Posts Tagged ‘ballot label’
9th Circuit ruling keeps ‘none of the above’ on Nev. ballot
Three-judge panel grants emergency stay sought by the state and has strong words for federal judge who declared the voting option unconstitutional.
High court won’t hear Libertarian Party’s appeal
Group had sought to have Bob Barr be the party’s sole candidate on New Hampshire’s 2008 presidential ballot.
‘Sham’ Green Party candidates to stay on Ariz. ballot
PHOENIX — A judge has allowed contested Green Party candidates in Arizona to remain on the November ballot, denying a request that they be kicked off because Republicans allegedly recruited them to siphon votes from Democrats.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Dean Fink found on Sept. 14 that former Republican lawmaker Steve May recruited several of [...]
Wis. candidate can’t use ‘bitch’ slogan on ballot
MADISON, Wis. — A legislative candidate can't use the phrase “NOT the 'whiteman's bitch'” to describe herself on the ballot, a Wisconsin election oversight board decided yesterday.
Ieshuh Griffin, an independent running for a downtown Milwaukee seat in the state Assembly, argued yesterday that she had the right to use the phrase.
But the state's Government Accountability [...]
Wash. candidate gets OK to use ‘GOP’ on ballot
SEATTLE — GOP is A-OK for Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi.
A King County Superior Court judge on Sept. 26 rejected an attempt by Democrats to force the secretary of state's office to identify Rossi as “Republican” on November's ballot. Rossi, who's challenging Democratic incumbent Gov. Chris Gregoire, is instead listed as preferring the “GOP party” [...]
Democrats can keep Kucinich off Texas ballot
Editor's note: The Associated Press reported that Dennis Kucinich's attorneys filed notice Jan. 14 that they were appealing U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel's ruling. The attorneys filed the notice of appeal with Yeakel and asked for a temporary injunction allowing Kucinich on the ballot pending a hearing by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
AUSTIN, [...]
Ohio Libertarians sue after being denied ballot recognition
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Libertarian Party is suing Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, claiming he violated the group’s First Amendment rights by blocking it from running candidates for office this year.
In its suit filed in U.S. District Court, the Libertarian Party claims Blackwell violated its rights to free speech and political assembly by invalidating [...]
High court refuses to hear Iowa ‘spirit of Satan’ case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court declined yesterday to review an Iowa Supreme Court ruling allowing a United Methodist Church member to sue over a warning that “the spirit of Satan” was at work in her congregation.
The high court without comment rejected an appeal claiming that the Iowa justices had no authority to interfere in [...]
Federal judge throws out Connecticut’s primary system
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A federal judge yesterday tossed out the state’s primary election system, saying that requiring challengers to get support from 15% of party delegates is unfair and unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Peter Dorsey issued no remedies or recommendations, but he urged the Legislature to change the law as soon as possible to lower [...]
Peace activist’s ballot challenge denied
LOS ANGELES — A federal appeals court threw out a challenge yesterday by a Santa Monica City Council candidate who unsuccessfully tried to list himself as a “peace activist” on the ballot.
“A ballot is a ballot, not a bumper sticker,” the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel wrote.
Jerry Rubin, no relation to the [...]
Supreme Court sends several First Amendment cases packing
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court today turned away a host of First Amendment cases, dealing losses to Frank Sinatra Jr., the Green Party's Ralph Nader, former Olympic security guard Richard Jewell, and a South Carolina tattoo artist, among others.
Their cases were among more than a thousand that justices refused to consider as they returned to [...]
Natural Law Party challenges century-old Kansas ballot law
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Natural Law Party is suing the secretary of state, claiming a century-old Kansas law keeps its candidates off election ballots by limiting party names to two words, one of which must be “Party.”
With three words to its name, the Natural Law Party can’t gain state recognition, which is necessary [...]
Nader loses fight over Green Party ballot label
CINCINNATI — Ohio had authority to list the name of presidential candidate Ralph Nader on the November 2000 ballot without his Green Party affiliation, a federal appeals court ruled yesterday.
Ohio officials said the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling upholds the state's position that it has authority to impose reasonable requirements for ballot listings [...]
High court strikes down ‘scarlet letter’ ballot labels
WASHINGTON — States cannot use election ballots to brand congressional candidates as opponents of term limits, a practice known as “scarlet-letter” labels, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday.
Ruling unanimously in Cook v. Gralike, the justices threw out a labeling provision in Missouri, saying it put targeted candidates at a disadvantage and “attempts to dictate electoral outcomes.”
“Indeed, [...]
Idaho high court strikes down term-limit ballot labels
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Supreme Court yesterday struck down a
law enacted by voters in 1998 requiring ballot labeling of congressional
candidates who choose to take a term-limits pledge, and those who later break
it.
The 4-1 ruling, with Justice Wayne Kidwell dissenting, concluded that
the so-called “Gold Star” initiative violates the state Constitution because it
“infringes on the fundamental [...]
The First Amendment Center is an educational organization and cannot provide legal advice.
Ken Paulson is president and chief executive officer of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University and in Washington, D.C. Previously, Paulson served as the editor and senior vice president/news of USA Today.
Gene Policinski, senior vice president and executive director of the First Amendment Center and president and chief operating officer of the Diversity Institute, is a veteran journalist whose career has included work in newspapers, radio, television and online.
John Seigenthaler founded the First Amendment Center in 1991 with the mission of creating national discussion, dialogue and debate about First Amendment rights and values.
Dr. Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum. He writes and speaks extensively on religious liberty and religion in American public life.
David L. Hudson Jr. is an expert in First Amendment issues who writes for firstamendmentcenter.org and for other publications. Hudson teaches law and was a scholar at the First Amendment Center.
Tiffany Villager is director/First Amendment studies at the First Amendment Center, which she joined in 1993. She also served as the center’s research manager and research coordinator, and developed the center’s library.
