Florida Ballot Order

Lawsuit filed by individual voters, Priorities USA, Democratic National Committee (DNC), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Democratic Governors Association (DGA) and Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) challenging Florida’s ballot order statute, which requires that candidates of the political party of the governor be listed first on the ballot in all elections. The complaint alleges that this statute treats similarly situated candidates differently without sufficient justification and violates the First and 14th Amendments. The district court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, finding that the ballot order statute violates the First and 14th Amendments by taking “a side in partisan elections.” Republican intervenor-defendants appealed the decision to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which vacated the district court’s judgment and remanded the case with instructions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction.

Last updated: August 18, 2021 4:09 pm EST