Ruling on constitutionality of Minnesota ballot law [MN SC] News
Ruling on constitutionality of Minnesota ballot law [MN SC]

In re: Candidacy of Independance Party Candidates, James Moore et al. v. Mary Kiffmeyer, Secretary of State for Minnesota, Supreme Court of Minnesota, Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz, November 10, 2004 [ruling that a state law requiring candidates to reach a vote threshold in a primary election before appearing on the general election ballot violated "important constitutional rights that are central to the preservation of our democracy."]. Excerpt:

In the absence of any suggested rational purpose for the law, we have no difficulty concluding that by denying Independence Party candidates access to the general election ballot the primary threshold law violates petitioners' constitutional rights to vote and to associate for the advancement of political beliefs under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. On that basis, we ordered the secretary of state to certify the candidates of the Independence Party who received the most votes in the primary as the nominees of that party for placement on the general election ballot.

Read the full text of the opinion here. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.