Brown v. Hartlage

The question presented is whether the First Amendment, as applied to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment, *47prohibits a State from declaring an election void because the victorious candidate had announced to the voters during his campaign that he intended to serve at a salary less than that “fixed by law.”

I

This case involves a challenge to an application of the Kentucky Corrupt Practices Act. The parties were opposing candidates in the 1979 general election for the office of Jefferson County Commissioner, “C” District. Petitioner, Carl Brown, was the challenger; respondent, Earl…