize a public interest exception to mootness

QUESTIONS PRESENTED Whether federal courts recognize a public interest exception to mootness, such that Petitioners’ challenge to the Cook County Election Board’s policy refusing to accept statistical evidence of sufficient signatures showing should have been permitted to proceed, since the likelihood of signature challenges decided by narrow margins is certain to recur in virtually every year’s ballot access? Should Petitioners have been permitted to amend their complaint challenging Cook County’s ballot procedures based on his denial of a position on the ballot? Whether, in light of this Court’s Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, U.S.___, 141 S. Ct. 792 (2021) decision, holding that damages are presumed in Constitutional deprivation cases, the dismissal of a candidate’s challenge to the County’s existing procedures should be reversed, affording the candidate the opportunity to amend the complaint, in light of the candidate’s intention to run for future office and likelihood facing a similar challenge? Whether it is a violation of the First Amendment or Due Process to refuse to permit candidates’ statistical evidence to prove their actual compliance with statutory signature requirements?