Lee v. Keith

"Lee v. Keith" was a case in which, on September 18, 2006 [ [http://freeandequal.org/leevkeith.htm Illinois election law ruled unconstitutional: Lee V. Keith, 2006] , Coalition for Free and Equal Elections] , the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit struck down Illinois' ballot access laws, opining:

:"In combination, the ballot access requirements for independent legislative candidates in Illinois--the early filing deadline, the 10% signature requirement, and the additional statutory restriction that disqualifies anyone who signs an independent candidate's nominating petition from voting in the primary--operate to unconstitutionally burden the freedom of political association guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Ballot access barriers this high--they are the most restrictive in the nation and have effectively eliminated independent legislative candidacies from the Illinois political scene for a quarter of a century--are not sustainable based on the state's asserted interest in deterring party splintering, factionalism, and frivolous candidacies" [ [http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/sep2006/illi-s20.shtml Judge orders election board to certify Illinois SEP candidate] , Jerome White, Sept. 20, 2006.] .

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