Ballot access: Supreme Court decisions

Every U.S. Supreme Court decision from the 1946 through 2025 Terms that the Supreme Court Database classifies under the issue “Ballot access,” part of the Civil Rights area.

22decisions

64%favorable to the petitioner

32%unanimous

11altered precedent or struck a law

Decisions by decade

1940s1

1960s3

1970s7

1980s4

1990s4

2000s2

2020s1

Most majority opinions

Byron R. White4

John Paul Stevens2

William H. Rehnquist2

Thurgood Marshall2

Warren E. Burger2

Clarence Thomas1

Legal provisions most often involved

First Amendment (association)8

Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)8

Fourteenth Amendment (enforcement clause)1

Tenth Amendment1

First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)1

Article III, Section 2, Paragraph 1 (case or controversy requirement)1

Fourteenth Amendment (due process)1

All 22 decisions, newest first

Trump v. Anderson
601 U.S. 100Decided March 4, 20249–0Per curiam
Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party
552 U.S. 442Decided March 18, 20087–2Clarence Thomas
Rebecca McDowell Cook v. Donald J. Gralike and Mike HarmanLaw held unconstitutional
531 U.S. 510Decided February 28, 20019–0John Paul Stevens
California Democratic Party v. Bill JonesLaw held unconstitutional
530 U.S. 567Decided June 26, 20007–2Antonin Scalia
Michele L. Timmons v. Twin Cities Area New Party
520 U.S. 351Decided April 28, 19976–3William H. Rehnquist
Alan B. Burdick v. Morris Takushi
504 U.S. 428Decided June 8, 19926–3Byron R. White
Barbara J. Norman v. Dorothy ReedLaw held unconstitutional
502 U.S. 279Decided January 14, 19927–1David H. Souter
Munro v. Socialist Workers Party
479 U.S. 189Decided December 10, 19867–2Byron R. White
Tashjian v. Republican Party of ConnecticutLaw held unconstitutional
479 U.S. 208Decided December 10, 19865–4Thurgood Marshall
Anderson v. CelebrezzeLaw held unconstitutional
460 U.S. 780Decided April 19, 19835–4John Paul Stevens
Clements v. Fashing
457 U.S. 957Decided June 25, 19825–4William H. Rehnquist
Illinois State Board of Elections v. Socialist Workers PartyLaw held unconstitutional
440 U.S. 173Decided February 22, 19799–0Thurgood Marshall
Mandel v. Bradley
432 U.S. 173Decided June 16, 19777–1Per curiam
Lubin v. PanishLaw held unconstitutional
415 U.S. 709Decided March 26, 19749–0Warren E. Burger
Storer v. Brown
415 U.S. 724Decided March 25, 19746–3Byron R. White
American Party of Texas v. White
415 U.S. 767Decided March 25, 19748–1Byron R. White
Bullock v. CarterLaw held unconstitutional
405 U.S. 134Decided February 24, 19727–0Warren E. Burger
Jenness v. Fortson
403 U.S. 431Decided June 21, 19719–0Potter Stewart
Brockington v. Rhodes
396 U.S. 41Decided November 24, 19698–0Per curiam
Moore v. OgilvieAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
394 U.S. 814Decided May 5, 19697–2William O. Douglas
Williams v. RhodesLaw held unconstitutional
393 U.S. 23Decided October 15, 19686–3Hugo L. Black
Macdougall v. Green
335 U.S. 281Decided October 21, 19486–3Per curiam

Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error