Stein v. Alabama Secretary of State

In this ballot access case, we consider whether the district court erred in granting summary judgment to the Alabama Secretary of State on the Plaintiffs’ claim, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, that Alabama’s ballot access statute violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. After reviewing the record and having the benefit of oral argument, we affirm the district court’s judgment.

I. BACKGROUND

Alabama law provides that political parties must qualify to appear on the general election ballot, and they may do so by either performance or petition. The performance option grants statewide…