Brent D. Benjamin v. Elizabeth D. Walker

KEADLE, Acting Chief Justice:

Petitioner Brent D. Benjamin is a Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and a candidate seeking re-election to the Court in the upcoming May 10, 2016, non-partisan election. Although Justice Benjamin began his election campaign as a “traditional candidate,” ie., a candidate financed by contributions from supporters, he later made the decision to enter the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Public Campaign Financing Program, W. Va.Code § 3-12-1 et seq., and filed his formal Declaration of Intent to do so on September 11, 2015. There 1 after,…