California Democratic Party v. Jones

This ease presents the question whether the State of California may, consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, use a so-called “blanket” primary to determine a political party’s nominee for the general election.

I

Under California law, a candidate for public office has two routes to gain access to the general ballot for most state and federal elective offices. He may receive the nomination of a qualified political party by winning its primary,1 see Cal. *570Elec. Code Ann. §§15451, 13105(a) (West 1996); or he may-file as an independent by obtaining (for a statewide…