Summary
This document is a dissenting opinion by Justice Davis in a West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals proceeding concerning Erik Patrick Wells’s eligibility to appear on the 2016 general-election ballot as an independent candidate for Kanawha County Clerk. The dissent argues that Wells satisfied the requirements of West Virginia Code §§ 3-5-23 and 3-5-24, was not required to file a certificate of announcement under § 3-5-7, and was constitutionally entitled to ballot access. The dissent criticizes the majority for imposing additional affiliation and filing requirements not expressly stated in the election statutes.
Questions Presented
- Whether a registered member of a recognized political party may run as an independent or unaffiliated candidate under West Virginia Code § 3-5-23.
- Whether an independent or third-party candidate nominated through the certificate process must file a certificate of announcement under West Virginia Code § 3-5-7.
- Whether the specific filing requirements and deadline in West Virginia Code §§ 3-5-23 and 3-5-24 control over the general certificate-of-announcement requirements in § 3-5-7.
- Whether an independent candidate who satisfies the statutory nominating requirements and obtains the required signatures is entitled to have his name placed on the general-election ballot.
Disposition
other
Cases Cited (28)
- NAACP v. Alabama ex rel. Patterson, 357 U.S. 449, 460, 78 S. Ct. 1163, 1171, 2 L. Ed. 2d 1488 (1958)(followed)
- NAACP v. Button, 371 U.S. 415, 430, 83 S. Ct. 328, 336, 9 L. Ed. 2d 405 (1963)(followed)
- Bates v. Little Rock, 361 U.S. 516, 522-523, 80 S. Ct. 412, 416-417, 4 L. Ed. 2d 480 (1960)(followed)
- Elrod v. Burns, 427 U.S. 347, 357, 96 S. Ct. 2673, 2681, 49 L. Ed. 2d 547 (1976)(followed)
- Kusper v. Pontikes, 414 U.S. 51, 57, 94 S. Ct. 303, 307, 38 L. Ed. 2d 260 (1973)(followed)
- Tashjian v. Republican Party of Connecticut, 479 U.S. 208, 214, 107 S. Ct. 544, 548, 93 L. Ed. 2d 514 (1986)(followed)
- Democratic Party of United States v. Wisconsin ex rel. La Follette, 450 U.S. 107, 122, 101 S. Ct. 1010, 1019, 67 L. Ed. 2d 82 (1981)(followed)
- Ripon Society, Inc. v. National Republican Party, 173 U.S. App. D.C. 350, 384, 525 F.2d 567, 601 (1975)(followed)
- Eu v. San Francisco County Democratic Central Committee, 489 U.S. 214, 224, 109 S. Ct. 1013, 1020-21, 103 L. Ed. 2d 271 (1989)(followed)
- George v. Board of Ballot Commissioners, 79 W. Va. 213, 90 S.E. 550 (1916)(followed)
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