Statement on Decision In Campbell V. Bysiewicz

For Immediate Release
July 23, 2002

Contact Information:
Amanda Cooper, 212 998–6736

Statement on Decision in Campbell v. Bysiewicz

Today in U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, Judge Peter Dorsey declared Connecticuts primary ballot access system unconstitutional and enjoined its enforcement.

“We applaud the Courts decision finding unconstitutional and enjoining Connecticut’s burdensome system for primary ballot access. Today’s ruling by the federal district court in Connecticut will open the State’s primary elections to more candidates and give Connecticut’s voters more choice in the voting booth. On behalf of our clients, we applaud the court’s decision. Now the State must act. The district court has declined to provide a remedy and instead has called upon the Secretary of State and the Attorney General to devise and implement a reasonable ballot access system.

As indicated by the Secretary of the State’s press conference, it appears that she intends to fight the judge’s order. We will do what we can, on behalf of our clients, to assure that the judge’s order stands and is enforced. In the current election cycle, our clients Jim Campbell, who is running for U.S. Congress, and Ed Gomes, who is seeking a State Senate seat, must be allowed to use the petitioning process to gain access to the primary ballot. In future elections, all similarly situated candidates must be afforded the same avenue for inclusion in primary elections.”

—Elizabeth Daniel, lead counsel in Campbell v. Bysiewicz and Associate Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice

More information on Campbell v. Bysiewicz is available here. Or please contact Amanda Cooper of the Brennan Center for Justice at (212) 998–6736.