Campbell v. Bysiewicz
Court Cases
Campbell v. Bysiewicz
Voting Rights & Elections
The Center represented, among others, a Connecticut congressional candidate, a state assembly candidate, and a state senate candidate in a challenge to Connecticut’s primary ballot access laws. Connecticut’s system insulated incumbents from challenges within the party. In August 2002, after a favorable district court ruling, the Second Circuit ruled that Connecticut’s primary system should continue under the old rules for the current election cycle and stayed a lower court’s injunction. However, in January 2003, after the Center filed new motions for summary judgment, a federal district court judge declared Connecticut’s primary ballot access system unconstitutional and permanently enjoined its enforcement. The court ruled in favor of opening the State’s primary elections to more candidates.
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Press Center
- Press Release: Connecticut’s Primary Ballot Access System Declared Unconstitutional (Jan.2030, 2003)
- Statement by Plaintiffs’ Counsel on Second Circuit Ruling (Aug. 9, 2002)
- Statement by Brennan Center on Modified Decision (Aug. 5, 2002)
- Statement on Initial Decision by U.S. District Judge Peter Dorsey (July 23, 2002)
- Press Release: Filing of Lawsuit Seeking to Open Connecticut’s Primaries to More Candidates (March 21, 2002)