The Supreme Court: Electing Our Leaders

Electing Our Leaders

State governments have the responsibility for running elections and setting the rules, even when electing federal officials. That doesn't mean they have free reign—they must still be sure that the rules and procedures mandated do not conflict with the Constitution.

While the Supreme Court does hesitate to get involved in these state decisions, there have been numerous cases heard by the Court over the years. Many involve redistricting, campaign financing, and equal access to public airwaves. There have also been cases to prevent last minute party switching.

In recent years, the most controversial election case was Bush v. Gore, which involved ballot counting problems in Florida. In this section, I'll review recent court rulings regarding state-run election provisions.